Plots that fit a balcony

Secure brackets, lightweight soil mix, herbs that forgive missed waterings: basil in morning sun, mint where roots can wander a little.

Tomatoes and peppers need depth. We use troughs with drainage holes and a mulch layer so midday heat does not cook the roots.

Leafy greens prefer filtered light. A simple shelf under a taller planter creates a cooler band for lettuce in Israeli summers.

Tel Aviv evenings can dry pots fast. Group containers, use water gels sparingly, and water at dawn.

Pencil on plastic tags beats ink. Write sow date and variety—memory fades faster than soil.