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Balcony Vegetable Garden

Growing 15.7% of family vegetables on a 5 sq ft balcony

6.2 kg
Vegetables Grown
15.7%
Family Supply
₹842
Money Saved
5 sq ft
Garden Size

The Story

We live in a Mumbai apartment with no garden—just a tiny 5 sq ft balcony. My mom spends ₹3,000/month on vegetables, and I wondered if we could grow some ourselves. Everyone said you need a big garden for vegetables, but I wanted to test if urban farming could work in minimal space. Could we actually make a dent in our vegetable bill?

Designed a vertical 3-tier garden on our balcony using space-efficient containers and fast-growing vegetables. Started with 5 crops: tomatoes, spinach, chillies, coriander, mint. Used kitchen waste compost as fertilizer (free!). After 6 months: harvested 6.2 kg vegetables, supplied 15.7% of family's monthly needs, saved ₹842. Answer: Yes, urban farming works even in tiny spaces with smart design.

from zero plants to 47 vegetables: lockdown 2020 - stuck at home, parents stressed, vegetables expensive. mom complained tomatoes were ₹80/kg. stared at our empty 6×4 ft balcony. thought: why not grow our own? started with 3 tomato plants in old paint buckets. first harvest: 2.3 kg tomatoes. mom cried. got obsessed. tracked: sunlight hours (4-6 hrs needed), watering schedules, fertilizer ratios (N-P-K 5-10-5 for vegetables), companion planting (basil near tomatoes = fewer pests). expanded to 12 pots. 9 months later: grew 47 kg vegetables. saved ₹6,000. but real win? parents stopped fighting about money. fresh food daily. mom's mental health improved. turned a 24 sq ft balcony into a mini-farm. science + patience + YouTube tutorials = free food. 🌱🍅

plan your balcony garden (interactive planner!)

Select Crops to Grow

Tomatoes
1.15 kg/sqft • 75 days • ₹80/kg
Spinach (Palak)
1.8 kg/sqft • 40 days • ₹40/kg
Green Chillies
0.9 kg/sqft • 85 days • ₹120/kg
Coriander
1.4 kg/sqft • 30 days • ₹60/kg
Mint
1 kg/sqft • 25 days • ₹100/kg
Methi (Fenugreek)
1.2 kg/sqft • 35 days • ₹50/kg
Curry Leaves
0.3 kg/sqft • 90 days • ₹200/kg

6-Month Garden Production

Total Vegetables
6.2 kg
From 5 sq ft balcony
Family Supply
15.7%
Of monthly vegetable needs
Money Saved
₹842
At market prices

Crop Performance

Tomatoes
Planted: Feb 2024
2.3 kg
harvested
Harvest Time
75 days
Space Used
2 sq ft
Spinach (Palak)
Planted: Jan 2024
1.8 kg
harvested
Harvest Time
40 days
Space Used
1 sq ft
Green Chillies
Planted: Jan 2024
0.9 kg
harvested
Harvest Time
85 days
Space Used
1 sq ft
Coriander
Planted: Mar 2024
0.7 kg
harvested
Harvest Time
30 days
Space Used
0.5 sq ft
Mint
Planted: Feb 2024
0.5 kg
harvested
Harvest Time
25 days
Space Used
0.5 sq ft

Balcony Garden Setup

Constraints
5 sq ft balcony • 4-5 hours direct sunlight • Mumbai monsoon climate • Budget: ₹500 initial investment
1
Vertical Stacking
3-tier metal shelf maximizes vertical space. Each tier holds 2-3 pots. Total 8 pots in 5 sq ft footprint.
2
Soil Mix
50% garden soil + 30% compost (kitchen waste) + 20% cocopeat. Cost: ₹150 for all pots. Homemade compost = free fertilizer.
3
Drip Irrigation
Plastic bottles with holes = DIY drip irrigation. Waters plants slowly while at school. Saves water + time.
4
Crop Selection
Fast-growing vegetables (30-85 days harvest). High-use items (tomatoes, spinach, coriander). Avoided space-hungry crops like cabbage.

Key Learnings

✓ What Worked
• Leafy greens (spinach, coriander, mint) = highest yield per space
• Succession planting: plant new batch every 2 weeks for continuous supply
• Kitchen waste compost = free fertilizer + reduced garbage
• Morning sun is best; afternoon Mumbai heat is too harsh
✗ What Failed
• Carrots, radishes: too deep roots for shallow containers
• Brinjal: grew well but took too much space for low yield
• Monsoon planting: overwatering killed 3 plants
• Chemical fertilizer: burned roots; compost is safer
📊 Economic Analysis
Initial investment: ₹500 (pots, soil, seeds, shelf)
6-month yield: 6.2 kg vegetables worth ₹842
ROI: 68% in 6 months
Break-even: Month 4
Annual potential: ₹1,684 savings + fresh organic vegetables

Key Features

Vertical Gardening

3-tier shelf maximizes production in 5 sq ft horizontal space

Succession Planting

New seeds every 2 weeks for continuous year-round harvest

Composting System

Kitchen waste → compost → fertilizer. Zero-cost + eco-friendly

Economic Tracking

Detailed cost-benefit analysis proves ROI and break-even point

Urban Farming Science

Space Optimization

Calculated productive area per crop. Leafy greens have highest yield per sq ft (0.8-1.2 kg/sq ft/harvest). Tomatoes lower (0.4 kg/sq ft) but high value. Eliminated low-efficiency crops like cabbage (0.2 kg/sq ft).

Resource Management

Mumbai receives 2,200mm annual rainfall—collected in buckets for irrigation. Kitchen waste (vegetable peels, tea leaves, eggshells) composted in clay pot. Took 45 days to mature into fertilizer. Cost savings: ₹120/month on fertilizer.

Microclimate Adaptation

Balcony faces east: 4-5 hours direct sun, then shade. Perfect for leafy greens (need 4-6 hours). Tomatoes need 6-8 hours, so placed on highest tier where sun lasts longest. Monsoon months: reduced planting due to overwatering risk.

Yield Tracking

Weighed every harvest. Recorded planting date, days to harvest, space used, yield. Calculated kg/sq ft efficiency and ₹/sq ft value. Optimized future planting based on data: more spinach (highest efficiency), less brinjal (space hog).

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