I am planning to grow vegetables on my balcony and wanted to know which ones I can grow. I could not find a detailed list so I’ve created one after my research. You can use this list to choose vegetables to grow on your balcony.
Herbs
I plan to grow at least one herb in my balcony garden. That’s because herbs are easy to grow and are hardy plants.
They don’t need a lot of sunlight and can tolerate the wind that may blow on a balcony. You don’t need to have large pots to grow herbs. Most of them will be happy to grow in a 4 to 6 inch deep container.
Once they grow, you can keep harvesting the leaves for the entire growing season. And they will keep growing back. But once the growing season ends and they bolt, you won’t be able to eat them as they lose their taste.
There are a lot of choices you have when you want to grow herbs on your balcony. So pick one that you enjoy in your food.
I’ll be starting with cilantro as that’s a staple ingredient as a garnish in a lot of Indian dishes. I can give them to my family for cooking up some delicious meals.
| No | Plant | Container Size | Sunlight | Water |
| 1 | Mint | Depth – 6 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 2 | Rosemary | Depth – 6 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 3 | Cilantro | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 18 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
| 4 | Lavender | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 5 | Parsley | Depth – 8 inches
Width – 8 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
| 6 | Basil | Depth – 8 inches
Width – 8 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
| 7 | Tarragon | Depth – 6 inches
Width – 6 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 8 | Thyme | Depth – 6 inches
Width – 8 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 9 | Oregano | Depth – 8 inches
Width – 8 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 10 | Sage | Depth – 8 inches
Width – 8 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 11 | Dill | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
Leafy Vegetables
The other set of vegetables I want to grow on my balcony is leafy vegetables. These are also easy to grow in containers.
They don’t have much fuss when it comes to watering and how deep the container is. You can use a medium-sized container that is 8 to 10 inches to grow them.
Some of them don’t need much sunlight. Vegetables like lettuce and spinach prefer the shade and partial sun. If there’s intense sunlight they risk wilting or getting leaf burn.
Like herbs, leafy vegetables will keep on growing as you keep harvesting the leaves. You can get a lot of salad for the entire season just with a few leafy vegetable containers on your balcony.
Spinach is going to be the leafy vegetable of my choice because I enjoy eating the leaves (and I am a big fan of Popeye).
| No | Plant | Container Size | Sunlight | Water |
| 12 | Celery | Depth – 8 inches
Width – 8 inches | At least 6 hours | Water every day |
| 13 | Lettuce | Depth – 6 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | Water every day |
| 14 | Kale | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 15 | Mustard | Depth – 6 inches
Width – 6 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 16 | Spinach | Depth – 6 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 17 | Bok choy | Depth – 20 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
| 18 | Broccoli | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 8 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 19 | Brussel sprouts | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 20 | Chard | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 21 | Cabbage | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 22 | Arugula | Depth – 8 inches
Width – 6 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 23 | Collard greens | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 24 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 24 | Cauliflower | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 25 | Asparagus | Depth – 20 inches
Width – 20 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 26 | Artichoke | Depth – 16 inches
Width – 16 inches | At least 6 hours | Water every day |
| 27 | Lemongrass | Depth – 8 inches
Width – 8 inches | At least 8 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 28 | Leeks | Depth – 18 inches
Width – 18 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 29 | Kohlrabi | Depth – 16 inches
Width – 16 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
Fruit Vegetables
These are the vegetables that you will find colorful and full of flavor. Vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers.
They’re not that hard to grow in containers but do need a good amount of sunlight and watering. You also need to protect them from the wind as it can damage the plants.
My plan is to start growing some tomatoes in my balcony garden. I like the color and flavor of tomatoes. And I want to be growing at least one fruit vegetable as a challenge and learning.
You should pick vegetable varieties that are suitable for growing in a container. Some of these plants can grow quite large and heavy. It’s better to pick a bush or vining variety that your balcony can handle.
You don’t want too much weight on your balcony because of large and heavy containers and plants.
| No | Plant | Container Size | Sunlight | Water |
| 30 | Cucumbers | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 31 | Tomatoes | Depth – 18 inches
Width – 18 inches | At least 8 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 32 | Peppers | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 33 | Zucchini | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 34 | Summer squash | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 35 | Eggplant | Depth – 14 inches
Width – 14 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 36 | Tomatillo | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 8 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 37 | Okra | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
Root Vegetables
I used to think that root vegetables will be difficult to grow in a container because of the soil depth required.
But after looking at some of these vegetables, they are quite suitable to grow in a container. I will start with some radishes because they are fast and easy to grow.
They don’t require too deep a container and are happy to grow in soil that is 6 to 8 inches deep.
You are limited in how many root vegetables you can grow in the container as you need to keep some space between them. Otherwise, they will compete with each other for the nutrients and moisture.
Root vegetables don’t look as attractive as the herbs, leafy, or fruit vegetable plants. But they are a tasty and nutritious addition to our organic balcony garden.
| No | Plant | Container Size | Sunlight | Water |
| 38 | Radishes | Depth – 6 inches
Width – 16 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
| 39 | Spring onions | Depth – 10 inches
Width – 24 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
| 40 | Carrots | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 24 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
| 41 | Beets | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 24 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
| 42 | Potatoes | Depth – 16 inches
Width – 16 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
| 43 | Garlic | Depth – 10 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
| 44 | Onions | Depth – 10 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
| 45 | Ginger | Depth – 16 inches
Width – 16 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
| 46 | Chives | Depth – 8 inches
Width – 8 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
| 47 | Turnips | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
| 48 | Parsnips | Depth – 24 inches
Width – 24 inches | At least 6 hours | Soil surface is dry |
Seed Vegetables
It’s easy to grow seed vegetables like beans and peas in your balcony garden as long as you can support them.
These usually are vining plants that like to stretch out. So growing them vertically in the balcony is the best choice to save space.
They need plenty of sunlight and moisture to grow well so make sure they get a good spot where these are available.
They are also a good choice to fix nitrogen into the soil. So you can grow them in one season and then grow a leafy vegetable in the soil after they’re done.
Growing beans or peas is not the first thing I’ll be doing. I’m spending my time on herbs, leafy vegetables, fruit, and root vegetables first. Once I gain some experience, I’ll add some seed vegetables to my balcony garden.
| No | Plant | Container Size | Sunlight | Water |
| 49 | Beans | Depth – 10 inches
Width – 10 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
| 50 | Peas | Depth – 18 inches
Width – 18 inches | At least 6 hours | 2 inches soil is dry |
Mushrooms
51 Mushrooms
Mushrooms are not technically a vegetable but a fungus. You can grow them in your balcony garden as long as you know the process which is a bit different than growing other vegetables.
I don’t enjoy mushrooms as much so I won’t be growing them in my garden. But maybe when I want to improve my gardening skills I might give them a shot.
| No | Plant | Container Size | Sunlight | Water |
| 51 | Mushrooms | Depth – 12 inches
Width – 12 inches | No or low sunlight | Several sprinklings to keep soil moist |