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What could be nicer than coming home after a hard day's work and making yourself comfortable in the inviting and sunny green of the balcony?
But stop!
Shouldn't you do the necessary evil first and water the plants before you put your feet up?
If you rely on a clever system for irrigation of the balcony, you can save yourself that in the future.
Regardless of whether you simply do not feel like watering flowers or whether you are only rarely there: there is a suitable system for every need and all framework conditions.
There are a number of different irrigation systems for the balcony.
First of all, you should think about the framework conditions your balcony offers and what demands you have on the desired system.
Hobby gardeners who have a water connection on the balcony have significantly more options for automatic irrigation.
But even without a water connection - after all, luxury is not part of the standard of every rental apartment - there are some practical methods of supplying your plants with sufficient water.
Irrigation system balcony without water connection
First, let's take a look at those irrigation systems that work without a water connection.
Automatic irrigation from the balcony is made more difficult under these limited conditions, but an irrigation system for the balcony without a water connection offers a decisive advantage: You will not come home after your vacation and find water damage in your apartment.
We are now introducing you to the most common irrigation options without a water connection.
Flower box with water storage
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If you are often away from home for a few days or want to save yourself the daily watering in midsummer, but do not have a water connection on the balcony, you can plant your flowers directly in a flower box with a water tank.
These are a little more expensive to buy than ordinary window boxes, but a water supply in the false bottom ensures reliable watering of your beloved plants.
The Lechuza Balconera Cottage 80 All-in-One Set *, for example, includes a flower box with a five-liter water tank, a practical water level indicator and is also winter-proof and UV-resistant.
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A flower box with water storage is quite inexpensive to buy compared to complex irrigation systems, offers you flexibility, is very easy to use and you can easily take a few days' short vacation without asking your neighbors to water the flowers.
However, the five liters are not enough for a long absence with midsummer temperatures.
Irrigation balls: pretty and straightforward
If you are bothered by the unsightly bottles in the balcony boxes, you can fall back on more attractive irrigation systems.
Irrigation balls work on the same principle as the DIY bottle method, but are significantly more decorative.
The Scheurich water storage tank Bördy XL *, for example, has a filling volume of half a liter and is available in different colors and designs.
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The advantages of the irrigation balls are obvious.
This method of irrigation from the balcony is unbeatably cheap and easy to use.
However, since the filling quantity of the irrigation balls is quite small, you have to refill the containers frequently, which is why they are not the best choice for holiday watering if you are away for a longer period of time.
Automatic irrigation of the balcony with water connection
Automatic irrigation systems on the balcony will save you a lot of work and hassle.
You no longer have to worry about the annoying watering or filling of containers, the system does it all by itself.
Automatic irrigation from the balcony sounds absolutely practical, but remember: First of all, you need a water connection on the balcony or the option of using a tap inside your apartment.
In addition, you have to pay a few euros more and be more patient with the installation than with systems without a water connection.
Drip irrigation: With the Micro-Drip-System
A micro-drip system works with water-saving and selective drip irrigation.
Via a hose system that is connected to the water supply, the plants are supplied with water as required through drip glands directly at the roots.
The system can be controlled automatically with a watering computer, a kind of timer for the tap.
A starter set from the Micro-Drip-System *, for example from Emooqi, includes everything you need to get started.
Additional material and extensions, such as a helpful moisture sensor, can also be purchased.
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As practical as the automatic watering of the plants with the Micro-Drip-System is - it also has some disadvantages:
It only works with a water connection.
The moisture sensor only measures the moisture in the entire flower box and cannot provide any information about the water requirements of individual plants.
The range and compatibility of individual parts and expansions that can be purchased is confusing, so that an intensive examination of the system and all of its components is necessary.
The Tropf-Blumat * automatic irrigation system offers the same advantages as the Gardena system, but it also scores with significantly fewer disadvantages. The irrigation from the balcony is also done via a hose system and clay cones placed near the roots. However, these clay cones have the advantage that they can measure the moisture in the ground independently of the other clay cones. In this way, each individual plant receives exactly the amount of water it needs. With a special adapter, the Blumat system can also be used without a water connection, namely with a high tank. This is a large vessel that is available in many designs and with different filling quantities,which is set up or hung about a meter above the planters to be watered.
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Now the tank only has to be connected via the hose system to the drippers that are inserted into the earth and the plants can look forward to watering thanks to gravity and hydrostatic pressure.
With the high tank and drip irrigation, you are not only independent of a water connection and, thanks to the larger filling quantities, can also bridge longer absences and ensure holiday irrigation.
You are also doing something for the environment when you fill your tank with rainwater.
Bottled Watering: An Inexpensive DIY Method
The simplest and most cost-effective DIY method for watering the balcony are PET glass bottles, which are filled with water and placed upside down in the planter.
This way, your plants get exactly the amount of water they need to grow and thrive.
As practical as the bottles may be, they are not exactly decorative and have to be refilled frequently due to their small capacity.
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This article was first published on April 25, 2019.