Grow a balcony garden full of veggies, herbs, and flowers

If you’re looking to turn your balcony into a lush garden — or even if you just have a tiny patio, Field Guide to Urban Gardening by Kevin Espiritu of Epic Gardening is a really helpful guide to figuring out what you need with your space constraints and unique growing conditions . This excerpt from the book on growing a balcony garden was courtesy of Cool Springs Press/The Quarto Group.

By growing on your balcony, you brighten up a space that is otherwise pretty drab. In addition, you can achieve these things:

Reduce noise pollution by building living barricades
Make it harder for pests to reach your garden
Stock up on some food and reduce your “food miles”
Plan your balcony garden
Your first important consideration when growing on a balcony is whether the balcony itself can support what you are growing. Most balconies should be able to handle a few containers or beds, but it’s a good idea to test the sturdiness of your space before loading it with plants.

You’d be surprised how heavy a container can get when filled with soil, water and a laden tomato plant, especially if you have a lot of them. Spread your pots out on your balcony instead of gathering them in one area. As a result, the weight distribution is distributed and you do not have any unpleasant mishaps in balcony gardening.