The Benefits of an Edible Balcony Garden

One of the most important aspects of cooking is having access to the freshest ingredients. With just a few containers, I've been able to grow my own herbs and vegetables on my balcony in Brooklyn. With minimal resources and a bit of outdoor space, even in an urban environment like the one I live in, anyone can enjoy the benefits of an edible balcony garden.

I've lived in New York City for more than half of my life and during that time, cooked in some very small kitchens—both professionally as a pastry chef and at home cooking dinners for my family. Unlike many New Yorkers, dining out for us is a rarity. It'a not an exaggeration to say that I've cooked practically every single dinner for years. Not that I mind! In fact, I enjoy it very much. Cooking is my main creative outlet. It certainly helps that I get to cook for a family who enjoys good food. The only challenge is coming up with meal variety week after week and avoiding a dinner rut. Access to fresh herbs and greens keeps it interesting and can elevate an ordinary meal into a delicious one.

Why start an edible balcony garden?

I live in a major city and am within walking distance to four supermarkets and two farmers markets. You'd think it would be easy to find most ingredients that I need. But there are times when it's not always possible or practical. It happens all too often that an ingredient that I'm shopping for is either unavailable, not of good quality, or too expensive. The solution? Grow it yourself, of course! If you have a fire escape, a balcony or even just a sunny windowsill, it's fun and easy to grow your own food.

Just as kitchens in city apartments can be small, available garden space can be tight. But even if all you have is a small balcony that's barely big enough to stand on, you can grow enough herbs to cook with and enjoy the benefits of an edible garden for much of the year.

I especially enjoy the convenience of not having to leave my apartment to finish a dish. Who wouldn't love stepping out into a balcony and snipping fresh herbs whenever you need? I certainly enjoy saving money by not having to buy items in quantities larger than a recipe requires. And I really like being able to grow things that aren't readily available at the store, especially since I've grown to love cooking cuisines from all over the world with ingredients that can often be hard to find.

Aside from reaping the cost benefits of having access to fresh herbs and greens, gardening can be therapeutic. Maintaining the garden is a family activity—we all take turns watering, weeding, and harvesting. It's great to get outside, even on our small 40 square foot balcony, and care for the plants. We love looking out our windows and seeing an abundance of greens and watching the garden grow all summer long.