A starter balcony garden
A first season growing on a balcony: light, containers, soil and drainage — not just seeds. The list adapts to whether your balcony gets sun or shade.

[ ] Check the balcony's weight limit
    Wet soil in large containers weighs far more than it looks — especially worth checking in older buildings.
[ ] Pick sun-loving crops for a first season
    Cherry tomatoes, peppers, herbs like basil — forgiving crops for a sunny spot and a first-time grower.
[ ] Pick shade-tolerant crops
    Lettuce, spinach, parsley, mint handle less direct sun far better than fruiting plants do.
[ ] Make sure containers have drainage holes
    Waterlogged roots are the most common reason first-time plants die — more often than underwatering.
[ ] Use saucers under pots
    Drainage water runs down to the neighbors below — this is as much about good relations as convenience.
[ ] Buy proper potting mix, not garden soil
    Regular soil compacts in pots and drains poorly — a proper container mix saves headaches from the start.
[ ] Match container size to the specific plant
    Too small a pot is the single biggest reason seedlings never turn into much.
[ ] 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.
[ ] 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.
[ ] Consider self-watering containers for time away
    Handy if you're planning a trip — the plants won't die during a week away.
[ ] Assess how windy the balcony gets
    High floors and open balconies dry out soil noticeably faster — factor that into how often you water.
[ ] Get a simple all-purpose container fertilizer
    In a limited pot volume, nutrients run out faster than they would in open ground.
[ ] Check leaves for pests weekly
    The underside of the leaf is where problems usually show up first, before they're visible from a distance.
[ ] Secure any railing planters firmly
    Check the mounts especially before strong wind — a pot falling from height is a real hazard to people below.
[ ] Label what's planted where
    A month in, seedlings of very different plants start looking identical — a simple tag saves the confusion.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/balcony-garden-starter