Pot and Balcony

For renters with small spaces

Grow real food.
No garden.
No drilling.

I’m Josh. I rent, I have a balcony, and I’m working out — out loud, with photos — how to grow proper food in the space I’ve actually got. These are the setups, mistakes and gear that held up.

Start with the balcony Meet Josh
Potted balcony flowers and plants growing in containers
my actual balcony container setup
Photo of Josh

Who’s behind this

One person. One balcony. Zero fluff.

Pot and Balcony isn’t a content farm. It’s a notebook that happens to be public. Everything here comes from my own setup — the wind that flattened my first tomatoes, the planter that survived, the grow light I almost sent back.

I use AI to help with research and drafting, and every guide is shaped by what I’ve actually seen on my balcony. If I haven’t tested it, I’ll say so.

Read my story

Three ways in

Pick where you’re stuck

Balcony Growing

No drill. No garden. Plenty of tomatoes.

  • No-drill setups
  • Container weight
  • Wind & heat
  • Seasonal planting

Explore balcony guides

Indoor Growing

Dark winter? Grow anyway.

  • Grow lights
  • Microgreens
  • Compact hydroponics
  • Countertop setups

Explore indoor guides

Gear Guides

Tested on a real balcony. Not unboxed for clicks.

  • Self-watering planters
  • LED grow lights
  • Balcony greenhouses
  • Raised beds

Explore gear guides

Fresh from the balcony

Latest guides

Balcony Growing

Growing Radishes in Small Balcony Containers

Grow crisp, peppery radishes in shallow balcony containers in just 25 days: pot depth, soil mixes, and watering routines tested on a rental balcony.

7 November 2026 · 2 min read

The reality check

Written for the constraints you actually have

Not hobbyists with a back garden — people with a 6 m² balcony and a south-facing window.

  • No drilling

    Clamp-on, hook-over and freestanding setups that leave the railing exactly as you found it.

  • Weight limits

    What a wet 40-litre planter really weighs, and how to spread the load.

  • Wind & heat

    Upper-floor gusts and baking masonry change what survives. Plan for it.

  • Water access

    No outdoor tap? Self-watering and low-effort routines that actually work.

  • Landlords

    Setups that look tidy, stay inside the lease and can be packed away.

  • Dark winters

    Grow lights and microgreens for when the balcony shuts down.

It starts on a balcony. It doesn’t end there.

This site is step one of a longer plan: learning to grow food at a scale that goes well beyond a few pots. Follow along as it develops.

Why I’m doing this Say hello