Building a Balcony pot, ginger mint – Step by step guide
An Introduction
Ginger mint, a bees’ drinking station, and shelter for critters- a step by step guide for a pot suitable for a small balcony.
Step 1
Find a pot to suit your space, for this design it needs to be around 25cm tall and 25cm in diameter as a minimum.
Choose your mint flavour…top tip, don’t mix flavoured mints in the same pot as they will end up all the same.
Or…as in this case, be given the perfect pot already planted up with ginger mint.
Step 2
Fill your miniature pond with water, watering the plants in at the same time and sit back and enjoy.
Let the mint go to flower, as they will attract in the bees and other insects…but its fine to take a few leaves from time to time to make ginger mint tea.
In hot summers freeze the tea in ice lolly makers.
Use a couple of ginger mint leaves in katzu curry.
Step 3
Sink the tub into the soil, being careful not to disturb the plants.
Add some pebbles if needed to ensure the stone reaches the rim as this will form the basis of the escape route for creatures who get themselves right in the water.
Step 4
Add bits of old pot, some wood, more stones…whatever you fancy really, remembering that the more organic materials used the more rotting down and improvement of the soil will happen.
And don’t forget that it’s for you to enjoy as well as to support pollinators, so if you want a wee fairy bridge in there too…go for it!
Step 5
Fill your miniature pond with water, watering the plants in at the same time and sit back and enjoy.
Let the mint go to flower, as they will attract in the bees and other insects…but its fine to take a few leaves from time to time to make ginger mint tea.
In hot summers freeze the tea in ice lolly makers.
Use a couple of ginger mint leaves in katzu curry.
Building a mixed pot for a patio, using an old metal baby bath – Step by Step Guide
An Introduction I found this old baby bath at a car boot sale. It’s a great size for some mixed planting with a “mini pond” and some habitats for bugs. Think drainage and soil support The bath has no holes so could get waterlogged in heavy rain. To help avoid this...
Repurposing Pots
Anything that has volume and can hold soil may be used to make a pot for pollinators, to grow herbs for the kitchen, to grow some vegetables and to make a personal connection to nature.