I've got a tiny balcony in my bedroom, which sounds nice, but there's a catch: it faces south, gets no shade at all, and the sun is super harsh all day long. I live in a Csa climate, where summer temperatures can soar to about 95°F. Surprisingly, even a jade plant has burnt in this setting. I'm wondering if there's any hope for growing plants out there, or is my balcony just a lost cause?
4 Answers
Have you thought about hanging up a shade cloth? It could really help to filter some of that intense sunlight without completely blocking it.
I’m from Australia and I see succulents thrive in crazy sun all summer long! I’ve dealt with scorching 104°F days in spring already. Plants like agave, Crassula ovata (your jade plant), and cacti seem to adapt pretty well. Just make sure to water them often and avoid dark pots that can heat up too much—roots can cook, and that leads to dead plants.
That makes sense! My jade was one of the first to burn, and I moved everything out of there when it got that bad. It was toughened up from my previous balcony, too.
I’d recommend sempervivum and echeveria; they do quite well in harsh sunlight. I've also had success with orostachys.
Your balcony isn’t doomed! With that much sun, look for tough plants like Aloe, Gasteria, Haworthia, various cacti, Euphorbias, and Sedums. Many succulents thrive in full sun exposure; they just need to be the right kind. Remember, places like deserts have lots of sunlight and still manage to grow plants!
But I've noticed Aloe struggles in direct sun. Isn’t Haworthia also sensitive to too much light? I’d love to do a Sedum garden, but I usually hear they like diffused light.
I’m actually trying to convince my landlord about it. It’s kind of a hassle to set up.