Pollinators are important to our nature and gardens because they increase fruit and vegetable production. Not everyone owns a garden, however, but if you have a balcony, you can help maintain the pollinator population by planting bee flowers for window boxes. Creating a bee-friendly balcony is as easy as putting together a few pots of bee-friendly balcony flowers. What are the best flowers for bees on the balcony and how to arrange them? Continue reading!
Grow bee-friendly balcony plants
Which balcony flowers are bee-friendly? To create a pollinator garden for bees, you need to use plants with nectar-rich flowers. Choose bright flowers that are attractive to pollinators. Arrange the plants in each flower box at different heights to make your balcony garden look attractive. Here we show you some ways of planting your balcony boxes in a bee-friendly manner and which balcony plants are suitable for bees.
Bee flowers for balcony boxes: lavender
Lavender is one of the favorite flowers for bees on the balcony. It smells wonderful and heavenly and its color is bright and attractive. Lavender thrives in sunny spots and the bees feel comfortable with their presence. The plants do well in containers. Don’t let them dry out so they can enjoy their magnificent blooms longer. With proper care, lavender plants can live 10 to 15 years. It should be cut back every year after flowering.
Man-litter is a bee-friendly balcony flower
Man-litter is a showy flowering plant that is dearly loved by bees. She loves sunny spots, so a pot on a sunny balcony is perfect. The plant produces white and blue flowers and has a decorative spiky ruff. The ‘Big Blue’ variety has an intense metallic blue color that really attracts bees. This is a perennial plant and its flowers look great dried too, so you can use them in a dried bouquet and enjoy them all year round.
Growing dahlias on the balcony
Dahlias are also suitable plants for bees on the balcony. However, it is important that you choose the right type of dahlia. You won’t have as much success in attracting bees with “pom-pom” or “cactus” varieties, as these varieties were bred to have their petals too close together. Instead, opt for the more open varieties, such as B. Single or semi-double flowers that are hardy and very popular with pollinators. Dahlias are generally easy to care for and will add blooms to your outdoor space all summer long.
Foxgloves are suitable as balcony plants for bees
If you want an eye-catcher on your outdoor area, the thimble is just the thing for you. It looks gorgeous and bright, and it also thrives in a shady spot – perfect if your balcony doesn’t get much sun. The plant is extremely easy to care for and has wonderful colours, height and structure. Foxgloves in containers require humus rich soil and moderate to frequent watering to keep the soil from drying out.
Planting bee balm in pots
Bee balm is one of the best bee flowers for the balcony box. The dainty varieties grow up to 40 cm high. The location of the pot is important as the plant prefers full sun and good air circulation. A patio, balcony, or open area is the perfect spot for a potted bee balm. The flower likes well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0. Bee balm in planters is very easy to care for. Sunlight and water are all she needs. Less water is required in the fall and winter—just enough to keep the soil from drying out completely.
Grow lupins on the balcony and attract bees
Growing lupins in containers requires more care and attention, but they are still easy to care for. You can grow the magnificent flowers for bees on the balcony. The vessels must be deep so that the taproots have enough space to develop fully. Lupins do well with regular moisture and will need more frequent watering in hot climates. Water when the top 1-2 inches of potting soil feels dry. Water the pots as early in the day as possible and your plants will thrive happily.
Bee-friendly balcony with echinacea
Echinacea is easy to care for, long-lived, pest-resistant and drought-resistant. The plant thrives in well-drained soil and full sun to part shade. To keep it thriving, loosen the soil to about 4 inches (10 cm) thick before mixing compost. A thin layer of compost and a layer of mulch about 5 cm thick should be reapplied every spring. When transplanting the plant, you should hollow out a space twice the width of the container.
Indian paintbrush for exotic flair on the balcony
For growing in containers, the plants prefer a mix that is equal parts perlite and peat. The Indian Paintbrush requires 4-6 hours of full sunlight but can also tolerate some shade. The flowers like an evenly moist but not too wet soil during the growing season. Always check the moisture of the topsoil and if it feels dry, water vigorously. The plant is drought tolerant and can take care of itself once established.
