Why Your Low-Maintenance Balcony Garden Fails in Summer (And How to Fix It)

On my Instagram, I received this message many times, that my plants are dying in summer, even though I have built a low maintenance balcony garden.

So if this is also your question, then my answer is, if you’re having a low-maintenance garden, it doesn’t mean you won’t care at all. 

Well, you’ll have to do it, especially in harsh weather conditions like summer or rainy weather.

It’s been over 5 years, and now it’s the 6th year since I have been growing vegetables, herbs, and a few fruits on my balcony. 

And I have not personally faced a situation where I got my plant to die, so in this post, I’m going to share what your low-maintenance balcony garden fails and what you can do about it.

 

Low-maintenance is not Season-proof

If you have chosen low-maintenance balcony plants because you want a stable gardening experience, where you can water occasionally and forget about it, then you’re right, but the thing is, it only happens in suitable weather or mostly with indoor plants.

In summer, especially when you have a balcony or edible plants, you will have to pay attention.

Here are the things that summer causes in plants, and these problems also cause plants to decline.

• Soil dries quickly in summer 
• Roots heat up
• Water evaporates before it even reaches the plant’s root
• If you use fertilizer, it reacts faster
• Stress builds and then shows up suddenly

 

Provide Water in the correct way in Summer

During the summer, you shouldn’t follow the same water quantity as normal days, because on other days, water reaches the root before it disappears, but sometimes it doesn’t happen in the summer.

In summer, pots and heat up. And when you pour water on hot soil, a portion evaporates almost immediately. 

Sometimes it doesn’t even reach the bottom at all, and you’ll feel you water the plants because it’s looking good from above.

This is why I personally increase the quantity of water.

If I normally give around half a liter to a plant (though it prominently depends on the plants and the pot’s size, too)

So I give more in summer because the environment steals part of that water before it’s useful.

A simple rule that I follow and recommend you to:

• Water slowly
• Stop only when you see water coming out from the bottom
• If that never happens, the roots never got enough

Besides this, correct timing is also important. I water early in the morning, the way my mother and grandparents always did. In the morning:

• Soil is cooler
• Evaporation is lower
• Roots can actually absorb what you give

Evening watering can work too, but avoid watering when pots are still hot from the day. If you forget someday, then do it in the evening, otherwise in the morning.

 

Hot Pots Cook Roots Before Leaves Show Damage

This is one of the most ignored balcony garden problems. We often think we are getting heat only from above, but that’s not 100% true; plants also get heat from:

• The floor beneath them
• Surrounding walls
• The pot material itself
• Reflected heat bouncing back up

And when these heat-causing things combine, a plant root starts losing its cool space. And once roots overheat, the plant finds it hard to recover.

Plastic pots are especially tricky. I do use them, but I’m careful about what I grow in them. 

That’s because thin plastic heats fast and holds heat longer. I haven’t done controlled experiments, but some observations. I avoid growing demanding plants in plastic during peak summer. 

So if you are okay, I’ll also recommend that you use clay pots.

However, what can actually help you:

• You can use slightly larger pots than you think you need
• Double-potting (one pot inside another to block heat)
• You can keep pots off the hot floor using stands or bricks
• shade the pot itself, not just the leaves

 

Consider Using Bigger Pots

If you have a very small pot, it will dry very fast, and that’s obvious.

What is less obvious is that small pots run out of temperature.

That is because there is no cool zone left once heat builds up. On the other hand, bigger pots give roots somewhere to retreat.

This is why I always say you should not even wait for summer to repot. And don’t downsize to “save space.”

If you already have plants in reasonably large containers, leave them there. If you repot during peak heat, it will only add stress. 

 

Fertilizing Plants in Summer is also a Mistake

Low-maintenance balcony plants also decline when you start being too kind to them.

It’s a tiny mistake, like you would see your plants growing faster in spring, so you might be happy and feed it more, so that’s okay. 

But if you continue with that, even in summer, this time your kindness might ruin the plants.

I said earlier that in summer, the soil dries quickly, so when you’re feeding, nutrients will become more concentrated, which will lead to stress.

Because the root was already heating, and you’ve fed t more. 

If your garden is doing well going into summer:

• Reduce Feeding
• Or stop completely during extreme heat
• Resume lightly once conditions stabilize

I usually feed before peak summer begins, then back off. 

 

Heat Waves Cause Stress

Receiving a strong wind causes stress on the plant, and even if you have a hardy plant, it might also stop growing. And you will notice that your plants’ leaves have started dropping.

However, in this particular situation, if you see that your balcony receives a lot of strong air throughout the day, I recommend that you stop that.

I personally use a cloth like a curtain in extreme weather conditions, even in rain with air.

Besides this, here are more things you can do:

• Move smaller plants during peak heat
• Add shade for a few hours
• block hot wind if possible

Also read: How to Protect Balcony Plants From Rain

“Set and Forget” Kills Balcony Plants in Summer

At the beginning of this post, I already said that if you have a low-maintenance plant, it does not mean you won’t have to care for it at all.

Look, if I have indoor plants like snake plants, peace lily, etc., I still see them regularly, even just for a few minutes, just to see if there is any spider or drainage problem, etc. 

And just like that, I recommend you with low-maintenance balcony plants. 

So in summer, you can spend 2-3 minutes and check soil, drainage, pests, etc. This is the basic requirement, no matter how low-maintenance the plant. You are having.

 

When to water and when to Avoid

One mistake that gardening makes is watering; here is the correct direction:

Don’t water:

• When the soil is already soggy
• In the middle of intense afternoon heat
• Without checking the drainage

Do water:

• Early morning
• Or Evening after pots cool down
• Only when the soil actually needs it

 

Conclusion

Low-maintenance balcony garden plants fail because when the conditions change, you do not change your way of taking care of the plant.

Most of the time, the reason that affects us is heat stress that comes from the sun, air, and sometimes most of the surrounding areas, like the walls, floor, etc. 

Besides this, some mistakes are very common that you unknowingly make, such as providing water at the wrong time or providing less water because plants need more water during the summer season. 

If you are providing less water or as normal as used to provide it, then the water might not reach the root every time, but it mostly happens when your weather conditions are extremely hot, not every time.

Your kindness can also ruin your balcony garden, like when you feed your plant a lot with fertilizer because you want it to grow properly. 

So what I want to say is that you should provide water in the morning. Provide enough water that it starts leaking from the drainage holes, which are often at the bottom of the pot.

Do not feed plants in peak summer; do it before that. You should try to stop blocking the peak sunlight during summer, especially if it’s coming with the air. 

You can use a curtain, or you can also move your plant temporarily inside the home or somewhere on the balcony where the heat is less.

 

FAQs

Why do low-maintenance balcony plants die only in summer?

Because in summer, many things change, like the temperature, evaporation, and soil behavior. 

So the same care routine that worked in winter isn’t sufficient in summer, but if you keep following it without changing, it will ruin the garden.

Is watering every day enough in summer?

It’s actually not about watering every day; what matters is that water should reach the roots. 

In summer, you often need to water more deeply, not just more often, and you should always check that excess water drains from the bottom.

Can hot pots really kill plants even if I water properly?

Yes! When pots and floors are heated up, roots might overheat even in moist soil. And once roots lose their cool space, your plant will struggle.

Do plastic pots cause problems in summer?

They can, because they’re thin, and plastic heats up quickly and holds heat longer. But yes, they are okay for less demanding plants.

Otherwise, you will have to provide shade or double-potting, etc, if you’re growing a demanding plant in a plastic container.

Is it okay to move plants during peak heat?

Yes, especially if you have smaller pots, you can temporarily move plants to provide them with shade during the harshest hours.

When is the safest time to water in summer?

Early morning is the best time to provide water to your balcony plants, though evening can also work once pots cool down. However, you should avoid watering during the peak afternoon.