How to Grow Money Plants on a Balcony: Easy Steps and Smart Tips

People are always hunting for plants that are impossible to kill and actually look good on a balcony. Honestly, money plants tick both boxes. They’re super forgiving — you forget to water for a week, and the plant still lives. But there’s more to getting those lush green vines than just sticking it in a pot and hoping for the best.

Start with light. Most balconies get either too much sun or hardly any. Money plants actually love indirect sunlight. If your balcony bakes in the afternoon heat, stash your plant where it only gets light for a few hours or stick it behind another bigger plant for some shade. Too much sun will yellow the leaves, while too little makes them look sad and limp.

Picking a healthy money plant matters way more than people think. Hunt for thick, green stems and firm leaves — skip the plants with yellow patches or soggy soil. Buying a struggling plant is just inviting problems you don’t need.

• Picking the Perfect Spot
• Setting Up Your Planter Right
• Watering and Feeding Basics
• Solving Common Problems

Picking the Perfect Spot

Getting the right spot for your money plant can seriously make or break your balcony garden setup. These plants aren’t picky, but they do best in bright, indirect light. A sunny balcony might sound perfect, but direct rays for hours will scorch the leaves. Think about putting the pot behind a bigger plant or under some sort of shade cloth if your balcony faces west or south.

If your balcony only gets a little morning light or is almost always shady, don’t panic. These guys are flexible. While growth will be slower in low light, money plants will still push out those new green vines as long as they get some daylight. One surprising fact: A 2022 study from the Urban Horticulture Institute found that money plants actually grew fuller in east-facing balconies compared to south-facing ones, where scorching sun caused leaf burn.

“Money plants thrive on neglect, but even they need the right spot to hit their full potential,” says Rachel Lee, head botanist at BalconyPlantPro. “Aim for indirect light and avoid cold drafts or all-day sun.”

• If you can, place your plant near a railing or wall where it’ll catch filtered sun.
• Avoid placing it too close to metal rails that get super hot mid-day.
• Try a hanger or shelf if floor space is tight. These plants don’t mind their leaves trailing down.

Wind can be a big issue on high balconies. A constant breeze dries out soil and shreds leaves. If this sounds like your place, tuck your money plant close to a side wall or put it behind a bigger shield-plant. It’s simple stuff, but it stops your plant from going crispy in the first month.

Getting the right vibe for your balcony garden is about small tweaks, not a total overhaul. Even just moving your pot a meter to the left can make all the difference for a happy, resilient indoor plant.

Setting Up Your Planter Right

The whole process gets much smoother if you start with the right planter for your money plant. Here's the deal: always go for a pot with drainage holes. Those cheap plastic containers with no hole at the bottom almost guarantee soggy roots, and that's bad news for any indoor plants.

A standard 6 to 8-inch pot is plenty big to let a young money plant grow. If you want the vine to really trail and cover space, grab a hanging planter or put a simple trellis next to the pot. Clay pots actually help the soil dry out faster, which is great for balconies that stay shady. For full-sun balconies, plastic pots hold in moisture longer, so you don't have to water all the time.

The type of soil is a game changer. Don't use straight-up garden dirt. It gets compacted and suffocates the roots. Grab a bag of regular potting mix and mix in a handful of perlite or bits of broken brick if you've got any lying around. It keeps the soil airy, drains well, and stops root rot. Some folks even toss a thin layer of pebbles at the bottom of the pot just to be extra safe with drainage.

• Planter Size: 6-8 inch pots work well for starters.
• Drainage: Always pick pots with drainage holes, even if they're basic.
• Best Soil: Potting mix with a little perlite, charcoal, or brick bits adds the right fluffiness.
• Extra Support: Money plants love something to climb — a wire, stick, or even balcony railing is fair game.

Here's a snapshot of popular planter materials and their drainage features:

Picking the right pot and soil is like setting up the Wi-Fi in your home — you barely think about it when it works, but a bad setup messes up everything. Spend a few extra minutes here, and your balcony garden pretty much takes care of itself.

Watering and Feeding Basics

If you want a thick, bushy money plant on your balcony garden, don't just splash water whenever you remember. Sure, they're tough, but they still like a steady routine. Here’s what actually works.

Stick your finger about an inch into the soil—if it feels dry, that's your cue to water. On a hot balcony in summer, this can mean two to three times a week, but in winter, you might go a whole week between waterings. Overwatering is the number one way people mess this up. Soggy soil makes the roots rot, and once that happens, there’s no rescuing it.

• Use a pot with drainage holes. No exceptions. It lets extra water escape and keeps roots healthy.
• If your tap water’s really hard, let it sit out overnight before using it—the chemicals are rough on delicate roots.
• Mist the leaves with a spray bottle if your air gets super dry. This helps, especially when it’s hot and dusty outside.

Now about feeding. Money plants aren't needy, but they'll grow faster and look better if you throw them some balanced liquid fertilizer every 4 to 6 weeks during spring and summer. Go easy, though—too much food burns the roots and the plant stalls out. In fall and winter, skip the fertilizer. Let the plant rest, just like you want to.

If you follow these simple steps, your money plant on the balcony will keep growing—and you won’t be stuck playing plant doctor every weekend.

Solving Common Problems

No matter how easy money plants look to care for, sooner or later, you’ll hit a snag. Most issues pop up because of simple stuff you can actually fix fast. Here’s what usually goes wrong — and how to fix it before your balcony garden turns into a disaster.

• Yellow leaves: This is usually from overwatering. Money plants hate soggy feet. Check the pot’s drainage – water should run right out. Wait until the top inch of soil feels dry before watering again. If all the leaves are yellowing, swap out soggy soil for fresh, dry mix and watch it bounce back.
• Bare stems or flimsy growth: Not enough sunlight. Even though money plants like indirect light, they'll start looking leggy and weak if parked in dark corners. Move the planter closer to a bright wall or use a cheap grow light, especially in winter months.
• Brown leaf tips: Dry air on most balconies can crisp up the leaves. Try misting the plant every few days or put the pot on a tray filled with pebbles and water so the air around it stays a bit more humid.
• Pests: Aphids and mealybugs love money plants. You’ll spot sticky residue or tiny bugs on the leaves. Wipe leaves with a soft cloth dipped in mild soapy water, or spray with neem oil from your local garden shop. Don’t forget the undersides of leaves—they hide there.
• Slow or no growth: Lack of nutrients is a sneaky problem, especially if your balcony garden soil is old. Feed your plant a balanced liquid fertilizer once a month, but don’t overdo it—this stuff works even in small amounts.

Worried you’re watering the wrong amount? Here’s a simple cheat sheet based on experience with hundreds of indoor plants on balconies in Indian cities, where climate can be wildly different:

Any time you spot something odd, act quick. Money plants are tough, but ignoring problems lets them pile up. Keeping an eye on your balcony garden just once a week is usually enough to catch trouble early.