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Balcony vegetable garden

In my little apartment, I found myself yearning for a connection to nature. Living in an apartment posed a significant challenge for my green thumb — no backyard, no sprawling land to fill up with flowers. And so, over a decade ago, I began my journey with balcony vegetable gardening, transforming my concrete balcony into a thriving green haven.

I meticulously designed a compact garden that not only fit my space but also yielded a decent harvest. A lack of space should never deter you from growing your food. Many aspiring gardeners experience the pain of wanting to cultivate their vegetables but feel constrained by limited outdoor space. In this article, we will delve into the ins and outs of setting up your balcony vegetable garden, from choosing the right containers and soil to selecting the best vegetable varieties for small spaces. Together, let’s turn that balcony into a flourishing green oasis.

Introduction to balcony vegetable gardening

Your outdoor space can be the perfect place for a balcony vegetable garden, even if its limited in size! Many veggie and culinary herb plants thrive when grown in containers on a balcony. Patio container plants warm up quickly, and their containers can be filled with high-quality soil (AKA perfect conditions!).

A balcony vegetable garden is a perfect place to grow veggie plants that grow well in containers and don’t mind the heat. This includes beginner garden favorites like salad greens, culinary herbs, and even fruiting plants like peas and tomatoes if the balcony gets some sun. Here are some of the best plants to consider growing in your patio garden.

Enjoying fresh heirloom tomatoes on the balcony garden

1. Tomatoes

Yum! Like strawberries, tomatoes love warm soil. They thrive in warm, sunny environments (like a warm, sunny balcony!). Growing a small tomato plant or two on your patio garden makes summer SO delicious.

You’ll need a bigger container for your tomatoes, as they need to develop strong roots to produce a good crop of tomatoes. Most tomato plants will grow to be at least 4′ tall, so be sure to put it in a large corner of the patio. A 5-gallon grow bag is probably the smallest container you’ll want to use for tomatoes…and a half-barrel garden works very well!

Even though they do take up a bit of space, growing your own tomatoes in your apartment balcony vegetable garden is well worth it. Read more here about the tastiest types of tomatoes to grow.

Kale growing

2. Leafy salad greens

Leafy greens just might be the most reliable patio veggie crop. You can grow new plants throughout the growing season, so you’ll always have delicious, fresh produce for your smoothies and salads. They do take up a bit of room, so once you’re comfortable growing plants on balcony gardens, it may be worth investing in a proper balcony planter to improve your patio vegetable garden further.

Fortunately, greens are quite easy to grow, even if your balcony isn’t in the sun all day. Compared to most other veggies, greens don’t need as much light to grow. They’re also relatively easy to tend and harvest.

“Think of containers as problem-solvers. Short on space to work with? No time to maintain an entire garden? Want to grow plants that need special conditions? Containers to the rescue. They offer a manageable way to enjoy all the beauty and benefits of your own personal garden, whether it be on a balcony, patio, rooftop, windowsill, or wall.”

Sunset Outdoor Design & Build: Container Gardening: Fresh Ideas for Outdoor Living, by Hank Jenkins & The Editors of Sunset Magazine
Alpine strawberries held in a hand

3. Strawberries

Strawberry plants do well in containers because they thrive in warm, well-drained soil. The heat from the sun on your patio will warm up the soil in the container and speed up plant growth. While not technically a “veggie”, strawberries will be one of the first crops that are ready to eat from your balcony garden. They also look great year-round in a window box. Here are some more ideas for strawberry growing containers.

Some varieties produce fruit in June only, while others produce a second crop in late summer (and some just fruit all growing season!). I keep my strawberries outside all summer and move the varieties without many runners indoors when the frost hits to enjoy berries all year long.

“Containers can be placed on any level surface — decks, balconies, and along driveways and sidewalks.”

University of Maryland Extension, Growing vegetables in containers
Fresh thyme with bulb of garlic

4. Culinary herbs

Culinary herbs make wonderful container plants for a little veggie garden on the balcony. Most gardeners who have large backyard gardens tend to grow herbs in containers rather than directly in the soil because some herbs can take over the rest of the garden. It’s also really nice to have them right outside the patio door for easy access while cooking.

Leafy green herbs like basil, sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano, mint, and chives are all lovely balcony garden herbs. If your patio is hot and sunny, these herbs will survive the heat so long as you keep them well-watered.

Some other leafy greens, such as cilantro, prefer a lower-heat environment. Here are some herbs that can be grown in shady spots. Consider the environmental conditions for your apartment balcony vegetable garden and do a bit of research before picking which herbs to grow. Learn more about growing herbs in containers here.)

Snap peas growing on white trellis

5. Peas

Peas are one of the hardiest crops that can be grown outdoors in your balcony vegetable garden. When you grow them vertically, they don’t take up much space at all. They also look lovely trailing up a balcony trellis! Peas can be grown through a frosty shoulder season and produce edible veggies within several months of planting. We’ve sprouted peas here in Zone 5 in the first week of October!

Pea shoots are also edible and can be snipped off and added to salads or smoothies. They’re fun to grow and lovely to look at. Seeds for organic peas are also easy to find online. Who could want more?!

“You can grow just about anything in a container, from plants that stimulate the senses with aroma and texture to abundant edible gardens. With the proper soil, drainage, exposure, and nourishment, your garden will flower and fruit just as it would in the ground.” 

Sunset Outdoor Design & Build: Container Gardening: Fresh Ideas for Outdoor Living, by Hank Jenkins & The Editors of Sunset Magazine
5 best edible plants for a balcony garden | home for the harvest

Planning your apartment balcony vegetable garden

Are you thinking about growing some produce on your balcony this year? I’ve put together a free Garden Planner to help you through the process of planning out your garden. It starts right at the beginning of the planning process and takes you through each necessary step of garden planning.

References

Mary Jane Duford
Mary Jane Duford

Mary Jane Duford is a quintessential Canadian gardener. An engineer by trade, she tends to an ever-expanding collection of plants. In her world, laughter blooms as freely as her flowers, and every plant is raised with a dash of Canadian grit.

Mary Jane is a certified Master Gardener and also holds a Permaculture Design Certificate. She's also a proud mom of three, teaching her little sprouts the crucial difference between a garden friend and foe.

When she's not playing in the dirt, Mary Jane revels in her love for Taylor Swift, Gilmore Girls, ice hockey, and the surprisingly soothing sounds of bluegrass covers of classic hip-hop songs. She invites you to join her garden party, a place where you can share in the joy of growing and where every day is a new opportunity to find the perfect spot for yet another plant.

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