Help with plants

[tooter_mcgee]

Outside my apartment, we have a small patio area with 3 hooks hanging off of our awning. I would like to hang some potted plants out there this spring, as soon as it's warm enough and I know ot won't snow again. Anyway, I was wondering what sort of plants would work the best and which kinds would grow fast. I can just buy plants, but I like the idea of growing them myself. Thanks in advance if anyone can help. :)

~Di~

[hopeforrain]

well, i share an appartment with 4 people and we call the kitchen window sill our little balcony. so there's only room for one flower pott.
all of us do love flowers, so the favourites are vetches and nasturtium (took me some time to look those up ;) )
so if you wanna see some colours on your balcony you should try those. and by the way you can eat the blossoms of the nasturtium. looks funny in salad.
vetches can be plant in mid april so that´s pretty soon and the nasturtium in may.
as i said we love flowers, so maybe someone else has a good idea for plants for you.
Have fun with planting!
hope

[redthewitch75]

Di,

Try some herb seeds too! My favourites are Basil and Oregano, as far as looks go, and they are fragrant. And you don't have to restrict yourself to the hanging pots. Try getting a fairly large terra cotta pot, and then a medium sized one and then a smaller one...and you could make a little tower-type planter, and just plant around the medium and small pots and then in the small pot...if that makes any sense? It would be tiered, I guess is the word I am looking for.

As for me, I tend to be impatient, so I always purchase some flowers. My favourites in the Spring are pansies, they are pretty hardy. But I have a lot of wildflowers that bloom in the Spring as well. You might try Forget-me-Nots, Zinnias or Gerbera Daisies, I have had luck with these when starting from seeds.

Another thing that is fun, check to see if there is a plant/flower swap in your area. These are cool events. There is an annual one here and you can exchange anything from plants, flowers, seeds to garden tools, pots, etc.
Good gardening luck to you! :D

[toman]

Herbs are pretty easy to grow, but if you like to cook a lot, you'll probably be disappointed with just a little flower box full... I did that last year and the first time I made a big batch of red sauce my lovely herb garden was devastated! :bawl: lol... I'd reccomend that if you want herbs to use, you need at least like a flower bed type area or something where you can sow lots of seeds and just have a great big mass of herbs.