We have 100% bought into the pandemic stereotype of sprucing up our apartment. And that includes plants. You guys. We went from owning two fake plants to being the proud plant parents of a large number of little sprouts.
As pots of herbs started to accumulate on our balcony, we decided we wanted a cuter, more streamlined way to corral all of the plants. And we found the perfect solution: the Satsumas plant ladder from Ikea!
We are loving these plant ladders for multiple reasons: they take up very little space, look clean and streamlined, and make it easy to grow a large variety of herbs right on our balcony.
In fact, we originally bought just one of these guys. After we assembled it, we loved it so much that we drove back to Ikea three days later to get another. (And Ikea is not paying me to say this – they have zero idea that we exist.)
Want a super-simple way to start a little balcony herb garden of your own? Here’s everything you need to know.
How We Created Our Balcony Herb Garden
Where did you get these plant ladders?
You can find these at Ikea! Check here to see if your local store has them in stock.
How long did they take to assemble?
It took Adam maybe 10 minutes to fasten the rungs and add the over-the-door hooks.
What’s included?
The ladder pieces, all the necessary screws, over-the-door hooks, and plant boxes
(P.S. If you aren’t a fan of the included boxes, you can buy other variations at Ikea, too.)
What did you buy separately?
The planters don’t have drainage holes, so we bought some inserts that do to make sure we aren’t over-watering and drowning the roots. The ones we found are 4.75 inch square nursery pots, but they’re unfortunately sold out. These would be close, or you could ask your local garden store for advice.
You’ve also gotta buy your own plants! Here’s what we’ve got:
- Mint from Trader Joe’s
- Basil, cilantro, oregano, parsley, and a random flower that I liked from the Home Depot garden center
- Green onions grown from the roots off Aldi stalks. (If you want to do this, too, find fool-proof directions here!)
We’ve also found having a small watering can helpful, since our balcony doesn’t have a hose. Ours is from Ikea, but if you want free shipping, this one would work.
How do you get the plants into the pots?
We knew zero about repotting until this spring, but rest assured, it’s not rocket science. Read this if you’re nervous. We also ordered this bag of potting soil online (possibly our weirdest online coronavirus purchase, but hey, it worked) and used the trowel we got from the local garden store.
Related: Small but Mighty Ways to Freshen Up for Spring
I don’t have a random ugly door on my balcony – where would I hang these?
The hooks would definitely work over a porch railing (come to think of it, they’re probably meant for that…). You can also just not attach the hooks and lean them up against the wall, like we did for the bottom ladder.
How do you keep your plants alive?
Uh, Adam waters them daily. He’s a way more responsible plant parent than I am. And we read the directions that came with the plants. That’s literally all the advice that I have. Don’t look too closely at the cilantro.
Do these bring you excessive amounts of joy?
Yes. Yes, they do.
Want to get started on your own balcony herb garden? Here are all the links you need.
plant ladder | drainage pot inserts | potting soil | trowel | watering can