You don’t need land to have a farm. Here’s how to grow food in pots

This story is part of a package about growing food in containers. “If it’s just four to five hours of direct sunlight, stick to strawberries and cane berries — like blackberries, boysenberries and raspberries.” You want to know when the sun first hits your balcony or growing area and when it leaves, Wilhelmi said. Strawberries and mint plants can maybe manage fewer than four hours of sun, especially if they get any reflected light, Calhoun said, “but generally, most crops need a stronger quality of light from direct sun.” Lifestyle Blueberries on your balcony: Your guide to growing fruit in pots You can grow fruit on your balcony or other small space, as long as you choose the right varieties, keep them well-watered and fed and plant them in the right containers, with plenty of sun. “If you’re growing organically, you don’t want to use any artificial materials like plastic or fiberglass to grow food in.” Trigo, however, recommends EarthBox growing systems — rectangular boxes made from food-safe plastic that hold 2 cubic feet of soil and use a wicking system in the bottom to water the plants. “They’re very efficient and space-saving — they handle one tomato plant, four cucumber plants, 10 kale or 12 to 16 pole beans.” You’ll still have to water daily during hot weather, she said, but you fill a receptacle instead of watering the entire pot, so that eliminates runoff and overwatering — the biggest killer of plants in pots.