Planning This Year's Edible Balcony Garden

Up until last week, there was still some snow on the ground here in NYC, and this unusually cold winter has kept most New Yorkers indoors more than usual. All the planters on my balconies are empty, except for one hardy lavender bush that was a late addition to last year’s garden. Still, despite the cold and barren city landscape, it seems like the right time to start planning this year’s edible balcony garden. Last year, I got a somewhat late start and I could have started several crops indoors much sooner. Let’s look ahead to the upcoming growing season and see how I can improve on last year.

Checking the viability of my perilla seeds

By now, you probably know that perilla leaves are my favorite thing to grow on my balcony. They are easy to grow and I love cooking with them. However, last year, I started germinating the seeds I had saved from the previous year’s crop a little too late. They were very slow to sprout, to the point where I wasn’t sure if they would grow at all. Eventually, they started growing once I used the paper towel method, and from there, it was another successful season for them.

This year, I still have seeds from that same batch, making them 1½ years old. Some sources claim that shiso and perilla seeds only last for one year, so my first task is to check if my seeds are still viable. I will test them using peat pellets and compartmentalized seedling trays filled with soil. If these methods prove ineffective, I’ll do a quick paper towel test again. Hopefully, these methods will yield viable seedlings, otherwise I’ll have to start searching the city and suburbs for perilla starters.

Expanding my chili pepper selection

This season, I’m planning to expand my chili pepper selection. I loved making all kinds of condiments with my cayenne peppers last year (I still have some left) and will definitely dedicate more space to them next year. I’ll also plant some jalapeños—I’ve never grown them before, but I want to try making real pickled jalapeños since they’re one of our favorite condiments. Chili peppers grow very well on my south-facing balcony, so I’m going to start them early and use them all season long.

Managing my tomato plants more effectively

I was pleasantly surprised by how much fruit my tomato plants produced last year. Switching them to larger planters really helped them thrive, and I plan to dedicate the same amount of balcony space to them this year. However, they did get a bit out of control, so I need to invest in proper tomato cages to help contain their growth.

I also want to experiment with different tomato varieties. I’ve learned that tomato plants can be classified as either “determinate” or “indeterminate.” Determinate varieties are more compact and bush-like, while indeterminate varieties tend to grow longer vines. I realized that the Sungold tomatoes I grew last year were an indeterminate variety, which explains their excessive growth. This year, I plan to test some determinate varieties to see if they might be better suited for my balcony.

Saying goodbye to lettuce and trying new greens

One thing I don’t plan on growing again this year is lettuce. I started a vertical planter full of different kinds of lettuce, and after a promising start, they took a turn for the worse. It could have been their location on my balcony, the sudden heat wave we experienced, or maybe I forgot to water them for a day or two. Whatever the reason, they bolted faster than I’ve ever seen lettuce bolt before. I harvested what I could and scrapped the rest.

This season, I’ve decided it’s much more efficient to use the space I had allocated for lettuce for something different. I’m going to plant a wider variety of herbs, including basil, tarragon, and parsley. I also plan on growing different leafy greens, such as Tatsoi, for which I bought seeds last fall. Having so much extra space will give me more room to experiment with different crops.

Looking forward to another year of my edible balcony garden

As I reflect on last year’s successes and challenges, I’m excited to apply what I’ve learned to this upcoming growing season. With some early planning and a few adjustments, I hope to have an even more productive and enjoyable edible balcony garden this year!