Balcony garden

Balconies are rated ~200 kg/m². A 40 L container with wet soil — ~40–50 kg. Heavy boxes — against the wall, not on the overhang. Spread the load.

Minimum: greens — 2–3 L, cherry tomatoes — 10–15 L, cucumbers — 20 L per plant. Drainage holes mandatory + clay pebble layer. Dark pots overheat roots on the south side.

Not garden soil — it's heavy and carries diseases. Ready peat mix + 20% perlite + compost. Replace the top 5 cm yearly, fully — every 2–3 years.

South/west — tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, strawberries (6+ hrs sun). North/east — greens, spinach, mint, radish (3–4 hrs). Grow-light 3–4 hrs in winter — year-round greens.

Most reliable: greens (dill, parsley, basil, lettuce), radish (25 days), determinate cherry tomatoes, hot peppers, trailing strawberries. Cucumbers — self-pollinating only.

Containers dry twice as fast as beds — daily in summer, twice in heat. A drip bag or bottle-drip — for trips. Water trays promote root rot — empty them.