7 Best Vegetables for Your Home Terrace Garden

Vegetables are rewarding to grow in a home terrace garden. They not only provide you with fresh, chemical-free produce but also allow you to experiment and improve your gardening skills without breaking the bank. Optimising space is essential to grow more plants in limited urban spaces such as balconies, windows, and rooftop terrace gardens.

If you’re an urban gardener wondering what summer garden vegetables to grow, here are our top picks.

1. Tomatoes

These luscious red beauties are among the easiest vegetables to grow in a terrace garden or a sunlit balcony. Tomato plants require at least 5 to 6 hours of sunlight daily. They can be grown in containers, grow bags, raised-bed planters, or pots. Start them from seed or grow a cutting and harvest tomatoes in 60-80 days.

Growing tips:

• Choose a variety suitable for your climate.
• Ensure you use well-draining soil for planting tomatoes.
• Water regularly, particularly when the plant flowers.
• Use a nitrogen-rich fertiliser or bone meal after the first month to encourage healthy foliage. Then, switch to a phosphorus-rich fertiliser for a bountiful harvest.
• Prune occasionally to remove dried leaves to improve your harvest.

2. Chillies

Chillies are a must-have in your home terrace garden if you love spice. They thrive in warm weather and require moderate watering. You can grow a chilli plant from seed or stem cuttings and expect to harvest in around 70-90 days. Grow these plants in grow bags or pots.

Growing tips:

• Use well-draining soil to grow chilli plants
• Water them at least once daily, but avoid overwatering. The idea is to keep the soil moist but not soggy, as it could lead to root rot.
• Feed chilli plants with organic compost, vermicompost, or seaweed extract for a bountiful harvest.
• Pinch the top when the plant reaches a height of around 8 inches. It will encourage bushy growth and better yield.

3. Coriander (Cilantro)

The fresh flavours of coriander can elevate any dish. Besides requiring little space, coriander is also a fast-growing herb that can be grown from seeds in shallow pots or grow bags. You can expect the plants to mature around 45 days after sowing, but leaves can be harvested after 30 days.

Growing tips:

• These plants do better in cool weather. During summer, you should ideally grow them in partial shade or a place where they don’t get sun throughout the day.
• Water regularly and harvest the leaves frequently to encourage new growth.

4. Spinach

If you’re looking for a nutrient-rich option, pick spinach. It’s fast-growing—the seed-to-harvest duration is 30 to 45 days. The leafy green vegetable doesn’t require much space. You can plant it in grow bags, containers, or pots.

Growing tips:

• Like coriander, spinach does better in cool weather. So, grow it in a shaded area on your terrace during summer.
• Use well-draining, nutrient-rich soil and water spinach regularly to keep the plants healthy.

5. Brinjal (Eggplant)

Brinjal thrives in warm weather and requires at least 6 hours of sunlight. You can grow them in medium-sized grow bags or large pots. Although they have a longer seed-to-harvest period (3 to 4 months), you can harvest from the plants for around 6 to 8 months.

Growing tips:

• Use good-quality soil with compost or organic material to plant brinjal.
• Fertilise eggplant regularly to encourage healthy growth and fruiting.
• Experiment with different varieties of brinjal, growing each in a different container.

6. Beans

The advantage of growing beans on your terrace garden is that you can grow them vertically to maximise space. Beans plants are excellent for fixing nitrogen in the soil to improve fertility, so they are a great addition to a trough or planter, along with other vegetables. You can expect to harvest beans from your plant around 60 days after sowing.

Growing tips:

• After the seedling develops into a healthy plant and starts climbing, you can water beans around twice a week.
• Use a trellis or stake to support beans and allow them to climb and thrive.
• Harvest beans regularly to encourage the plant to produce more.

7. Cucumber

It’s the ideal refreshing and hydrating vegetable to grow in summer. These plants thrive in warm temperatures and ample sunlight. You can grow cucumbers in large containers, pots or grow bags. Cucumber plants are climbers, like beans, and can be grown vertically to save space. You can sow them from seed and harvest them in around 50 to 70 days.

Growing tips:

• Soil mixed with compost, and cocopeat is ideal to provide aeration and ensure moisture retention for cucumber plants.
• Place the plants in an area with at least 5-6 hours of direct sunlight.
• Water regularly, but do not overwater. The soil should be moist but not soggy.
• Feed the plant with organic fertilisers, such as compost and vermicompost, for a higher yield.

The key to growing vegetables and leafy greens successfully is to understand each plant’s unique requirements. These tips will help you get started. Besides choosing the right container or pot, growing vegetables in good-quality soil, watering regularly, and fertilising to improve yield, keep an eye out for pests and control pests naturally or grow companion plants for a thriving vegetable garden on your terrace.