The Balcony
When I first moved to this apartment, I was worried about having such small space for all my plants. Being in the field of maintenance for an apartment complex, I had the advantage of having my own tools and supplies to get creative. So I built an extension ledge just behind the balcony ledge:
I found a 1x6 board, measured the full length of the balcony opening, and fastened the board up to the back of the balcony ledge held by ‘L’ brackets:
I did think ahead (could have been a disaster if I didn’t, lol) and knew that the weight of the plants could never be held by just ‘L’ brackets. So in the center and both ends, I fastened the 1x6 board to rest on two 4x4 posts and a 2x4 in the center:
Now I was able to put almost twice as many plants on the balcony ledge with the extension! It’s holding good so far.
Now yes, looking closely, you can see round Christmas lights that I fastened along the ledge of the extension board. I have the lights plugged into a timer, and they turn on at almost nine pm, and turn back off at about a quarter ‘til seven am:
At the end of the string of Christmas lights, I attached a Homedic machine. I don’t really know how to describe it other than that pre-recorded sounds machine, options being “sounds of the ocean, rainforest, birds chirping” etc.:
And to complete the ambience of my peaceful little place, how could it not be complete without a small pond?
...at night...
Even though the water is constantly moving and being recycled, I still wanted to make sure it remained clear and have no dead bugs floating around in it. So I have 4 inch chlorine tablets used for pools, and every now and then I'll cut a chunk off and throw it into the pond.
Oh, I almost forgot! I have five solar power path lights that I put strategically in plants across the balcony as well:
Hanging in the center of the balcony opening is my hummingbird feeder:
I have had only one hummingbird feed from this so far. I have named him Zippy, because in the first week or so of him beginning to visit, he would “zip” up to the feeder, hold position for only a few seconds, then zip away.
I did some research and read how Indiana is home to only three types of hummingbirds, so I feel lucky to have at least one visitor. On Father’s Day alone, Zippy fed from the feeder every half hour from six a.m. to about nine p.m. I was very happy as I felt he was finally trusting the food for him and my balcony.
I will speak more about Zippy in future blogs as well as show my entire plant family! :)
2013-06-21
Welcome to my blog, Balcony Bliss! This blog is about my little piece of Heaven I was able to construct on my tiny apartment balcony:
I have found great reward and learning from having many plants in my home. I have always had an appreciation of nature and animals, but now I’m finding that I get to have that appreciation up close. This has accelerated more of a learning desire as well as appreciation that I have a small role in caring for living plants, animals and even insects.
I am a firm believer in crediting your sources, so I must state to you the reader as to why my interest in this is so strong. Three years ago, I was inspired by a 10 year-old girl. I met her along with her mother at my job where I was a maintenance technician for an apartment complex.
Her mother and I got to know each other, and she spoke about how her daughter wanted a tree. Mom took her to a store, and she picked out an oak tree. This tree was in a five gallon bucket, and this young girl loved this tree very much, and named him Steve.
Her mother explained to me almost daily how her daughter (they are both Czechoslovakian, and there is no way I could pronounce, let alone write their names properly, lol) watched Steve every day. How she would measure every single stem and leaf, and write down the progress of his growth. And how Steve was almost her best friend.
But something was happening with this girl, when previously she had no issue with: she was breaking out in rashes from head to toe. Of course at first, this was dismissed as her playing outside and perhaps it was a wild plant of some kind that caused a rash.
Through motherly perseverance and a doctor’s assessment, it was found that it was Steve that was causing the rash. This was devastating for her daughter.
Her mother approached me to see if I could take care of Steve, with her daughter standing nearby and smiling. Mom explained that she knew I cared for the landscaping at the property, and even spent time pruning the many boxwoods throughout. I of course, and without hesitation, took Steve home.
With my severe lack of experience caring for any plant whatsoever, the Midwest had a monumental drought that season. I did everything I could, researched online, asked people who knew plants and the like, but sadly and even though Steve fought to live, I lost him by the following summer.
In this pic, which is still my inspiration, do you see the stick hanging on the hooks? This is Steve, and my driving inspiration for the balcony garden I have created.
When I brought Steve home, I started with plants that, from learning, were low maintenance as well as plants that I always thought were pretty. I picked up a handful of boxwoods, bleeding hearts, monkshoods and balloon flowers.
At this point, I am still learning, but anxious to do so and happy to have been inspired!
