[Akoluth]

Can anyone help... I only have a balcony - no garden and my husband and I want to make it more bright and pleasant. We are trying to grow some herbs and flowers from seed. The problem is they get so far (about two inches high) and then they start to struggle. I live in spain, the temperature is about 15 degrees ish, the balcony is south facing and we currently have chives, parsley, basil and some flowers (which for the life if me I can't remember the name). We also have peppers and cucumbers (which are growing no problem!!) Any advice or tips would be gratefully appreciated.

[Elyse]

You could try starting them in a starter greenhouse, with the trays on the bottom and a plastic cover or you could just get a portable greenhouse, they sell them in various sizes and you wouldn't have to worry about climate. also try using some fertilizer, but make sure its the kind you use for edibles, so as not to contaminate your herbs. make sure they have plenty of sunlight and keep them well watered, but not waterlogged. A good way to tell is if you press your finger on the soil, it should be damp and springy.

Good luck, herbs can be hard sometimes.

[Joseph]

South sun too hot for baby plants, place your new pots behind pots that can shade them or get some screen (roll for a screen door) that is a sun blocker and put some of that around the balcony in the afternoon when the sun is the hottest. Keep a bucket or two of water around to dip from and also to keep the humidity up.

[ebrackett]

Plant your seeds in pots or rockerys. May get some shade sunlight preferred. What you have now are excellent to start grow in pots.

[AinsleyKath]