How to start a balcony vegetable garden?
To start a balcony vegetable garden, pick the sunniest spot, large pots with drainage holes and a good multi-purpose compost. Begin with easy crops such as salad leaves, radishes, herbs, dwarf beans and tomatoes, and water when the compost is dry a third of the way down the pot.
Pots and compost
For most vegetables the RHS suggests containers at least 45 cm (18 in) deep and wide: smaller pots need watering and feeding more often. Use a peat-free multi-purpose compost.
What to grow
Among the vegetables best suited to containers, the RHS lists beetroot, broad beans, carrots, dwarf French beans, herbs, peas, potatoes, radishes, rocket, chillies and peppers, salad leaves, salad onions and tomatoes.
How to water
Push a finger into the compost: if it's dry about a third of the way down, water slowly onto the compost rather than the leaves. Light rain often won't soak a pot right through, so don't rely on it. Empty the saucers to avoid waterlogging.
Feeding
Container plants have little compost to draw on, so while they're growing give them a general-purpose liquid feed every two weeks.
In the app
You can set up a “balcony” garden with its own beds and get a daily plan for each pot.
Frequently asked questions
Is a north-facing balcony OK?
In low light, salad leaves and some herbs do best; tomatoes, peppers and other fruiting crops need sun.
Can I use garden soil in pots?
Better to use potting compost, because garden soil tends to compact in containers.