For the balcony dwellers with a small space, do not fret; there is ample you can grow on your patio.
For patio spaces, it’s best to utilize your vertical spaces (integrate trellises), use containers with lots of drainage and opt to grow high yield crops such as tomatoes.
List of crops you can grow on your patio or balcony space. Choose crops based on space availability and most importantly sun exposure.
Potatoes
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Requires full sun. Opt for a large container or potato grow bag. (Can purchase at West Coast Seeds). Plant seed potatoes in early April to mid May in soil half filled in container. Cover potatoes fully in soil. When plant grows 6-8 inches taller, cover with more soil. Repeat this process throughout the season and continue watering well until foliage begins to die back, meaning they are ready for harvest.
Tomatoes
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Tomatoes are a summer crop so planting them in late Spring or early summer is ideal. They require full sun exposure (6-8 hours). Planting them in large deep containers with good drainage is important and when you plant them ensure you cover much of the stem, removing the bottom leaves so you can plant it deeper. Provide soil with organic fertilizer keeping it nutrient rich. When the plant grows taller, support the vines with a trellis. Harvest fruit when they are ripe.
Strawberries
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Strawberries are a late Spring through Summer crop and requires full sun (6-8 hours). Large, wide and deep containers with good drainage is important. Plant about 3 in one pot about 8-10 inches apart, keeping the crown of the plant just above the soil. Provide soil with organic fertilizer keeping it nutrient rich. Keep the plants thoroughly watered. Throughout the growing season, cut off runners (stems that grow new plants), to encourage healthy growth. Harvest when fruits ripen.
Lettuce
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Lettuce likes containers that are around 6 inches deep. You can also use a grow bag for lettuce. Either way, ensure you use a container with drainage holes! Nutrient rich soil is ideal for lettuce. Sow seeds directly in container and cover lightly with soil. Keep containers consistently watered, but not waterlogged. Lettuce requires around 4-6 hours of sunlight each day. Once the leaves reach your desired size you can harvest, cutting the outer leaves and leaving the inner new leaves to encourage growth.
Zucchini
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Zucchini requires a container around 12 inches deep with drainage holes. Zucchini is a summer crop and needs at least 6 hours of sunlight per day to thrive. Plant seedlings in the Spring, directly into the soil in the container. Use organic and fertile potting mix. If you are planting by seed, place seeds 1 inch deep in soil and lightly cover, and if a seedling, plant into a 2 inch holes and pat around the seedling with soil. Highly recommend to plant pollinators beside zucchini plants. Zucchini is typically ready 6-7 weeks post planting. Harvest zucchini when they are small to encourage a healthy plant and more growth.
Bell Pepper
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Bell peppers do best in 5 gallon containers, or fabric pots that have good drainage. Fill the container with high quality organic potting soil compost. Plant seedling directly into container, and keep the container consistently moist. Bell peppers require lots of sun, around 6-8 hours per day. Harvest peppers when they are full grown.
Beetroot
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As a root crop, beetroot requires a deep container, at least 10 inches in depth with drainage holes. Use a good quality potting mix and plant seedlings in containers around 3 inches apart. Beets prefer full sunlight or partial shade, needing around 4-6 hours of sunlight per day. Harvest beets at your desired size.
Spinach
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Spinach prefers a container that is at least 6 inches deep with drainage holes, and fill container with organic and fertile potting mix. Begin planting spinach in early spring (mid-to-late March or early April) for a late Spring/ early summer harvest, and in August for a fall/winter harvest. Sow seeds directly into container around 1/4 or 1/2 inch deep and gently cover them with light soil. Ensure the container is in a spot where it will receive 6-8 hours of sunlight per day. Water when soil is dry. Harvest when leaves are around 3-4 inches long and cut the outer ones to encourage growth.
Cucumbers
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Plant your cucumber seedlings when it becomes consistently warm, this crop loves warmth and full sun exposure. They do well in a large container with good drainage and lots of water. They love being trellised and supported with a stake, so make sure you continue to attach the vines to a trellis as it grows. Keep the plant in full sunlight and consistently water throughout the season. When the plant starts producing fruit, begin to harvest to encourage more growth.
Kale
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Kale prefers full sun but is a little shade tolerant. This crop can grow quite large so it’s a good idea to choose a large container with good drainage. Plant one healthy seedling per container. Kale loves cooler temps so opt to either plant seedlings in early Spring or late Summer. Watch out for aphids on your leaves, a type of small pest that loves this crop. If you notice aphids, pick them off the leaves. Harvest leaves off the main stem once sized up, always leaving a few left to encourage continued growth.
Carrots
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Carrots thrive with a large deep pot, to encourage roots to grow deep and straight. You can sow carrot seeds directly into the soil, covering them with about half an inch of soil. Keep the soil consistently watered and put the container in direct sunlight. Once seedlings reach around 2inches tall, thin them about three inches apart, so they can have space to grow! When your carrots are the size you like them, harvest!
Swiss Chard
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Swiss Chard prefers a container that is around 8-10 inches deep with a drainage hole. Fill the container with an organic and nutrient dense potting mix. Sow seeds directly in container, or if planting seedlings, space them 6-8 inches apart. Throughout their growth they require 4-6 hours of direct sunlight. Keep containers consistently moist. Harvest the outer and older leaves, leaving the inner leaves so the plant can continue growing.
Eggplant
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Eggplants need a large, 5 gallon pot with good drainage to thrive. Fill container with high quality and nutrient dense potting mix. Plant seedlings in pot when there is no more chance of frost in the Spring. Put a stake in the container for the future support for the plant. Water consistently. Eggplants are sun lovers and require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. Harvests of eggplant are typically mid to late Summer.
Pumpkins & Squash
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For container squash, choose a smaller variety such as a bush or vine variety. Fill a deep container, at least 12 inches deep and 24 inches wide with a fertile potting mix and ensure it has drainage holes. Plant seeds a couple inches a part directly into the container. If planting seedlings, create a small hole and transplant directly into container. Most squash varieties need at least 7 hours of direct sunlight each day. Keep consistently watered and occasionally provide with organic fertilizer. Use a trellis if necessary. Harvest when they have reached the desired size for their variety.
Beans
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Beans are a warm weather crop, so planting in late Spring is ideal. Bush beans require a container that is around 15 inches in diameter, while pole beans need a larger, 18 inch container with drainage holes. Fill the container with a high quality potting mix and plant directly into soil when temperatures warm. Plant seeds 1-1.5 inches deep. Bush beans need to be spaced 2 inches apart and thinned to 6 inches apart when they grow, while pole beans need to be sowed 3 inches apart and thinned 6 inches as well when they grow. When they become seedlings, trellis the plant to provide structural support. Ensure your beans are in 6-8 hours of sunlight each day and keep soil moist. Harvest beans often to encourage continued growth.
Turnips
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Turnips thrive with a large deep container that is at least 12 inches deep with good drainage holes. Sow seeds in either Spring or late Summer, and plant seeds directly in soil around 1/2 deep, and about 4-6 inches apart from each other. Turnips like to be placed where they can receive full sunlight. Keep the soil moist. Harvest greens when they are tall, and the roots when they reach a desirable size.