You do not need a backyard to grow food. A sunny balcony, a fire escape, even a south-facing window can feed you surprisingly well.
Container size matters more than anything
- 1 gallon: herbs, lettuce, radishes
- 3 gallons: peppers, bush beans, chard
- 5 gallons: cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, small eggplant
- 10+ gallons: full-size tomatoes, summer squash, potatoes
Too-small pots are the #1 reason balcony gardens fail. When in doubt, go bigger.
Soil mix
Never use straight garden soil — it compacts in pots. Use a container mix: 60% quality potting soil, 30% compost, 10% perlite for drainage. Refresh the top 2 inches every season.
Watering
Containers dry out much faster than ground beds — sometimes daily in summer. A simple drip line on a $15 timer changes your life.
Best balcony crops
Cherry tomatoes, peppers, basil, chives, mint (in its own pot!), strawberries, lettuce, dwarf cucumbers, bush beans, microgreens.
What does not work in containers
Corn, full-size pumpkins, large brassicas, asparagus. Save those for the ground.