What can I grow? North facing balcony

[Bendial]

Hi Guys,

Awesome forum thank you for having me! My partner and I want to try to grow vegetables at our apartment. The problem is, our balcony is north facing and doesn't get any direct sunlight. There's definitely plenty of light, but no direct sun. We were going to build some veggie boxes and grow in that. Is there anything that we can grow or is it pointless given the conditions?

[Bendial]

Lettuces ought to grow on your balcony, and perhaps you could have some herbs like mint and parsley. What vegetables were you thinking of growing?

Beets, carrots, kale, peas, lettuce, spinach, and some herbs.

[Bendial]

Done and done, thank you!

[cynthia_h]

Ah! Bay Area, CA. I know something about growing vegetables in the S.F. Bay Area. Even with bad sun exposure.

Your best bet, as advised above, is to go with leafy greens of whatever type: kale, bok choy, lettuce, spinach, chard, etc. Root veggies may or may not produce with north-only sunlight; I'd suggest viewing them as an "experiment."

Some municipalities in the Bay Area have community gardening plots available; if you think you'll be into gardening for the long haul, see about signing the waiting list for a comm. garden (if available). The wait in Berkeley, for example, is two or so years.

Also become familiar with the Sunset climate system, about which I've written reams and scores and oceans etc. of words here. Just use Search the Forum (on the top strip, lime green against black) with "Sunset climate system" as the key phrase.

Happy gardening!

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9