Growing plants and vegetables, as well as other things that suit the apartment dweller’s creativity, can quickly transform a simple apartment into something beautiful. A balcony garden can be created in a variety of ways, including vertically hanging baskets, pots, jars, and planters on the balcony wall.

Growing and caring for plants on your balcony will not only improve the view from inside your apartment but will also give this often overlooked or underused area a sense of purpose. But, without a proper garden, how do you start a garden in an apartment or condo? So, here are 5 things to tips about before diving into balcony gardening.

1. Assess your space and sunlight

First and essential, you must measure all of the parameters required for good plant growth in your space and climate. Consider how much sunlight your balcony receives, how much space you have for pots and containers (shop these gardening accessories on Amazon), and how well your plants will be protected from the elements. This will help you set up your balcony garden so that the growth of your plants is attained.

2. Survival of plants is essential

It’s easy to choose plants you like, but if you want to avoid disappointment, let the sun and available space guide your choices. Before you buy any plants, consider which direction your balcony faces and how much sun the plants will get each day. Similar to how you arrange your balcony, you should consider the environment; if it’s going to be windy, you can get ideas from plants that thrive in windy gardens, for instance.

3. Wall them up

Being inventive is the key to maximizing surface area when working with a variety of smaller or oddly shaped balcony settings. To make an extended display, consider adding vines or DIY shelves to empty walls. However, keep in mind that these plants will be subjected to more wind, rain, and harsh sunlight; thus, select succulents and hardier plant species that can survive a sudden change in the climate.

4. Right pot = Better plants

Varying pot lengths fit different plants, with some requiring walled-in containers and others requiring deep pots for supplemental root growth. Tomatoes are one of the simplest vegetables to grow in containers, requiring only five to six hours of sunlight per day (shop range of Tomatoes seeds on Amazon).

Growing peppers in containers is also a straightforward process. They’ll need a large pot, at least one foot deep (shop range of large pots for plants on Amazon, make sure to check size during purchase). Short carrots can be grown on a balcony if you have a deep enough container to adjust their long taproots. Avoid overwatering and keep the leaves dry to avoid fungal problems.

5. Add in those furnishings

Finally, if you have the space, choose some chic outdoor furniture to serve as the focal point of your balcony garden and the ideal place to enjoy a morning cup of coffee when the weather is perfect (shop range of outdoor furniture on Amazon).

Plants that can be grown on your balcony

1. Parsley (shop Parsley seeds on Amazon)
2. Basil (shop Basil seed at the cheapest price on Amazon)
3. Rosemary (shop Rosemary seeds on Amazon)
4. Thyme (shop Thyme seeds on Amazon)
5. Dill (shop Dill seeds on Amazon)
6. Tomatoes: cherry tomatoes (shop for cherry tomatoes seeds on Amazon)
7. Peppers: small hot pepper varieties also (shop hot pepper seeds on Amazon)
8. Short carrots
9. Peas (shop Peas seeds on Amazon)

Begin with a small number of plants and see how they fit into your schedule; you can always add more later. Limited space and time can be challenging to manage, but with some forethought, you can make the most of your small garden.