The short version
The limiting factor in a small space is rarely floor area: it is light, and pot size. Under-potting is the most common mistake, and it is the one that most reliably ends in a dried-out, stunted plant in July.
What you need
The biggest pots you can fit
Small pots dry out faster than anyone can keep up with. Volume is what buys forgiveness.
Good compost
Container plants have only what you give them.
An honest look at your light
Watch where the sun falls across a day before deciding what to grow.
How to do it
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Measure your light first
Six hours of direct sun opens up fruiting crops. Under three, work with leaves and herbs instead.
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Choose plants that suit the space
Compact and fast crops give the most from a small area. Salad, herbs and bush varieties earn their room.
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Go up
Climbing beans and trained fruit use vertical space that is otherwise wasted.
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Group pots together
Grouped containers shade each other's sides and dry out more slowly.
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Plan for watering
In summer this is daily, sometimes twice. Decide how that will happen before you plant.
When it goes wrong
Everything dries out by mid-afternoon
- Pot size
Pots too small, or too exposed. Bigger pots, grouped, mulched.
Leggy plants reaching sideways
- Light
Not enough direct light. Turn pots regularly and reconsider the crop.
Growth stops in midsummer
- Nutrition
Container compost is exhausted after six to eight weeks. Start liquid feeding.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum pot size?
Herbs and salad manage in 5 L (1 gal). Fruiting crops want 20 L (4 gal) or more per plant.
Can I grow anything on a north-facing balcony?
Leafy crops and many herbs, yes. Fruiting crops need direct sun and will disappoint.
