Balconies provide a much needed outdoor retreat for apartment dwellers, but they generally provide little privacy. If you want to add a bit of plant life to your balcony while adding privacy, then you could build a container to grow ornamental grass. The container takes up little room, but the grass can grow several feet tall to provide the desired amount of privacy. Ornamental grasses that thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10 include Pacific reedgrass (Calamagrostis nutkaensis), California fescue (Festuca californica), blue rush (Juncus patens "Carmen's Grey") and oniongrass (Melica californica).
Measure the length of the balcony rail along which you will grow the grass. The finished container will be as long as that measurement, 18 inches wide and 18 inches deep.
Cut two sheets of 3/4-inch thick plywood to 18 inches tall and to a length that matches the balcony rail's length. Use a circular saw for this task.
Cut two 18-by-18-inch squares from a 3/4-inch thick plywood sheet.
Stand the two long pieces of plywood so they are parallel to each other and so their outside edges are spaced about 18 inches apart. Stand the 18-by-18-inch squares against the ends of the long pieces of plywood.
Screw the 18-by-18-inch square pieces into the ends of the long pieces of plywood by using a power drill and 2-inch long wood screws. Space the screws 4 inches apart. The result is a rectangular box with two open sides.
Measure the dimensions of one of the open sides of the rectangular box to find the dimensions needed for the box's bottom. The measurement will be 18 inches wide and a length equal to one long, plywood piece's length plus about 1 1/2 inches. The approximately 1 1/2-inch addition is the width of the plywood pieces screwed into the box's ends.
Cut a 3/4-inch thick plywood sheet to fit over the box's bottom, using the dimensions you took previously. Drill several 1/4-inch diameter holes in the bottom piece to allow drainage; space the holes no farther than 4 inches apart to ensure soil in the box will not stay too wet.
Place the bottom piece over the box, and screw it into place with 2-inch long wood screws.
Cut, if desired, two 1-by-18-inch strips of wood from 3/4-inch thick plywood. Screw the wood strips into the box's bottom at each end of the container. Alternatively, apply the wood strips to the box's bottom with wood glue. Although their use is optional, these small wood strips elevate the box slightly so water can drain freely from the container's bottom rather than pooling and rotting the bottom piece.
Set the box in position on the balcony. If desired, set the box in a shallow tray to catch water as it drains out of the container. Without a tray under the box, water will drain from the box onto the balcony.
Line the box's interior with black plastic to prevent moist soil from rotting its sides. Use a screwdriver or similar tool to punch holes in the plastic so they align with the holes in the box's bottom.
Cut a piece of wire mesh hardware cloth to fit the box's bottom. Place the wire mesh hardware cloth on top of the black plastic in the box. Wire mesh hardware cloth allows water to drain from soil but prevents soil from falling through drainage holes, reducing mess.
Fill the container with a well-draining potting mix, using a commercial mix or your own mixture, such as equal parts sphagnum peat, organic compost and sand or perlite. Add water to moisten the potting soil before sowing grass seeds.
Things You Will Need
- Measuring tape
- 3/4-inch thick plywood sheets
- Circular saw
- Power drill
- 2-inch long wood screws
- 1/4-inch drill bit
- Wood glue (optional)
- Shallow tray (optional)
- Black plastic
- Screwdriver or similar tool
- Wire mesh hardware cloth
- Well-draining potting mix
- Feel free to paint the outside of the container with an exterior paint and acrylic sealer to add color to your balcony. Options include painting the box a solid color, using a stencil to add a design or painting a picture, depending on your preference.
- Cedar plywood works well for planters because it is naturally insect- and rot-resistant.
- North Carolina State University and North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service: Container Vegetable Gardening
- Cal Finder Nationwide Remodelers: Build a Planter Box
- Bay Natives: Native Plants
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Lancaster County: Choose Wood Materials Carefully to Prevent Termites and Rot
- Mother Earth News: How to Build a Box
- Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images