A starter balcony garden

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Answer the questions and only the items you need stay on the list. Your answers carry over to the app and the file.

• Is the balcony sunny or shaded? Sunny (5+ hours of light)Shaded

Items on the list: 15 of 15 · Show all

Work through the list in order. Hide the notes when you know what to do.

1. Check the balcony's weight limit

   Wet soil in large containers weighs far more than it looks — especially worth checking in older buildings.

2. Pick sun-loving crops for a first season Sunny (5+ hours of light)

   Cherry tomatoes, peppers, herbs like basil — forgiving crops for a sunny spot and a first-time grower.

3. Pick shade-tolerant crops Shaded

   Lettuce, spinach, parsley, mint handle less direct sun far better than fruiting plants do.

4. Make sure containers have drainage holes

   Waterlogged roots are the most common reason first-time plants die — more often than underwatering.

5. Use saucers under pots

   Drainage water runs down to the neighbors below — this is as much about good relations as convenience.

6. Buy proper potting mix, not garden soil

   Regular soil compacts in pots and drains poorly — a proper container mix saves headaches from the start.

7. Match container size to the specific plant

   Too small a pot is the single biggest reason seedlings never turn into much.

8. Start with seedlings, not seeds, in the first season

   Easier to get a result and learn what actually thrives on your balcony before moving on to growing from scratch.

9. Check soil moisture by touch, not by a fixed schedule

   Watering needs swing a lot with the weather — a finger a couple centimeters into the soil beats any fixed calendar.

10. Consider self-watering containers for time away

    Handy if you're planning a trip — the plants won't die during a week away.

11. Assess how windy the balcony gets

    High floors and open balconies dry out soil noticeably faster — factor that into how often you water.

12. Get a simple all-purpose container fertilizer

    In a limited pot volume, nutrients run out faster than they would in open ground.

13. Check leaves for pests weekly

    The underside of the leaf is where problems usually show up first, before they're visible from a distance.

14. Secure any railing planters firmly

    Check the mounts especially before strong wind — a pot falling from height is a real hazard to people below.

15. Label what's planted where

    A month in, seedlings of very different plants start looking identical — a simple tag saves the confusion.