When I started Botany on the Balcony, another city-dwelling, balcony-having friend of mine requested a “beginner’s guide” to container gardening for those who felt overwhelmed or intimidated by the prospect. At the time, I didn’t feel worthy of the task. Honestly, I still feel like a beginner! But after six years of gardening and two years of blogging about it, I now have enough posts that, taken together, provide a decent overview of container gardening basics. Setting aside my imposter syndrome, I present them below with the sincere hope of nudging even just one person towards starting their balcony garden.
There are of course many high-quality resources out there already on container gardening (sorry, imposter syndrome not entirely set aside). Instead, I offer living proof that you don’t need to be a trained horticulturalist or have a picture-perfect setup to be a gardener; you just need to take care of a few plants that make you, and maybe a few birds and bugs, very happy.
If you think you lack the requisite knowledge, skill, time, money, or all of the above to do this, I want to squash those doubts in the posts below. You’ll find them organized by sections that reflect a suggested order of operations, from gathering affordable supplies and choosing the best plants for your conditions to keeping those plants thriving and making more plants for free. This is a living beginner’s guide, and I’ll continue to add relevant posts as I write them.
Access to a sliver of outdoor space, be it a balcony, patio, or stoop, is a precious gift. Seeing these spaces empty and devoid of life makes me sad. This is my attempt, however modest, to help others overcome any fear or hesitation they have about container gardening, so that we can, collectively, make our environments more beautiful and friendly to nature.
Things You’ll Need
First things first: supplies! Don’t panic; while you might need to spend a little money in the beginning, it doesn’t have to be a major investment, and it will pay off.
Choosing Your Gardening Style
These posts offer food for thought as you’re thinking about the overall look, feel, and goals of your garden. You can skip if you’re raring to go, but it’s a good idea to take a moment to think things through before buying a bunch of plants and pots you’ll regret.
- Know Thy Bioregion
- Four Things I Learned from the Unapologetic Container Gardens of Italy
- Is it Worth it to Grow Food on a Small Scale? An Honest Reflection
Choosing Plants
Watch your space throughout the day to determine how much light it gets. This will depend on which direction it faces and the time of year. Depending on the architecture of your arrangement, there may be sunnier and shadier zones. Keep in mind that morning sun is gentler than afternoon sun, and that full sun plants need at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. Once you have determined your light conditions, it’s time for the fun part: choosing your plants!
Here are some lists of plants I’ve had success growing under various conditions. There might be longer and better lists out there, but these are of manageable length and only include plants I can personally vouch for.
- Seven Plants That Can Withstand the Punishing Afternoon Sun
- Eight Plants That Are Made for Shade (in Pots!)
- The Six Native California Plants Growing on My Balcony
Basic Skills
Once you’ve sourced your plants, you’ll need to go about the business of potting them up and keeping them happy. You might also find yourself interested in propagation techniques to create more plants for free, like sowing seeds and taking cuttings. These skills are not as scary as they seem and can be immensely rewarding!
- An All-Purpose Guide to Re-Potting Any Plant
- This Year I’m Sowing Flower Seeds
- How & Why to Take Cuttings of Perennials in Containers
Ready for more?
For a year’s worth of gardening tips and tasks, browse posts by season. To continue your journey, check out my Care & Advice category.