Our partner Green City Farm’s field in Helsinki produces harvest and well-being. The same principles can also be applied to balcony gardening. Our housing coordinator Laura Hahkala encourages you to get your hands dirty.
A community field is located in Longinoja, Malmi. This 1.2-hectare field area, leased from the City of Helsinki next to Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College’s Malmi campus, is an integral part of the institution’s operations and curriculum. The roots of Perho Green City Farm lie in community-supported agriculture, which supports small-scale and organic farming while connecting local residents, city dwellers, and stakeholders.
The field has also provided locally produced organic harvests for Setlementtiasunnot’s buildings. Residents have been able to cook together in cooking clubs, for example, and sit down at the same table to eat. “Our buildings have excellent communal kitchens, and these housing services support each other,” says Setlementtiasunnot’s housing coordinator Laura Hahkala. Green City Farm and Setlementtiasunnot are united by an important value – community spirit. It is said that one measure of community spirit is how often people eat together. Food brings people together, and food is an important part of culture. At the same time, you can learn new recipes!
Last year, Setlementtiasunnot received ready-grown seedlings from Green City Farm for communal cultivation. According to Hahkala, communal cultivation is possible in the yards or in cultivation boxes on communal balconies in all Setlementtiasunnot buildings.
“At Setlementtiasunnot, we naturally want to believe that balcony gardening brings residents together, and in some of our buildings, residents have engaged in exchanging cuttings,” Hahkala rejoices.
A balcony gardener nourishes body and mind
In addition to communal cultivation, you can also get your hands dirty on your own balcony. Many balconies are adorned with various summer flowers. They are not only beautiful but also vital for pollinators. Furthermore, you can grow useful plants on your balcony. Hahkala is a proponent of balcony gardening. She enjoys easily accessible local food from the balcony, ensuring she knows what she is eating and where it comes from. Balcony gardening is also economical; you can grow food yourself from the seeds of vegetables already purchased from the store.
“Herbs are also often very easy to care for and healthy. Growing them is also a fun hobby if you like to observe plants growing; you don’t have to go far from home to do this,” Hahkala enthuses.
In summer, balcony plants also provide pleasant shade and cool the apartment. Try, for example, a sprawling runner bean! When you cultivate it on your balcony, you can almost sense a jungle-like atmosphere. The ideal time for sowing seeds is now in May. You can start harvesting in late summer when the beans are about 10–15 cm long.
An urban jungle can also be conjured up on the balcony with houseplants. Some houseplants thrive on the balcony in summer and indoors in winter. In winter, houseplants maintain appropriate humidity levels in the apartment. Hahkala reminds us that cold air binds less moisture, and indoor heating also dries out the indoor air and mucous membranes. Plants can help with this too.
Green spaces and natural environments have proven well-being effects, including lowering heart rate, relieving stress, and improving sleep quality. Cultivating and caring for plants increases well-being and creativity; it also calms the mind and helps with concentration.
Five tips for balcony gardening:
- Consider the cardinal direction and light conditions. A sunny balcony increases temperature and plant water consumption.
- Choose the right growing medium and container. You can use pots, boxes, and grow bags. Use saucers under pots to prevent water from soiling the floor or draining into structures.
- Pay attention to the size of the soil volume. A large pot can accommodate many plants. Plant taller plants in the middle and shorter ones around the edges.
- Determine the fertilization needs of the plants and follow the dosage instructions.
- Utilize layering. Various supports, trellises, and hanging baskets multiply the cultivation area of a small space. Many herb pots can fit on shelves on the wall.
You can find more tips for balcony gardening, for example, from Martat.
