My deck off my apartment has a cast iron railing, but pretty much the only thing that can be on it are like xmas lights or hanging baskets via shepards hooks. I want a low-cost solution to my want of climbers. I don't have any extra pots or soil to plant them yet (I have seeds) and I would buy them when I picked up my solution, however I am at a loss for what to do, things I have tried in the past when I wasn't on a budget didn't seem to work too well. Any ideas?

Morning glories will climb anything as long as it isn't moving. I've run it up chains without any problem. It's an annual if that's ok.

I whipped over here so quick I didn't look for your zone. And now I can't remember if your balcony is full sun, partial shade or full shade. I'm a bad girl.

TK yer not a bad girl! I Think (not too sure) that I'm Zone 6, I've grown morning glories in the past when I lived with my mom. (hint: NEVER use miracle grow on them!!! They become monsters! I'll post a pic when I find it) They actually grew to about 15 feet high and those are the seeds I have I just need something that will hold up to being stuck in a pot without knocking everything over. So you used chains hm? Would yarn or heavy string work for morning glories? I've always used heavy stuff in the past.

hope you all are having a GREAT day.

how about some clematis? they grow nicely

I saw something about miniature morning glories around here somewhere. Knocking over pots? Well I would say maybe get a pot alittle taller than you need and put fishing weights in the bottom and then your potting soil. Those should hold it in place. I'm having a hard time processing information today, sorry. You want the vine to run where exactly? If it's along the railing just head the morning glories in that direction and they will do the rest as I'm sure you found out when you grew them before. If you want them to run up the wall I would probably use fishing line instead of thread or string. It will last better in outdoor conditions. I hope this is making sense, I'm just about useless today.

I don't want to go back on medication but if this keeps up I'm going to have to.

I just reread your post. I think I understand now. Maybe anyway. The concrete planters along with not having drainage holes are way to expensive. But if you get some of those storage tubs like they have at the dollar store and poke holes in the bottom and fill them with potting soil they are not going anywhere. plus that gives you a long base for the vines so they can go right up your wrought iron. Also the very long planters at walmart wouldn't topple over on you either. I have a 30 inch long 8 inch wide planter that I got for 9.00 dollars a couple of months ago. The wind really whips through Virginia from time to time breaking storm door and window hinges so I know it has to be heavy to work for you.

Well I just finished planting everything this is what I've done. Since my balcony is in mostly full sun all afternoon I found a really long planter 30" long 4"wide and about 8" deep at walmart, stuck in some rocks for added drainage and dowel rods for support and strung some craftwire with the dowel rods and planted english (i think) ivy and the morning glories and some sweet pea climbers. And since I refuse to miracle grow stuff anymore as long as I keep things trimmed back it will stay on my home-made trellis and stay off my railing. (Apartment people won't let us put stuff there.) I'll post pictures as soon as things start growing.....ugh... that had better not have been thunder I just heard!!

Star

That sounds really good. Sorry about the misunderstanding.

No apologies needed! I realized when I had gotten to the store that I had forgotten to tell you what type of sun I got and felt silly about that and stuff I'm just as nutty for plants and will take them almost any way I can get them

Below are pictures of what happened the last time I grew morning glories. I lived out in the country with my mom and didn't know any better so I used Miracle Gro on them. The lattice work is about 9 or so feet high, by the end of summer they hand continually wound themselves at least a foot up the flag pole.....they sure were pretty though