Easy security plants for a narrow balcony (SE Exposure, Zone 6)?
March 28, 2021 9:50 AM Subscribe
I have a regular-width sliding glass door that leads to an unusable Juliet balcony facing a very public street. I’d like to fill the balcony with beautiful, privacy-screening potted trees that also present a physical barrier to entry. Difficulty: I don’t have a lot of money, and while I don’t outright kill plants, I’ve got a knack for bringing them to death’s door. Details within.
My ideal solution is one long heavy planter with a couple of hearty plant friends cohabitating, but I suppose I could do multiple pots as well. I am open to bringing plants in during the winter, but I’d prefer not to. I would like height/privacy/security as soon as possible - the exposed glass door feels like a liability to me.
While I would like to be a better plant parent, I am away from home for extended periods and can’t do more than water and/or very occasional maintenance. I dig plants that’re into self-care.
- My balcony is 60” x 24” and faces south-east.
- I am in Zone 6a (cold winters).
- I am allergic to to ash and birch, and (to a lesser degree) maple.
- There is a big dumb dog in my home, and I want to consider toxicity.
- Rapid growth is good! The faster the plants grow, the better.
- Budget, all in, is a couple hundred dollars. I can add more over time.
- I like the look of bamboos, Japanese maples, and magnolias.
My ideal solution is one long heavy planter with a couple of hearty plant friends cohabitating, but I suppose I could do multiple pots as well. I am open to bringing plants in during the winter, but I’d prefer not to. I would like height/privacy/security as soon as possible - the exposed glass door feels like a liability to me.
While I would like to be a better plant parent, I am away from home for extended periods and can’t do more than water and/or very occasional maintenance. I dig plants that’re into self-care.
- My balcony is 60” x 24” and faces south-east.
- I am in Zone 6a (cold winters).
- I am allergic to to ash and birch, and (to a lesser degree) maple.
- There is a big dumb dog in my home, and I want to consider toxicity.
- Rapid growth is good! The faster the plants grow, the better.
- Budget, all in, is a couple hundred dollars. I can add more over time.
- I like the look of bamboos, Japanese maples, and magnolias.
Bamboo in a planter the width of the balcony might do the trick nicely. I would aim for a deeper container more than 18" deep rather a shallower one to allow for a better root system to establish and to need to water or less. A bigger planter will cost more up front, but save you in plant death and watering over time. If you get 2 bamboo plants in pots and spread those out you should be able to do the whole thing with one home depot run for $400 or less. (Obviously depending on pricing and availability in your area.)
If you genuinely have a very shallow space, I would consider growing grasses instead. Maiden grass is pet safe and dramatic, but I'm sure others have better grass recommendations. Again a deeper container is your friend here to allow the roots more space and for you to need to water less (you can find cheaper ones, I'm just providing examples)
Anything that you put out there will need regular watering the first year to get established. Depending on your winter severity the grasses may or may not come back. (I don't have great luck with grasses, so no great recommendations from there)
posted by larthegreat at 10:11 AM on March 28, 2021 [2 favorites]
If you genuinely have a very shallow space, I would consider growing grasses instead. Maiden grass is pet safe and dramatic, but I'm sure others have better grass recommendations. Again a deeper container is your friend here to allow the roots more space and for you to need to water less (you can find cheaper ones, I'm just providing examples)
Anything that you put out there will need regular watering the first year to get established. Depending on your winter severity the grasses may or may not come back. (I don't have great luck with grasses, so no great recommendations from there)
posted by larthegreat at 10:11 AM on March 28, 2021 [2 favorites]
One long deep trough is always easier to keep watered than individual pots. Make sure it drains well. Consider who it drains on. Add slow release water-absorbing granules to the soil to even out the watering gaps.
Many varieties of Bamboo are from the colder climates in Asia, and are already widely available in the states. Try to get one that maxes out at about eight feet, as it will get really bushy and cover your window in a season or two. Initially a bit more pricey, but may solve all your requirements in one go.
Japanese Maples grow laterally, and very slowly, so maybe not a great candidate. They get sun and wind burned pretty easily, depending on the laciness of the leaves of the variety. Also, bare sticks four months of the year in your zone.
posted by halfbuckaroo at 10:11 AM on March 28, 2021
Many varieties of Bamboo are from the colder climates in Asia, and are already widely available in the states. Try to get one that maxes out at about eight feet, as it will get really bushy and cover your window in a season or two. Initially a bit more pricey, but may solve all your requirements in one go.
Japanese Maples grow laterally, and very slowly, so maybe not a great candidate. They get sun and wind burned pretty easily, depending on the laciness of the leaves of the variety. Also, bare sticks four months of the year in your zone.
posted by halfbuckaroo at 10:11 AM on March 28, 2021
Holly is pretty unkillable, and is certainly a visual screen year-round, unpleasant to pick through, and thrives in the cold. It will handle a planter ok.
posted by nothing.especially.clever at 11:12 AM on March 28, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by nothing.especially.clever at 11:12 AM on March 28, 2021 [4 favorites]
There are some tall barberries with pretty evergreen foliage, nice contrasting flowers and very unpleasant to push through thorns.
posted by carterk at 12:39 PM on March 28, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by carterk at 12:39 PM on March 28, 2021 [3 favorites]
I'd look for a suitable viburnum variety for your area. They're beautiful, grow fast, make great screening plants, are usually pretty cheap, and are very easy to trim in to a desired shape/height. Have you got a good plant nursery nearby?
posted by saladin at 12:43 PM on March 28, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by saladin at 12:43 PM on March 28, 2021 [2 favorites]
Our only real break-in-able window has Leatherleaf Mahonia planted in front of it, and it's pretty terrifying (but also striking, and blooms in winter). They're listed as zone 7-9, but with the exposure you describe you could have an effective 7 microclimate in that spot.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:00 PM on March 28, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Lyn Never at 1:00 PM on March 28, 2021 [1 favorite]
Poncirus foliata "Flying Dragon", aka Monstrosa or Trifoliate Orange might be nice. They're attractive and hardy plants, bear fruit that can be used for marmalade or citrus-ade, and are often recommended for use in security hedges.
posted by Lexica at 4:07 PM on March 28, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Lexica at 4:07 PM on March 28, 2021 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Of all the suggestions, only barberry, mahonia (a barberry relative) and Holly will really discourage people from trying to get through your door. I’d take these three suggestions to the best nursery in your area and ask them what would work best in your area as a container plant in the conditions you have.
On preview- looks like the previous suggestion also works, with nice thorns (trifoliate orange)- I’m just not familiar with it. Might be hard to find.
posted by carterk at 5:28 PM on March 28, 2021
On preview- looks like the previous suggestion also works, with nice thorns (trifoliate orange)- I’m just not familiar with it. Might be hard to find.
posted by carterk at 5:28 PM on March 28, 2021
I think pyracantha/firethorn is an excellent choice for your setting. It's an attractive, fast-growing evergreen with attractive berries that does well in containers and has, as the name implies, thorns.
FWIW, I had a trifoliate orange and that thing was a nasty bastard--I cut it down last year to make room for something more usable. Definitely would be a deterrent to someone trying to break in, but it is completely covered with huge thorns, it drops its leaves in the fall, and the fruit is almost all seeds and not worth messing with for making marmalade, and I say that as someone who cans jams and jellies every year.
posted by drlith at 7:04 PM on March 28, 2021 [2 favorites]
FWIW, I had a trifoliate orange and that thing was a nasty bastard--I cut it down last year to make room for something more usable. Definitely would be a deterrent to someone trying to break in, but it is completely covered with huge thorns, it drops its leaves in the fall, and the fruit is almost all seeds and not worth messing with for making marmalade, and I say that as someone who cans jams and jellies every year.
posted by drlith at 7:04 PM on March 28, 2021 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by tybstar at 10:04 AM on March 28, 2021 [1 favorite]