When I moved into my first apartment, I planted veggies in the two front window boxes. But I did it pretty willy-nilly, without any research, and some of those poor plants just didn't flourish. If you're thinking of doing the same, please check this out first for some ideas of which plants do best in shallow soils:
The plants listed below do well in shallow soils, shallow being about 12" of depth (or less for the lettuce):
• lettuce
• red radishes
• spinach
• scallions
• herbs
• garlic
• strawberry
Interested in creating your own window box? Check out this DIY from HGTV. Do remember that plants with shallow root systems have a greater requirement for water, so check often and keep them well-watered!
(Image: HGTV)
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handy, thanks!
my last apartment had a small balcony. I found cherry tomotoes and even cucumbers could be planted in hanging baskets.
I now have a balcony in my apartment. I want to try!!!
I don't see any windowboxes at my big box hardware stores that are 12" deep. Any ideas?
Amazon.com has steel tubs in various sizes - good for parties and drinks, but fabulous for gardens. These are the cheapest containers I've been able to find. Yes, you will have to drill some drainage holes in the bottom, but that isn't too difficult.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002YJJJQ6/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
(also..free super saver shipping! bonus!)
Oh! I have the 16 gallon tub, which ends up being 10 inches high, but we've successfully used it for both strawberries and tomatoes at this point. I'm sure it'd be great for herbs and onions as well.
I have some basil growing happily in a red plastic beer cup in my windowsill. I'm amazed I've kept it alive so long!
I love fresh herbs. I'm going to try beets and green onions this spring as I have some extra deep porch ledge boxes. For anyone looking for deep window boxes, I would recommend looking for these instead as long as you intend to plant two rows (one on each side) as the center line of the box is shallower to accommodate a porch railing.
Last summer, I attempted cherry tomatoes in large pots on my fire escape on the 5th floor. The plants didn't really thrive and I think it might have had a lot to do with the wind. Something to consider if you plan to garden on a balcony/fire escape...