A snack garden on the balcony

A snack garden is something truly special. Fresh fruit and vegetables always taste best when homegrown. But you don’t need a garden to grow strawberries, peppers, and more.

You can also grow fresh fruit and vegetables on the balcony. So it doesn't always have to be a large country garden. Even the smallest space can offer something to snack on. If you follow a few care tips, you can enjoy a rich harvest.

Strawberries aren’t typically considered classic balcony plants. But with a bit of skill, you can harvest delicious red strawberries from your balcony all summer long. Another advantage: strawberries love the sun—and that’s something most balconies get plenty of.

Young strawberry plants are available in garden centers as early as spring. You’ll also find different varieties there that, when combined, allow you to harvest throughout the summer.

Strawberries are only suitable for balcony boxes if you make sure no waterlogging occurs—because strawberries really don’t like that and would die off. Otherwise, strawberries on the balcony don’t require much special care.

At the latest after the first harvest, balcony gardeners should cover the soil around the strawberries with straw or mulch. This prevents the fruit from lying directly on the soil and starting to rot. Once the soil is covered, nothing stands in the way of a successful strawberry harvest on the balcony.

If you prefer something hearty, you can grow peppers on your balcony instead of strawberries. Peppers also thrive there and produce delicious, aromatic fruits that can go straight from the balcony into your kitchen.

Peppers love sunny and warm conditions. That’s why a spot next to a house wall is ideal—the wall radiates warmth, helping the plants grow and thrive. A crucial factor for peppers is using a planter that’s at least 18 centimeters deep to give the roots enough space.

It’s essential to avoid waterlogging, but peppers also don’t like dry soil. So, the planter on the balcony should have a drainage hole, and the peppers should be watered regularly.

Once the plant reaches a certain size, it needs to be supported. As soon as fruits begin to form, the plant requires stabilization to prevent it from bending or breaking under the weight.

You can buy young pepper plants at garden centers or grow them yourself from seeds. If you choose to start from seed, wait until after the last frost in May or start them early on a windowsill indoors.

Strawberries and peppers are, of course, not the only treats you can grow on your balcony. With a little space and skill, you can grow almost half the ingredients for a summer salad right outside your door.

Nasturtiums are perfect for shady spots on the balcony, and their blossoms add a mild, nutty flavor to any salad. Leaf lettuce and radishes thrive just as well on a balcony as in a garden, and they’re easy to grow alongside tomatoes and snack cucumbers.

If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, try growing zucchini on your balcony. Zucchini needs a large container, as it requires plenty of space and must be kept free from waterlogging. Its yellow flowers are quite decorative, and if placed in a warm, sunny, and wind-protected spot, the plant will produce tasty fruits right up until October—ready to be used in your kitchen next door.

And how about adding some fresh herbs? They’ve become balcony staples by now.