Climbing plants are good in every garden and on every balcony. If you go up in height with greenery, you quickly create variety.
Their colourful flowers and rapid growth make annual climbers an attractive feature on balconies and terraces. Especially in recently landscaped gardens and on dull balconies, vertical greenery can easily and instantly create atmosphere.
Sowing and caring for annual climbers
Annual climbers can be sown or bought. Sowing annual climbers is easy and can be done until the beginning of June. Keep the soil moist and when the plant starts to grow, it is advisable to fertilise it once every two weeks. Also think about the support of the plants. Tie them up with string or wire. Or lead the plant along a rack.
Suzanne with the beautiful eyes
Annual climbers with flowers
Annual climbers with flowers are, for example, Suzanne with the beautiful eyes and Indian cress. Less known is the Canary Cherry: just as easy a plant, but with a slightly different leaf shape and brilliant crested yellow flowers. Other annual climbing plants with flowers are the Geurerwt (Lathyrus) and Klokwinde (Cobaea).
Edible annual climbers
It is also fun to plant or sow edible annual climbers. Hop (Humulus) grows quickly and produces flowers that can be used to make tea. The flowers of Indian cress are delicious in a salad.
Passionflower has beautiful flowers and delicious fruit. Ask the garden centre for fruit-bearing varieties (such as Passifloris edulis) and for a self-fertilising plant, or buy several plants that fertilise each other. In mild winters you may find that this plant grows again the following year.
Cucumber or gherkin is a surprisingly nice climbing plant for your balcony or to give a pergola character. Choose a variety with mini cucumbers and harvest the fruits when they are small.