localme asked: Thanks for the encouragement!! Any gardening tips?
Tips… Let’s see, I’ve had very good luck growing the smaller variety tomatoes in containers, like cherry and grape style, even without much direct sunlight. Last summer we just took some 5 gallon plastic pails (we recycled some food grade pails that were used to store bulk food), drilled a few 1/2 inch holes in the bottom for drainage, threw in some off-the-shelf potting soil, and planted one cherry tomato plant per pail. We kept them on the north side of the garage where they got very little direct sun and they did remarkably well.
Generally, for a terrace situation like yours, I’d look at leafy greens like some of the various salad mixes. They grow quickly, and are very tastey and you can often get two or even three crops; just keep re-seeding after harvest. Herbs are always a good choice for small gardens. There’s nothing like being able to pick your own basil, chives or cilantro. Once you’ve grown your own herbs and use them, you’ll never want to use the dried stuff again!
Best thing is to try what you like, experiment. Keep notes on what you do so you can track what worked and what didn’t. That is something I always forget to do and always regret later!
Watering is very important. Containers seem to either have too much drainage or not enough. It depends on the soil mix you’re using, but that soil can dry out amazingly fast.
You’re in an environment that can be challenging, but you’ll be amazed at what you can grow even in your situation.
Good luch!
