Balcony Greens

If you’ve only got a railing, a fire escape, or a few square feet of balcony, cut-and-come-again crops are where to start. Lettuce, spinach, arugula, peas, and microgreens all grow well in shallow containers, tolerate partial sun better than fruiting vegetables do, and are usually ready to harvest in 3–4 weeks rather than a full season. That fast turnaround makes this the most forgiving pillar on the site: if a container fails, you’re only a few weeks from trying again, not months.
Fall and spring are the sweet spot for most of these crops — cooler temperatures keep leafy greens from bolting and turning bitter, and shorter days are no obstacle for something you’re harvesting this fast. Summer heat is the main thing to plan around; a little afternoon shade goes a long way.
Because these crops don’t need deep roots, container depth matters less here than almost anywhere else on the site — our guide to pot size and drainage explains exactly how shallow you can go. If you’re setting up your very first container, Start Here walks through the basics before you plant anything, and Recommended Gear has our picks for the shallow trays, grow lights, and seed-starting supplies that make this pillar easiest to get right.