For container gardeners with no yard
Container gardening that
actually produces food.
A balcony, a terrace, a fire escape — anywhere with 6+ hours of sun is a vegetable garden. These are the six crops that crop and the pot sizes that work.
Balcony gardens fail for one reason: pots that are too small. A determinate tomato in a 4 L pot will sulk; the same plant in a 15 L pot crops like a yard garden. Pick crops that match your sun (6+ hours = full sun, 4–6 hours = leafy greens and herbs), give them a real pot, and water consistently. The six edibles below all thrive in containers with the sizes we’ve verified.
Start with these guides
How to start a vegetable garden
The first season is the hardest. Here’s the 8-step plan that works in containers too.
Read guideWhen to plant tomatoes
Get the timing right and a balcony tomato outproduces a neglected backyard one.
Read guideHow to grow tomatoes
From transplant to harvest — including the staking trick for windy balconies.
Read guideHow to grow basil
A single 4 L pot of basil supplies a household. The pruning method that doubles yield.
Read guideVegetable garden layout
Even in containers, layout matters. Pair sun-hungry crops with shade-tolerant ones.
Read guideCompanion planting guide
Two crops in one pot doubles your yield per square foot. The proven combinations.
Read guideA note on pot sizes
Half-share growers cheat on pots because they’re heavy. Don’t. A 5 L tomato pot dries out twice a day in summer and the plant stalls. The pot sizes above are minimums from extension-service container-gardening trials and balcony growers we’ve verified — not optimistic catalog numbers.
Plants we recommend for you
Tomato
Bush varieties in 10–15 L pots, vining types in 20 L. The classic balcony crop.
Basil
One 4 L pot feeds a household. Loves heat — perfect balcony companion to tomatoes.
Pepper
Both sweet and hot peppers crop heavily in 10–15 L pots with full sun.
Strawberries
Hanging baskets, railing planters, or a 4 L pot. Crops for 3–4 years.
Cucumber
Grow vertically on a trellis in a 15–20 L pot. One plant gives 10–15 cukes.
Bush bean
Fastest balcony crop — ready in 50–55 days. No staking needed.
What to ask Growli first
These are the conversation starters that get the most useful answers for your situation. Open the app and tap the chat bubble.
1. "Can I grow tomatoes on a balcony?"
Yes — with the right pot. Tell Growli your balcony direction and approximate hours of sun. We’ll recommend bush vs vining cultivars and the exact pot litres you need.
2. "What’s the smallest pot for a tomato?"
For bush/determinate tomatoes: 10 L minimum, 15 L for a real harvest. For indeterminate vining tomatoes: 20 L. Less and the plant root-binds and crops poorly.
3. "How do I water when I’m away on weekends?"
Self-watering containers, drip irrigation kits, or a wine-bottle waterer all work. Growli can tell you the daily litres each crop uses in your climate so you size the reservoir correctly.
4. "It’s windy up here. How do I protect my plants?"
Wind dries plants and snaps stems. Growli recommends sturdier stakes, wind-tolerant varieties (compact bush beans, basil), and which weeks to bring fragile pots inside.
Frequently asked questions
+How much sun does a balcony garden need?
For fruiting crops (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, strawberries), 6+ hours of direct sun per day. For leafy greens and most herbs, 4–6 hours is enough. Measure with a sun-tracking app over a clear day before you commit — reflected light from neighboring buildings can add significant exposure.
+Can I grow tomatoes on a balcony?
Yes. Bush/determinate cultivars in 10–15 L pots and indeterminate vining types in 20 L pots both crop successfully on balconies with 6+ hours of sun. The most common balcony mistake is using a pot that’s too small — it dries out daily in summer and the plant stalls.
+What’s the minimum pot size for balcony vegetables?
Tomatoes: 10–15 L (bush) or 20 L (vining). Peppers: 10–15 L. Basil and strawberries: 2–4 L. Cucumbers on a trellis: 15–20 L. Bush beans: 5–10 L. These are from extension-service container trials — going smaller compromises yield significantly.
+How do I keep balcony pots watered in summer?
Self-watering containers with a reservoir at the base buy you 3–5 days. Drip irrigation kits with a programmable timer run automatically. Mulching the soil surface (gravel, bark, or coir) reduces evaporation. In peak heat, mature balcony tomatoes can drink 1–2 L per day.
+How much weight will my balcony hold?
Check your building’s structural specs first, but most modern balconies handle 150–250 kg per square meter — plenty for a vegetable container garden. Place heavier pots near the wall (the strongest point), not at the railing. A 20 L wet tomato pot weighs roughly 25 kg.
+What’s the fastest balcony crop?
Bush beans (50–55 days from seed to first pick), radishes (25–30 days), and salad leaves (30–40 days for cut-and-come-again harvests). Beans give a real, satisfying harvest in under two months and require no staking.
Ready to plant boldly?
Download Growli on iOS or Android. We'll take it from there.