What to sow and grow for bountiful balconies this autumn

Quintain Living – the award-winning management company overseeing the rental of over 3,390 apartments with balconies in Wembley Park – is sharing tips on what to sow and grow in autumn, so residents can enjoy beautiful (and delicious) balconies throughout the winter months.

Knowing what to grow and how to sow and nurture it may feel overwhelming but the Quintain Living team has provided guidance on where to start. For residents keen to enjoy regular winter harvests, winter lettuce can be sown as late as November and harvested in four to six weeks, while spring onions and winter radishes sown in September should be ready to enjoy during December. Certain varieties of potato tubers can also be sown in pots in September, ready to yield results in time for Christmas dinner.

Other crops can be sown in the autumn to enjoy over the coming year. Spinach can be sown in September for harvesting around March, while garlic and onion bulbs planted during autumn should deliver results in July. In milder areas, certain varieties of overwintering peas and broad beans can also be sown at this time of year.

For residents looking for brightly blooming winter balconies, Quintain Living suggests growing winter heath, scilla, grape hyacinth, pansies, violas and hellebores for a rich riot of colour. Autumn is also the ideal time to pack snowdrop, daffodil, crocus, bluebell and tulip bulbs into pots of soil and then forget about them over the winter, ready for a welcome burst of colour come springtime.

Those who like to plan further ahead can also sow hardy annual seeds in pots or containers on their balconies, ready for spring and early summer blooms in 2025. Ammi majus, with its delicate white petals, is a lovely choice, while cornflowers and poppies will deliver plenty of colour and keep bees and butterflies happy when they bloom.

For those growing winter vegetables, greedy pigeons can be a threat from autumn onwards, so netting vulnerable plants may be advisable. Slugs and snails also like to devour leafy crops but tend to be less of a pest on balconies than in gardens.

Any seedlings grown in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill should be hardened off before being planted outside this autumn. Seedlings are usually ready for planting out once they have two to four pairs of true leaves.

Finally, the Quintain Living team points out that windowsills are about much more than growing seedlings. Sunny sills are ideal for herbs such as chives, parsley, dill, basil, as well as chillis, salad leaves and more. Sown now, they should be ready to add flavour to dishes all winter long.

Quintain Living points out that growing produce on your balcony throughout the winter can also reap social rewards. Sharing excess produce is a great way to connect with neighbours while also reducing waste.

For residents who want to foster a deep connection over growing food, Quintain Living’s Canada Gardens in Wembley Park includes community allotments, along with a greenhouse and potting shed for residents’ use.

For more information on Quintain Living or to book a viewing, visit www.quintainliving.com, @quintainliving on Instagram or call 020 3151 1927.