Balcony, terrace and small gardens: potting compost and fertilisers perfect for small spaces

Plantings with specific requirements

Plants grown in a small volume of soil need more nourishment than in a large garden where they can spread their roots more deeply: their nutrient reserves are limited. Their survival will depend on quantity and quality of substrate used, especially since potted plants or those grown in a small growing volume quickly exhaust the little reserves they have available. They are particularly greedy for fertiliser and watering. It is therefore gardener’s responsibility to provide them with essential nutrients for good growth (correctly dosed fertiliser and suitable potting compost).

For healthy growth, plants need water, nutrients, macronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Micronutrients (iron, manganese, copper, boron, zinc…) are also necessary. All must be present in soil in sufficient quantities. In a reduced volume of soil, it is therefore essential to supply these nutrients regularly in the form of fertiliser. Role of a fertiliser is to make up for soil deficiencies and, with optimal dosing, provide elements that will promote growth, flowering or production of plants.

We offer a range of potting composts and fertilisers specially designed to meet needs of flowering plants, herbs, vegetables or fruits grown in small gardens, terraces, on balcony, in pots, window boxes, or even in beds. Our “small spaces” solutions are well balanced and enriched with micronutrients that promote growth and flowering, prevent deficiencies and retain water well, which facilitates root development and good plant health.

Growing flowers or vegetables on a balcony, terrace or in a pocket garden can sometimes be easier than in open ground, provided some essential principles are respected:

1. Choose flowering plants or vegetables suited to small spaces
2. Use quality potting compost (avoid cheapest products that dry out very quickly)
3. Fertilise substrate regularly, generally from March to October, at planting and with monthly maintenance
4. Monitor watering, as potted plants or plants contained in a limited volume of soil are more sensitive to dry spells

→ Finally, discover how to choose the best potting compost and everything you need to know to choose a garden fertiliser in our advice sheets!

Potting composts easy to store and transport

Even in a small urban garden, on a simple terrace or a balcony, you always need potting compost! Potting compost for your raised veg bed, your herb pots, for your flowers and window boxes… Potting compost, whatever type, is essential to good growth of your plants.

Potting composts for small spaces must be compact and easy to use. They must also have a rich structure and excellent water-retention capacity, so roots stay hydrated while development is encouraged. To meet these needs, there are tailored solutions such as the innovative Terro’city, for example. These are stylish, ready-to-use sacks designed to appeal to urban gardeners. They come as a square pack containing 10 L of compost, ready for planting or sowing. Variants are available for ‘herbs and salad leaves’, ‘city flowers’, ‘sun-loving vegetables’ or ‘small red fruits’. Simply cut open the top of the pack along the dotted line and pierce a few holes in the base to allow watering water to drain away. Job done! Depending on model, sow or plant campanulas, dipladenias, platycodons, ageratums, coreopsis, strawberries, currants, raspberries, cherry tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, basil, thyme, chives as you wish.

Light potting compost for raised veg bed and light potting compost for balcony and terrace

Also consider Algoflash light potting compost in 25 L bags, which are up to twice as light as standard compost as they weigh only about 5.25 kg! Compact in format, they have a handle for easy storage and transport. These are composts with fertiliser and a water retainer. They have an exclusive formulation that holds water well, makes rehydration easy when dry and is highly dosed with nutrients. Ideal for all flowering plants or vegetables and fruit grown in pots, which are particularly hungry for nutrients and water.

Not forgetting the remarkable Florentaise ultra-light ‘Mon terreau de poche’ potting compost! It comes as a bag weighing only 380 grams; rehydrate the dehydrated substrate to make 8 litres of ready-to-use compost. With its pocket-sized format, it is perfect for city gardening and easy to carry (handy for taking up to a flat even without a lift!). Enriched with fertiliser and offering good water-retention capacity, it is perfectly suited to houseplants and flowering plants grown in pots on urban terraces or balconies.

→ discover our composts for terraces and small gardens and our best potting composts for planters and pots

Fertilisers in small packs

With substrate rapidly becoming depleted in a small growing volume, to maintain its effectiveness you will need to boost your plantings. Opt for fertilisers in small, easy-to-carry, ultra-practical sizes (250 ml / 1 L / 1 kg).

You will find fertilisers perfectly formulated for all your potted plants such as Geranium fertiliser ‘La Tradition du Jardinier’, packaged in a 1 kg mini-pack. It is particularly suited to fertilising small gardens, terraces and balconies, geraniums of course but also pelargoniums, petunias, surfinias, lobelias, impatiens…

Liquid flower fertiliser for terraces and balconies and La Belle Bouse fertiliser

The liquid fertiliser ‘Flowers for terraces and balconies NPK 4-6-6’, supplied in a 1 L can, makes up 250 litres of nutrient solution. It is essential for promoting the growth and flowering of all your flowering plants grown in window boxes, flowering containers or borders in a small garden.

For 100% natural fertilisers, ‘La Belle Bouse’ is a remarkable organic fertiliser presented as dehydrated pellets made from cow dung sourced from organic production. Naturally rich in nutrients, fibres, micro-organisms and organic matter, it is suitable for all plants grown in pots, particularly on city balconies and terraces (50 grams will fertilise one large 40 cm diameter pot or three small 15 cm pots).

→ discover our fertilisers for window boxes and planters

Further reading

Discover everything you need to garden on your balcony.