Hardy sun loving plants !

[iamdiggerdoug]

I have a balcony at work and at home that both get a lot of sun. The one at work has 4 ac units blowing hot air on it all day and my home one is south facing and gets sun most of the day on the 15th floor! I have tried a few plants but the heat just seems too much. Does anyone have any recommendations for plants that will like these sorts of environment? Especially anyone with experience with balcony gardens here. I really want to go for it and make my home balcony nice. It’s not huge so just some nice potted plants, some fake grass, stones and two chairs and a table made of bamboo. (one of those cute lillys and fish ponds but i think its too hot.

Idfeally some names and pictures of some plants would be great. (names in thai too would be amazing)

Many Thanks

Doug

[xen]

Without seeing a plan of the area it is difficult but it sounds like the hot air from the air-conditioners would be the biggest problem rather than the hot sun . But for starters I would consider using succulents such as sedums and portulaca especially as ground covers in pots. You can also use a large waterproof pot filled with water for lotus and water lilies if that is a desired feature, Screening for shade and wind may be an option - such as movable Bamboo screens/trellising may also be an option . Even a screen to deflect the hot air from the air-conditioners and this is where a plan of the balcony would be helpful. Covering the floor and the walls with Synthetic turf /screens or even curtains or living green walls etc would be good to reduce the amount of stored thermal and reflected heat . If you modify the conditions then a lot more plants species will be able to survive. Thinks about these things first and then the planting plan will evolve . You may be able to even get a kitchen /hydroponic set up working .

Just a few ideas first and if you like I can give you more plant species .

[samuijimmy]

I agree with Xen, I would add that using larger size pots may help... soil drying out is obviously going to be a problem... so you may need to water plants a few times a day...even misting the foliage a few times a day.

It may help to know which way the balcony is facing ....

The pink flowers here is one type of Portulaca, which Xen mentioned...and a lot more tolerant of being on the dry side.... they only have open flowers in the mornings... that would usually be the case if you use lilies.

Portulaca comes in a number of colours, very easy to make cuttings...

I'll think on this a little more and try and get back to this!

[iamdiggerdoug]

My balcony at home faces south west. About 1.5m by 4m.

Edited September 1, 2015 by iamdiggerdoug

[iamdiggerdoug]

While work is east facing. About 3.5m by 7m

Edited September 1, 2015 by iamdiggerdoug

[samuijimmy]

The diagrams are quite helpful !

In diagram one, you seem to have a lot of area, that should be free from the blast two exhaust fans...

I think the key thing would be, is the daily watering and as said having decent pot sizes... Use some good soil too... the stuff they sell in white bags usually 3 for 100 baht should be OK!

I always put some small rocks in the bottom of the pots to help drainage...

I think just about any sun loving plant would be OK...

Here are a few suggestions, but I think the list could be almost endless!

Do fertilize every few months, Osmocote would work, and dissolves slowly over 2 to 3 months....

False Azalea, (I cannot remember the real name, so hope you can recognize the plant from the image! ) will be OK and perhaps better on the dry side... fairly slow growing, so you might want to buy a larger specimen! (several colours red, pink to white shades )

Lantana, will not mind being on the dryer side...

Dracena ... more for foliage than flowers... pretty tough!! (The are several types)

Plumbago. (Blue or white) Blooms about all year for me.... (This image may be to large ... you may have to scroll the page!)

When they dry out too much the leaves will droop!

As for the eastern exposure, I am assuming it is fairly shady for most of the day (?) With four fans blowing, this could be more of a challenge... and may require a bit of experimentation!

Look in the shade covered area of the nurseries, and see what they have. Philodendrons, Caltha, etc may work... sorry no images!

Hope this helps a little!

[xen]

While work is east facing. About 3.5m by 7m

So the air conditioning units are above the doors and don't actually blow directly onto any plants unless they would be tall ones. If so that is easier to select plants . All the plants Jimmy has said would be excellent.

I always like bamboo such as black bamboo in pots - they do require watering though . Palms are similar but will burn if in hot winds and draughts but all the same are pretty hardy. And you will have to watch their height and perhaps use parlour palms (Chamaedora elegans) . Similarliarly some of the cycads may be worth looking at - contary to popular belief , many come from dry envirionments . There are also dwarf Lagerstromias or Crepe Myrtle that will also grow in pots..

Between these plants and Jimmy's suggestions you should have a good start.

[KarenBravo]

Any Ixora.

Allamanda.

Hibiscus, use the red, or cream coloured. The other colours don't seem to be as hardy.

Jasmine and Gardenia.

Any palm except Lipstick palm.

[iamdiggerdoug]

Thanks for the plant choices; I think grasses and bamboos would be great. I was also thinking of hanging long rectangle pots along the railings with some sort of plant that would hang over the edge and take focus off the walls (like ivy in the uk). The little squares I was hoping to grow bamboo and tree/shrubs in the larger squares. Watering shouldn't be a problem in the week as my class will be on a rotate to water twice a day. The hope is that the area would be able to be used by the other teachers to read to their pupils just sat on the fake grass as a group (we have small groups).

Here's a picture of how it looks at present as the windows sort of look like doors on my picture. The idea would be to put something like the other picture in front of the ac units and try and direct the air follow up so if people were sat down they wouldn't be hair dried to death!

[samuijimmy]

I looked at some plants around aircon blowers today. Saw plants very close to them, even ferns... doing just fine...

I think just about any plants with decent soil and in pots that do not dry out too much...

Just my observation on Bamboo, some people get an serious itch from them.... but I am not sure if that is the case with all types! Just be aware of that!

Get digging Doug! Good that you posted images to really help!