14 Edible Plants to Grow on Your Apartment's Balcony or Patio Garden

Beginners may be wary about starting a vegetable garden, particularly one that is suitable for a balcony or apartment patio garden. But we're here to tell you that there are a number of plants that actually thrive in containers, and that means that even the most amateur of green thumbs will be able to transform their small outdoor space into a crop-yielding plot.

Herbs are great introductory plants to grow. Mint, basil, and rosemary can thrive in tight quarters, and there are so many ways to put them to good use in the kitchen. They need little interference, aside from watering, and will make any recipe you're cooking taste that much better.

For more advanced gardeners, growing greens like spinach and Swiss chard will be fun balcony or apartment patio garden ideas. "Be sure your pot is deep enough so your plant doesn't become rootbound," warns Ryan McEnany, public relations and communications specialist for Bailey Nurseries. "Many vegetables will need at least 12- to-18-inch pots to give them space to grow." Either use a fabric pot or make sure the plastic or ceramic pot has drainage holes in the bottom. "Without drainage, the pot will retain too much water and rot the roots of your veggies," he says.

Because not all plants actually play well together, having the right combination will ensure a thriving, fruitful garden. For instance, you want to avoid plants of the same family in the same pot—they will eat up the same nutrients. You also want to make sure you are utilizing your space wisely and a variety of plants, including a nice mix of bulbs, vegetables that are tall, and plants that hang over the sides.

You'll need to determine how much sun your balcony or apartment patio gets to help decide which vegetables you're able to grow, says McEnany. The plants we're suggesting do well in pots because their root systems don't run too deep. "Each of these produces a strong harvest so you can make dishes straight from the balcony throughout the summer and fall," he says. "Many varieties are now grown specifically for containers." Explore all of our vegetable recommendations to grow with these balcony and apartment patio garden ideas.