I’m hoping next year to try to grow a few plants on my apartment’s deck. It’s half sun and I live in a temperate area where I’ve had family grow tomatoes, potatos, peas, beans, etc.

I feel like any fruit or veg that can grow on a trellis should, in theory, work. Anyone have any lived experience to share? I’m not terribly good with plants, so I also ask the question “should a novice tackle this kind of project”?

  •  xylem   ( @xylem@beehaw.org ) 
    5•1 year ago

    I’m in an apartment with a north-facing balcony - I definitely wish I could grow more, but you’d be surprised how much you can do. I’ve successfully done carrots and potatoes in 5-gallon buckets, as well as pots of herbs.

    This time of year I get sun until mid-morning and after mid-afternoon - it might be for the best actually that I’m shaded from the noon sun.

    This year I’ve got snap peas growing up the railings, a couple of peppers, and a few tomatoes as well as the carrots, potatoes, and miscellaneous herbs. Everything’s doing great right now but when it really starts getting hot in July I’ll be watering at least daily. That’s the biggest challenge with containers - they need a lot more watering because you just don’t have the volume of soil to keep it damp for long.

    I also have a shelf of salad greens under grow lights inside. I definitely recommend that, they grow really fast and taste great!

    •  azureeight   ( @azureeight@beehaw.org ) OP
      2•1 year ago

      Thank you for those suggestions! Carrots and potatoes would be amazing (there’s a kind of potato I don’t have here I wanted to give a shot).

      I currently have a senior pet who I have a small area set up for them, limiting my space, but I unfortunately think the space will me more free by then. I hadn’t thought of buckets but with the right drainage I could fit a few…

      •  xylem   ( @xylem@beehaw.org ) 
        1•1 year ago

        I just had a bag from the grocery store that I didn’t use in time so I chopped a few in half and planted them. They grow really fast and they’re doing great right now!