When it is hot, growing in pots or planters can be more difficult than in the ground. Indeed, if in the ground, the plants can go deeper into the humidity, in pots, they are dependent on your watering can, especially since the smaller the container, the faster the evaporation! It is better to choose “dromedary” plants for your balcony that survive all summer without watering (or almost). Succulent, Mediterranean, flowering plants… Here are 5 balcony plants suitable for full sun and requiring only limited watering.
1. Sedum
Belonging to the Crassulaceae family, sedum is perfect for a sunny, no-watering balcony! There are some 400 species of sedum: its port can be erect or carpeting, its pink, white, or yellow flowers, its leaves, are always fleshy (because it is a succulent plant that stores water in its leaves), also have a nice variety of shapes and colors. It is robust and resists well to drought but also to temperature variations, diseases, and parasites.
In general, sedum has few needs: it needs sun and well-drained soil. Sedum only takes root superficially: choose a shallow but wide enough container. In a pot and sheltered from the rain, it will require watering, but very moderately. No need to offer him fertilizer.
2. Rosemary
A small bush that adorns itself with pretty little flowers from the start of spring, rosemary immediately evokes the south. It grows wild in the rocky and dry soils of the garrigue or the maquis but also likes pots. It tolerates poor soils, cold (down to -12°C), and drought without difficulty.
Potted rosemary will appreciate a sunny location (preferably sheltered from the wind) and a well-draining substrate.
3. Thyme
Just like rosemary, thyme will perfume your balcony! A Mediterranean plant, thyme loves the sun and tolerates drought well. And good news: it is an aromatic herb that is very easy to grow in pots. All varieties of thyme like it: common thyme which resists the cold well, lemon thyme and its lilac-colored flowers, or wild thyme, a creeping variety.
Thyme appreciates a very draining soil because if there is one thing that this plant does not support, it is excess water. Watering should be moderate. Let the soil dry well between two waterings and remove the water from the saucer to prevent the thyme roots from being abused.
To keep your thyme compact, don’t hesitate to prune it (but only after flowering).
