Watering a plant or two isn’t too hard work. Even if you must do it daily.
All it takes is a watering can nearby, filled with water, and ready to use.
But when it comes to a balcony garden, it will easily look like a harder task. Some days, you won’t feel that you have the time. Or you may even be gone all day, being out of time or on vacation.
This is where you’ll be grateful for having a system in place.
It will make watering your plants so easy… or even make your system do it for you.
Self-Watering Pots, Containers, or Raised Beds
If you have self-watering pots, you only need to fill them with water from time to time.
With some solutions, you’ll have enough water for weeks, depending on the climate where you live. If it’s warm and dry, the containers may only last a week.
There are indicators that will show you when you need to fill up with water again.
Do It Yourself
The cheapest, but also the most work-demanding and time-consuming way, it to build your own self-watering system.
You can do this in several ways.
One of the easiest ways is to fill a used soda bottle with water and stick it down into the soil with its open end first.
Your plants will take the water it needs from the bottle. And you can see through the plastic when it’s time to refill the bottle with water.
Another self-made system consists of a container filled with water and a wick or piece of cloth. The container can be a bucket or a plastic bottle.
You stick one end of the wick/cloth into the bottle and the other end into the soil around the plant.
This will allow your plants to get the water they need, and here again, you can easily tell when it’s time to refill the container
Purchase What You Need
If you don’t have the time or the patience to set up your own system, or you simply want something that looks nicer, you can purchase great-looking self-watering pots in all sizes.
Those pots are made out of two pots of thick plastic, nested inside each other. You put your plant or plants into the soil in the smallest of the two pots, and through a hole or tube, you add water into the other.
A lever will show you the height of the water and when it’s time to refill.
These pots are easy to move when they are empty but beware that when they are filled with soil, plants, and water, they can be very heavy. If you need to move them, do so when they are empty for water.
You can find those self-watering pots in plant nurseries or shops like Amazon or Wallmart.
If you have plenty of plants in raised beds or long container rows, you will be better off with a full irrigation system.
Irrigation Systems for Complete Automation
An irrigation system will lead water to your plants through tubes, either dug into the soil or visible above or next to the plants.
You can make them yourself or buy systems that are fast and easy to set up.
Do It Yourself Irrigation Systems
I won’t lie to you. It does take skills and patience to make your own irrigation system. The advantage is that it will save you a lot of money and it’s a huge satisfaction, once your system is up and working.
Nothing beats do-it-yourself on that account.
You may need to spend a little money on some items or tools, but it will still be low budget to make.
Look for YouTube videos that will show you step by step how to make your own irrigation system. There are plenty of them. I found a bunch just by searching for “making your own drip irrigation system balcony garden.”
Irrigation Systems You Can Easily Buy and Set Up
If you would rather spend the money than your time and energy, you can find full irrigation systems online or in your plant nursery.
Amazon is available in most countries and areas. Here you can search for “irrigation system balcony” or “balcony drip irrigation system” to find what you’re looking for.
Make sure to check the star-reviews and pick only systems that has a higher than 4-star rating.
Also, I would recommend that you go for systems that works with tubes or small hoses rather than spray. If you spray your plants when the sun is up, you risk burning their leaves and kill them. Those spray systems work great for a garden where you can water a law or large beds at hours where the sun is no longer that active.
Before you buy, check what you’ll need to do to install the system. Some will take you less time than others. Some will demand an electrical outlet nearby or access to running water. Make sure you have what is necessary for the system to work.
When you have purchased your system, read the instructions carefully to make sure you install it correctly. What you need to do will differ from system to system. But once it’s set up, you can freely enjoy your garden without putting in much work.
You can even permit yourself to go on a vacation and trust that everything will look great at your return.
Watering Your Balcony Garden Is No Longer a Problem
All it takes is to set up a system of your choice once and for all, and then just keep an eye on levers to see if you need to refill with water.
If you went with the full irrigation system and have access to running water, then you can skip that step completely. Your garden is watering itself.
You can just sit back and enjoy the flowers, the herbs, and the vegetables you grow on your balcony.