Fresh leaves don’t need a lawn. They need morning sun, cool roots, and containers you can reach without doing yoga. Use the plans below to match your space, then follow the quick care rhythm at the end.

Read your light (30 seconds)

Watch your space for a day or use your phone’s compass:

  • Best: east or north-east (gentle morning sun).
  • Manageable: north (bright shade) with a light boost from midday.
  • Tricky: west or north-west (hot afternoon). You’ll need dappled shade from 1–4pm in midsummer (umbrella, 30–40% shade cloth, or a taller pot casting shade).

The right container, not a big one

Shallow roots = shallow pots. Aim for breathable pots with drainage saucers.

  • Baby leaves, rocket, coriander, chives: 12–15 cm deep window box.
  • Loose-leaf lettuce, spinach, pak choi, basil, parsley: 18–20 cm trough.
  • Radish & spring onion: 20 cm pot.
  • If you want one “treat” fruit (cherry tomato/mini cucumber): 25–30 cm with a slim trellis.

Fill with a light mix (potting soil + compost + a little coco/perlite) and a 1–2 cm mulch to keep roots cool.

Placement Plans

1) Micro balcony (rail + one corner)

Goal: daily baby leaves + herbs, minimal faff.
Layout:

  • Rail planter (60–80 cm) on the outside edge (safely fixed): oakleaf lettuce mixed with rocket. Morning sun, feet in shade.
  • Corner pot (20 cm) tucked against the wall for radishes (sow every 2 weeks).
  • Second rail mini-trough (40 cm) nearest the door: basil + spring onions.
    Tip: if the balcony bakes after lunch, clip a short strip of shade cloth to the rail just for peak hours; remove at dusk.

2) Slim townhouse stoep / patio (1.2–1.8 m wide)

Goal: a “salad ladder” that doesn’t steal floor space.
Layout:

  • Against the east or north wall, mount a three-tier ladder shelf (or narrow staging).
  • Top tier: coriander + chives (bright, not scorching).
  • Middle: mixed loose-leaf lettuce (main harvest zone).
  • Bottom: parsley + Swiss chard (coolest tier).
  • One tall pot at the sunward end with a string trellis (cherry tomato or mini cucumber) to cast kind shade over the middle tier from 1–4 pm.
  • Doormat side stays clear for traffic; watering can lives under the bottom shelf.

3) Pocket garden / tiny courtyard corner (L-shape)

Goal: continuous cut-and-come-again salads with a “cool root” microclimate.
Layout:

  • Make an L of troughs along the east-facing corner. Long side = lettuces; short side = herbs.
  • In the corner joint, stand a half-barrel with nasturtiums or a dwarf tomato to throw dappled shade over the lettuce at midday.
  • Slip a cold-frame lid or old window on bricks behind the troughs as a wind-break; open at night for airflow.
  • Slot a 20 cm pot between troughs for succession spring onions.

What to grow (heat-tolerant, fast, forgiving)

Oakleaf or Salad Bowl lettuce (green/red), Little Gem (mini cos), rocket (wild), Swiss chard, baby spinach for cooler nooks, mizuna/mustard for bite, basil, flat-leaf parsley, coriander (in the shadier spot), radishes, spring onions, nasturtiums (leaves and flowers are edible).

Care rhythm (no overthinking)

Morning water until it seeps from the base; in heatwaves, top up lightly at dusk. Feed half-strength once a week. Pick often—outer leaves first; never scalp the crown. Re-sow a hand-sized patch every 10–14 days so the next bowl is always coming.

Troubleshooting in small spaces

  • Bolting (lettuce/coriander shooting up): more afternoon shade and steadier moisture; pick younger plants.
  • Aphids: sharp hose burst / hand-wipe early; improve airflow; avoid oily sprays in full sun.
  • Floppy growth: you’re feeding too hard in heat—halve feed, add shade, keep mulch.

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Discover the benefits of self-seeding vegetables for your garden

Featured Image: Pexels