Sabrina Hahn: The best native plants and vegetables to grow in pots on balcony gardens

As a follow-on from last week’s column on balcony gardening, let’s look at plants that are suitable for pot culture.

Pot-grown natives must be pruned annually to keep them compact and free-flowering. Only use native slow-release fertiliser and native potting mix, particularly for banksia and grevillea plants.

Below are the top 20 full-sun and full-shade native plants that are suitable for pots. Mix and match the small mallees with ground covers.

The native balcony

Full sun

· Acacia Glaucoptera

· Adenanthos Coral carpet

· Banksia attenuata dwarf

· Boronia Pink Passion

· Brachyscome (all)

· Chamelaucium Local Hero

· Eremophila pink pantha

· Eucalyptus foecunda

· Eucalyptus kingsmillii

· Eucalyptus kruseana

· Grevillea Boorloo Moon

· Grevillea Mt Tamboritha

· Grevillea Showtime

· Grevillea Strawberry Smoothie

· Kangaroo paws (all)

· Kunzea ambigua

· Melaleuca incana

· Philotheca Flower Girl

· Pimelea Bonne Petite

· Thryptomene Pink Lace

Shade

· Acacia drummondii

· Boronia crenulata

· Carex Feather Falls

· Correa backhouseana

· Chorizema cordatum

· Dampiera teres

· Darwinia oxylepis

· Goodenia ovata

· Grevillea Ellendale

· Grevillea nudiflora

· Grevillea quercifolia

· Guichenotia macrantha

· Hibbertia grossulariifolia

· Hibbertia serrata

· Hypocalymma cordifolium

· Kennedia coccinea

· Orthrosanthus polystachys

· Stylidium affine

· Thomasia purpurea

· Thomasia macrocarpa

Veggies for pots

Most herbs and veggies grow really well in pots.

They will require watering every day in summer, so wicking pots may be preferable than running around with a watering can.

Full-sun herbs and veggies

Basil, parsley, thyme, oregano, tomatoes, chillies, silverbeet, carrot, cucumber, capsicum, beetroot, rainbow chard, peas, Asian greens, cabbage and cos lettuce.

Shady spots

Lettuce loose leaf, parsley, coriander, borage, kale, rainbow chard, bok choi, pak choi and oregano.

Tip of the week

Large pots can be planted out with a few different species to produce flowers in the different seasons, attracting native bees and beneficial insects.

Three jobs to do

1. Pull up flick weed (Cardamine hirsute) before it seeds. They are easy to remove and usually spread very quickly if left to seed.

2. Abutilon are in flower now and may require staking if they get heavy at the ends of the branches.

3. Kangaroo paws will be setting masses of flowers, so it’s a great time to select the colour combinations that suit your garden.

Do you have a question for Sabrina?

To submit a question to Green With Envy, inside Saturday’s The West Australian, write to Ask Sabrina, GPO Box D162, Perth, 6001 or email home@wanews.com.au.

Please include your full name and suburb. Due to the volume of questions, not all of them will be answered.