Anyone got advice on what might be able to grow in a space like this?
We are sandwiched between tall buildings, so it only gets direct sunlight when the sun is directly overhead near noon
We are in Sydney, Aus, so pretty temperate weather, but in the shade these pots never seem to dry out
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It looks like the neighbour’s bamboo is thriving. That would let you cover the walls in greenery fairly quickly.
I’m not familiar with Sydney’s climate but in Europe I’d recommend shade-loving plants like Ivy and Vinca, possibly some Ferns. You might be able to get away with something a bit more exotic though.
If it’s warm over night you could consider keeping some house plants outside - at least during the summer. These typically cope much better with the low light conditions indoors. For example Pothos, Monstera, or Spider plants.
A couple of potted trees would be nice. I think there are redbud, cherry, and Japanese maple that do well in partial sun. I have some cypress that are narrow and will only get about 10’ tall. Something like that could make a wall feel more natural.
Change the soil? Try a cactus mix
Remove all the tiles
A wall of ivy would be nice. Maybe make some planters that straddle the wall. If you need to “bribe” your wall neighbor there you could offer to have some hang over on their side to if they’re interested.
How long would you say you’ve got light? 3 hours maybe? Less? Are you looking for food to grow? Herbs? Flowers?
Yeah, about three hours.
The aim is to make it look like less ugly mostly. So herbs and ornamentsls
I have previously tried basil and mint before, but I don’t think the basil ever got as much light as it wanted. (Or it could be beginners skill-issue)
The big I’ll be on the right I often grow spring onions and chives in since they seem to be happy there year round
Three hours is rough for anything edible except maybe some lettuces…maybe, I’ve never tried to grow anything in that short of a window. I’ve grown it with 3 hours and dappled light, so it might work?
If you don’t get super hot in there being in dead space between buildings, you might look into stuff that does okay indoors, since that’s basically what you’re working with.
As far as your stuff that doesn’t drain, I would repot and make sure you’ve got a good draining soil, or put a layer of gravel at the bottom if you’ve enough room.
Agreed. With that little sun, you’ll only be growing shade and shade tolerant plants at best. Most common houseplants fit into this category.
And yeah, the soil is probably partly due to the makeup, and partly due to not being warmed by the sun.
Could probably get some cucumber and squash to work there. Probably not tomatoes.
Indeterminate greenhouse tomatoes or parthenocarpic cucumbers (Lebanese types) can succeed during the late spring, to early fall. This is when the light levels are strong enough that even indirect light is enough. Squash not so much. If you could get some of the winter varieties grown in the greenhouses in southern Spain, maybe.
All of the leafy greens are possible year round - lettuce, spinach, kale, etc.
For some permanent greenery houseplants are an excellent choice. Ferns, african violets, mosteras, philodendrons, kalanchoe, etc would all do well in that spot. Sydney very rarely frosts so you have a wide choice to choose from. Pretty much everything will work. For watering make sure you good drainage on the pots on only water they are dry.
I’ve had success with my ZZ plant in a limited sun situation. Something waxy could be easy and aesthetic. Also see if you can find any local plants for free or cheap on marketplace sites. Get some nice pots and something to set them on as well. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
You could plant some Ivy’s to cover the walls
succelents, if it gets alot of sunlight.
