Here are ten of the most powerful medicinal garden plants you can find in your wild Californian backyard. 

Easy to gather and forage, and a much cheaper alternative to buying the same medicinal herb in bottle or powder form, Milk Thistle, Yarrow, California Sagebrush, Yellow Mustard, Fennel, Dandelion, Chamomile, Miner’s Lettuce, Queen Anne’s Lace, and Wild Strawberries are among the holy grails of medicinal garden plants.

Available nearly everywhere you can hike or set foot in California, these precious plants pack a punch when it comes to holistic healing. These florae feature diverse healing powers, and each one can be used for cures, tinctures, teas, poultices, or even bath soaks. 

10 Amazing Medicinal Garden Plants

1. Milk Thistle

Milk thistle is one of my favorite medicinal plants to forage for use in tinctures and tonics. This prickly, thorned plant with purple flowers is one of the most underrated yet powerful medicinal garden plants known for its excellent ability to heal the liver.

We often overlook it or even avoid it when we see its sharp spikes and formidable spines, yet milk thistle is a medicinal powerhouse and is worth adding to your repertoire of medicinal garden plants.

Healing Properties of Milk Thistle

Milk thistle is well known as a powerful liver purifier and detoxifier and is readily available during the spring and summer in Northern California, covering the hillsides with prickly purple flowers. You are more likely to see it in Southern California from spring through early summer. The benefits of milk thistle are numerous, but the secret lies in its seeds.

The seeds contain silymarin, which is a potent liver detoxifier. Each flower on a milk thistle plant contains around 200 seeds, with one plant carrying over 6,000 on average! In addition, milk thistle has anti-inflammatory benefits, which can help with asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and even cancer.

How to Create a Milk Thistle Tincture

An easy tincture can be made using a ratio of five parts seeds, one part water, and one part 80-100 proof alcohol.

Here’s a recipe I use to make milk thistle tonic:

Place the pappus (the fluffy dried flower part of the plant) in a mason jar, and cover it with the above liquids. Shake the jar once a day and leave it to sit in a cupboard for 3-5 weeks. When it’s ready, strain the mixture well with cheesecloth or similar and take 1-3 teaspoons daily as a liver cleanse.*

Fun fact: Milk thistle is the national plant of the United Kingdom, but they call it Scotch thistle. Next time you visit the UK, check out their paper money, coins, and postcards to see the image of a thistle stamped all over them!

Here are some of our favorite herbs to grow in our backyard garden.

2. Yarrow

Yarrow is another common flower found in California that contains numerous medicinal qualities. Some of its benefits include the ability to stop bleeding, relieve cramps, reduce fever, and decrease inflammation in the body.

Yarrow is a weedy-looking plant with clusters of tiny white flowers and is easy to forage for and collect. Yarrow is easy to harvest and simple to grow in your medicinal plant garden.

Medicinal Uses of Yarrow

Yarrow contains its own natural antiseptic and is therefore a trusty plant to have on hand. It also has antibacterial properties as well as diuretic, and one can find relief for hemorrhoids and even varicose veins in this pretty little plant.

It is legendary for treating colds and can be made into a poultice for deep cuts and wounds and even connect tissue back together after separating from a cut.

Chew on a bit of yarrow for a toothache or drink some as a tonic daily if you easily bruise. The benefits of yarrow are nearly endless.

Creating a Tonic and Poultice Using Yarrow

For a simple yarrow tonic, dry the flower by hanging it upside down for a few days away from the sun or moisture. Use a 1:1 ratio of plant matter to liquid (water, alcohol, or a mix of both) and leave in a cupboard for 3-5 weeks to soak.

If the mixture doesn’t seem strong enough when it’s ready, throw in a handful of dried yarrow to liven it up. You can add honey to the mixture for added benefits. Take 1-3 teaspoons a day for holistic healing.

You can also create a quick and effective poultice with fresh yarrow. Simply crush, grind, or chop the leaves, add enough water to make a paste, and smear the paste evenly over the wound.

You can hold it in place with a muslin cloth or place a bandaid over it to keep it secure. Leave it on for 15-30 minutes or longer to soak up all the medicinal benefits of this wondrous wild plant.

Did you know? In folklore, yarrow is often called Soldier’s Woundwort, Bloodwort, and Devil’s plaything, and historically was used by soldiers on the battlefield to stop minor wounds from bleeding.

3. California Sagebrush (Wild Sage)

One of my personal favorites in my medicinal garden is California sagebrush. I like to call it wild sage since it is distinctly different from the sage one often used in cooking.

Wild California sagebrush has long, feathery soft shoots with a spicy, herbaceous smell. When I’m out hiking, I will often grab a small handful of sage, crush it together in my palms and rub it all over my body, almost like perfume. The smell is intoxicating, as well are the healing properties.

Medicinal Uses of Sage

Sagebrush has been used for hundreds of years for its valuable medicinal qualities. Native Americans treasured it as a natural remedy for colds, to heal skin lesions, and to treat hemorrhoids. Notably, they also made it into a tea to help reduce the symptoms of a fever.

It has also been known to help treat rheumatism, asthma, and ease symptoms of menopause and childbirth. As a natural antiseptic, antimicrobial, and antibacterial plant, sagebrush has many practical uses and is superbly multifunctional. It’s another perfect addition to grow in your medicinal plant garden or forage in the hills of California.

How to Make a Sagebrush Herbal Bath Soak

The smell of sagebrush is one of my favorite smells in the wild. It has a spicy, herbal, and almost lemon-like quality and is intoxicating to inhale. I make an herbal bath soak with dried (or fresh!) wild sage and it’s absolutely lovely. Here’s the recipe:

Sagebrush Herbal Bath Soak

1/2 cup pure Epsom salts

1/4 -1/3 cup Himalayan pink salt

Scant 1/4 cup organic apple cider vinegar with the mother culture

1 tablespoon bentonite clay

1/4 cup fresh or dried wild sagebrush, chopped or blended

Draw a hot bath and pour the ingredients under the faucet so they mix well under the water. Enjoy!

Fun fact: This spicy, herbaceous plant is actually not a true sage, but hails from the Sunflower family!

4. Yellow Mustard (Wild Cabbage)

Yellow mustard is next up to bat, and I like this wild medicinal plant because it is simple to forage, grows and thrives pretty much anywhere, and can be eaten raw and added to salads and sautees, which makes it a hardy addition to a garden.

I would consider it the underdog of medicinal garden plants; its cheerful yellow flowers pop up from hills, trails, and even the side of the freeway, yet much of the time it goes unnoticed and is content to stay in the background while other plants take the spotlight. But just like underdogs, you’ll find that yellow mustard has more to it than meets the eye.

Yellow mustard, or wild cabbage, as it is sometimes called, is actually an invasive species of the brassica (mustard) family. It has a slight horseradish taste and can be added to a myriad of dishes, made into a spicy mustard, eaten raw or cooked, or steamed or sauteed with garlic for a tasty side dish.

Essentially all parts of a yellow mustard plant are edible, contain vitamins and antioxidants, and are nutrient dense like many in the cabbage family.

Foraging for wild yellow mustard is a simple way to add copious amounts of nutrition to your plate – for free!* This little gem is also an excellent plant if you want to attract more bees to your medicinal garden!

To add nutrient-dense greens to your diet, chop up the leaves of yellow mustard and throw it in a pan with garlic for a tasty sautee. You can also dry the flower heads in a dehydrator or by hanging them upside down, and grind them into a powder when they’re fully dried to make mustard or sprinkle them over dishes for a feisty, horseradish-like kick!

Fun fact: The earliest recorded collection of yellow mustard in America was in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1873. It was found in a ship’s ballast that came from England. Yellow mustard often goes by the nickname “Bastard Cabbage” because of its invasive nature, but some of its more polite names include “Wild Turnip,” “Turnip Weed,” or “Wild Cabbage.”

5. Wild Fennel

Fennel is another valuable medicinal plant. Known for its mild, sweet licorice taste and smell, fennel grows naturally in California and can commonly be seen sprouting alongside mountain trails near the ocean.

Both the seeds and bulb of this plant are highly nutritious, containing considerable amounts of Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, and Manganese.

Meidcinal Uses of Fennel

In addition, fennel seeds contain anethole, which is an active cancer-fighting compound. Fennel also has antibacterial properties and may reduce inflammation. It can help tremendously with calming gastrointestinal distress and stomach aches and has proven effective for conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Fennel is pretty versatile and can be eaten raw or cooked, but not everyone enjoys the taste of black licorice. Personally, I am one of those people. Sometimes if I’m in a pinch and have a stomach ache, gas, cramps, or bloating, I’ll chew on a few fennels seeds to ease nausea.

However, I do enjoy the seeds in my tea, and find that drinking fennel tea also calms my stomach and helps with my digestion. I prefer the sweeter, milder flavor of the seeds mixed with honey and hot water.

Here’s a simple fennel tea recipe I like to keep on hand.*

How to make a Fennel Tea

Fennel and Orange Peel Tea

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed or whole, wild foraged and harvested

A few slices of orange peel, fresh or dried

1 teaspoon raw honey

1/8th teaspoon turmeric

Place the fennel seeds and orange peel in a reusable tea sack. Boil water and pour over the sack, adding the turmeric and stirring. When the water has cooled a little, stir in the honey. Raw honey loses much of its nutritional benefits if heated, so I wait a few minutes for my tea to cool down before adding it.

6. Dandelion

Dandelion is a little yellow-flowered weed that is common in California. The botanical name for dandelion is Taraxime officinale – interestingly, the word, “taraxime” comes from the Greek word, “taraxos,” which means both “disorder” and “healing.” The power dandelion holds is even in its name.

Medicinal Uses of Dandelion

Dandelion is similar to Milk Thistle in that it helps rebuild and cleanse the liver. It has been used traditionally since the 10th century for a host of ailments, including toxicity with the blood, urinary tract dysfunction, lymphatic system problems, and kidney issues.

It is also well known for its efficacy as a diuretic, laxative, stomachic, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory herb. This precious little plant contains a host of health benefits. 

A simple tea can be made from fresh or dried dandelion, using all its parts, including the root. 

Easy Dandelion Tea

Find a selection of wild dandelions, away from lawns, roads, or anywhere that may have been sprayed with pesticides. Pull up the whole plant from the ground, including the root.

Boil the roots for 15-20 minutes. Chop the flower, leaves, and stem, add the roots, and steep for 10 minutes, covered. Add raw honey to taste. 

You can also lightly and quickly roast dandelion for a stronger, more bitter, and coffee-like taste.  

Fun fact: Every part of a dandelion is 100% edible and a cup of raw dandelion contains 112% of the daily requirement for vitamin A! 

7. Chamomile

Chamomile is a personal favorite of mine – a perfect little flower with bright, innocent white and yellow flowers covering meadows in the spring.

Chamomile was considered one of the most sacred and important herbs to Native Americans. Chamomile has been used in ancient traditional medicine for over 5,000 years and is a versatile plant with high levels of antioxidants.

This little sweetheart is full of holistic nutrients and has is known to help with inflammatory conditions, insomnia, skin and gastrointestinal disorders, arthritis and rheumatoid pain, and more.

Chamomile is one of my favorite flowers to pick out in the wild and make a pretty bouquet with. I also press this flower to use on cards and bookmarks! Chamomile is both a cheerful and helpful plant to add to a medicinal garden. 

I love this Foraged Tea recipe from winecountrytable.com that’s a beautiful way to use chamomile. I think you will, too! 

Fun fact: Chamomile is one of the herbs most written about and documented in ancient medical writings and was a useful medicinal herb in ancient Rome, Greece, and Egypt. 

8. Miner’s Lettuce

Miner’s Lettuce, also known as Winter Purslane, is a humble plant that often gets overlooked (or stepped on) when it comes to medicinal wild flora. Miners lettuce looks like a mix between a weed and a salad leaf, boasting a single cauline leaf garnished with small white or pink flowers in the center.

It grows wild and free among the grass in California, has a mild flavor, and is often paired with spinach or used for garnishes in a salad.

Medicinal Uses of Miner’s Lettuce

The entire plant, including stem, leaf and blossom, contains high amounts of Vitamin C, calcium, and even protein, and is used as an effective diuretic, poultice for inflamed or rheumatic joints, or as a mild laxative when taken as a tonic.

It can be found in shady coastal spots, forests, and sometimes wetlands. Toss a bit of miner’s lettuce into a mixed green salad to add an understated flair at your next garden party!

I love this recipe from adamantkitchen.com for a pretty winter salad, or you can switch it up and use strawberries and blueberries in the summer!

Fun Fact: Many early North American settlers ate this humble plant as a food staple in the 1800s. During the California Gold Rush, it was used to treat scurvy, hence giving it the name Miner’s Lettuce. 

9. Queen Anne’s Lace

Queen Anne’s Lace is a delicate white flora that boasts thousands of tiny white umbels of flowers and blossoms in the spring and summer. This plant actually belongs to the carrot family and is also commonly called Wild Carrot.

Queen Anne’s Lace was highly prized and cultivated by early Europeans and is still found today in both Europe and America. The leaves can be applied to sores or ulcers in a poultice and can be used as a mild diuretic. The flower is sweet when eaten, and it can be soaked in water or alcohol and used as a perfume for aromatic purposes.

Herbal Decoction Using Queen Anne’s Lace

This beautiful plant stimulates the kidneys and reduces inflammation. It can be made into a simple herbal infusion, using one cup of Queen Anne’s Lace to four cups of boiled water. I love learning about herbal decoctions from The Herbal Academy here; they are a wealth of knowledge. 

Did you know? Legend has it that Queen Anne’s lace earned its name when Queen Anne of England pricked her finger while sewing lace, drawing a single drop of blood.   

10. Wild Strawberries

Wild strawberries grow freely where I live in the Pacific Northwest. In the summer, hidden under friendly green foliage and usually rooted in soft, sandy soil, one can find clusters of tiny vivid red strawberries that burst with candy-like flavor. The are most often found in California along the coast, in the coastal ranges, and in the Sierras.

Not only just a joyful treat to stumble upon in the mountains, wild strawberries have many medicinal uses and therapeutic benefits. The leaves contain vitamin C, flavanoids, tannins, and phenolic acid. The berries are useful as a remedy for arthritis, inflammation, gout, and kidney disease.

Combined with other medicinal herbs, the berries and leaves create a blood-purifying tea. Next time you’re lucky enough to happen upon a family of wild strawberries hiding out in the woods, be sure to collect the leaves and roots as well as the berries or take a bit to plant a patch in your medicinal plant garden.  

Wild Strawberry Leaf Tea for Sore Throats, Gum Inflammation, and Canker Sores*

Take one teaspoon of dried wild strawberry leaves or 2-3 teaspoons of fresh leaves, cover with eight ounces of boiled water, and steep, covered, for 10-15 minutes. Can be used as a warm gargle for a sore throat. 

Did you know? Swedish botanist and physician, Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), believed he could cure his gout and kidney stones with wild strawberry plants. He used the plant voraciously in various forms and did, in fact, cure himself. 

Your Own Medicinal Plant Garden

Medicinal plants are a precious gift for holistic healing and wholeness, and luckily for us here in California, we are blessed with an abundance of medicinal flora all around us. Foraging for medicinal plants, or creating your own medicinal garden is simple, easy, cost-effective, and rewarding.

Milk Thistle, Yarrow, California Sagebrush, Yellow Mustard, Fennel, Dandelion, Chamomile, Miner’s Lettuce, Queen Anne’s Lace, and Wild Strawberry are ten potent and effective medicinal plants, used for a plethora of illnesses and issues, but they are just a fraction of what’s out there!

I would encourage you to get started with these and continue adding new medicinal plants to your healing garden as you find them along the way! 

*I am not a doctor and these statements have not been approved by the FDA. Some conditions may not bode well with medicinal tonics. Please check with your doctor before you indulge. However, I strongly believe in the power of regenerative and healing herbs and plants, and I make and drink these tonics myself. 

Here are some ideas on what to use to make the most of your balcony space, helpful self-watering resources, and 13 of the best vegetables to grow in small spaces.

Balcony Vegetable Garden- Essential Equipment

When you plan you balcony vegetable garden, space is definitely the most important consideration. There are several ways to maximize your space to grow a wide variety of veggies that you can use in dishes you make in your own kitchen.

Vertical Garden Options

Vertical gardening is a great way to maximize this space. Amazon has this neat and inexpensive stackable garden tower that includes five tiers with 15 little spots for plants. It is only 24 inches tall, so you may want to put it on something to elevate it and rotate the tower every few days to make sure all the plants have access to sun.

Another more expensive but overall better option is the Tower Garden. This gardening system uses hydroponics to grow a large amount of food in a small space. It reduces water usage by 95% in comparison to conventional gardening which is a big plus in drought-prone areas like California.

Using a self-watering sytem means that you won’t have to worry about watering your balcony vegetable garden every day and you can even be gone for a week and not have to worry about someone checking on your plants.

The Tower Garden is 62 inches high, and its water reservoir, which can hold 20 gallons of water, has a diameter of 30 inches. So it can fit in a space that is three feet square but since plants grow out of it, it is good to not place it right up against a wall.

I also suggest putting it on wheels (just buy a round planter base like this one at your local garden center) so that you can rotate the garden easily to distribute sunlight.

You will need access to electricity since this system uses a pump to move water up to the top of the Tower Garden. I have had my Tower Garden on my backyard patio for nearly a decade now and find that it is best for growing greens, peppers, strawberries, and herbs. You can buy an attachment cage to grow vining vegetables as well like tomatoes and cucumbers.

There is one major drawback to the Tower Garden. It is expensive. It is about $700 to buy the system which includes the tower, a pump, a variety of seeds, the rockwool which the seedling grow in, and the growing solutions which act as organic fertilizers for the plants. But, if you use it frequently, it will pay for itself in organic produce eventually.

Aeroponics sells a system that seems to be incredibly similar to the Tower Garden but it is currently only $450. It does not include seeds. The tower comes with everything you need for your first planting except for plants. Cups, rockwool pods for planting seeds, minerals A/B, and pump are all included. I have not personally used this system so I can’t vouch for it, but the reviews are good.

Replacement rockwool and hydroponic growing minerals can be purchased on Amazon and used with both systems. You will also want to check the PH of your water and adjust as needed to make sure your plants are growing in optimum conditions.

Self-Watering Raised Gardens

If you are like me and have a bad back, you know might want to have a raised garden on your balcony. I purchased this self-watering elevated planter from Costco last year and I have really liked growing things like lettuce, strawberries, peppers, and herbs in it.

I have found that newly planted crops with shallow roots don’t initially benefit from the self water feature so I do still have to water it regularly. Still, it is very easy to access and since it is on wheels, it is easy to move around.

Amazon has a variety of other options as well, including one garden that has multiple configuration options which will help you make the most of your balcony garden.

Self-Watering Drip Irrigation Kits

Of course, most balcony gardens have several different pots that will need to be watered, and daily watering can be a major pain. Using a solar powered irrigation system on a timer can be life changing. These are also great for when you go on vacation and don’t want to ask your neighbors to be plant babysitters.

The 13 Best Things to Grow in Your Balcony Vegetable Garden

There are several different herbs and foods that you can grow in your balcony vegetable garden. Here are some veggies that grow especially well in small spaces.

1. Lettuces

Lettuces are extremely easy to grow from seed and don’t take up much space, making them perfect for your balcony vegetable garden.

The key to always having lettuce for your salad is to sow seeds in succession. This means you plant seeds about 10-20 days apart to ensure you plants mature at different rates.

Some of my favorite lettuces to grow in small spaces are butterhead lettuce, red leaf lettuce, and romaine. Keep in mind that lettucess are generally not heat tolerant and do best when the weather is below 90 degrees. Their happy place is when highs are in the 60s and 70s.

2. Swiss Chard

Swiss chard is a hearty green that can stand up well to cooking and provides plenty of nutrition. Chopping this vegetable up and adding it to soups, stir fries, casseroles, and pasta dishes like lasagna is a great way to make the dish more healthy.

Chard can be grown in containers, making it suitable for small spaces like balconies. It also pairs well with other vegetables like beans, peas, tomatoes, and herbs in your garden.

Choose a container that is at least 12 inches deep to allow for proper root development. Chard leaves can be harvested as baby greens or allowed to reach full size. Pick the outer leaves regularly to encourage new growth. You can continue harvesting from the same plant throughout the growing season.

Growing Swiss chard from seed is very easy. First soak your seeds in water for 15 minutes immediately before sowing. Then, plant your seeds ½ inch below the soil. Germination takes one to two weeks and is best done between 50 and 80 degrees. You will have mature plants in 10-12 weeks.

Regular Swiss chard is a good option but rainbow chard is a more beautiful addition to your garden. It produces plants with yellow, red, pink, and white stems.

3. Arugula

Arugula is my favorite green to add to a salad. Technically an herb, it has this peppery, mustardy bite that brings more flavor to dishes. It is a welcome addition to pizzas, sandwiches, quiches, and pesto.

Arugula is incredibly easy to grow at home in your balcony garden, and if you grow it in two week successions, you will have a harvest all season long.

Seeds are easy to germinate and should be covered with just a quarter inch of soil. In just a week sprouts will begin to appear. Harvest your arugula when stems are about 2-3 inches tall which take will take about 4-6 weeks from seed planting. If you let arugula stems grow too big, they will get tougher and more bitter.

Arugula made our list of the best herbs to grow in Southern California.

4. Radishes

Radishes are one of the easiest things to grow in a balcony vegetable garden. They grow easily from seed, don’t take long to mature, and provide a nice bite when the bulbs are sliced in salads. You can even add their tops to salads as well.

Radishes do best in cooler weather (below 75) but a frost will kill them. They are best suited for summer and fall if you live in an area that does receive frost. You can plant seeds an inch apart and 1/2 deep. They can usually be harvested 3-5 weeks after planting.

Radishes come in such a beautiful variety of colors and shapes. I love the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Easter Basket Mix which contains about 15 varieties.

5. Tomatoes

Tomatoes taste so much better when they are homegrown! The difference in flavor is truly remarkable. If you haven’t grown your own tomatoes before, make this year the year you do it!

Most tomatoes at the grocery store are picked when they are green to help them survive shipping and prolong shelf life. This does not allow the sun to sweeten the tomato and add more flavor. A homegrown tomato can be picked at peak ripeness, resulting in a much better tasting tomato.

It is important to pick the right tomatoes to grow in your balcony vegetable garden. Luckily, there are several great options for small spaces. Tomatoes prefer hot weather and plenty of sun, so give them the sunniest spot on your balcony.

Many cherry and grape tomatoes varieties have been cultivated to grow well in containers. The most easily available as seedlings are Better Bush and Sungold, but check your local garden center to see what they have.

Bush Early Girl and Bush Beefsteak are nice options for containers and they produce more standard-size tomatoes that are great for slicing and salsa. If you are interested in making fresh sauces or canning, Roma tomatoes can be grown in containers as well.

Of course, tomato planting isn’t foolproof, but I have all the secrets to a bumper crop. Check out my article filled with tomato growing tips.

Running into problems with your tomatoes? Here is an article dedicated to tomato plant problems and how to fix them.

6. Kitchen Herbs

No balcony vegetable garden is complete without some of the most common herbs used in the kitchen. Purchasing fresh herbs at the grocery store can be expensive but growing them is easy and they all tolerate small spaces.

I prefer to buy many of my kitchen herbs as seedlings from my local garden center. I always have basil, oregano, thyme, and sage on hand. They can all grow in the same space, though oregano can take over a pot easily, so be sure to keep it cut back or move it to its own small pot.

Cilantro and parsley are easy to grow from seed but they bolt quickly if it is warm, so I tend to only stick to cool season plantings.

I have a bay laurel plant on my patio so I always have bay leaves on hand. These small trees do well in a container. Rosemary is grown as a hedge in my area and many of my neighbors have it and are willing to share, so I skip it.

Mint is a plant that you should only grow in containers because it has a tendancy to take over a yard if given the chance. Your balcony garden can have several small pots filled with interesting mint varieties like chocolate pint, pineapple mint, and peppermint.

7. Upright Squash

Summer squash grows like a weed in hot weather, but it also takes up quite a bit of space, so most people don’t grow them on their balconies. But recently, there was an exciting development in the world of squash…

Burpee is selling a Rise and Shine Hybrid summer squash which is essentially a yellow zucchini, and it grows upright! You will need to stake it like a tomato plant but when you do you will get a plant that can grow up to four feet high with a three-foot spread! That’s pretty compact! And the plant is quite prolific in its production, especially when the weather heats up.

Squash need pollinators like bees or other insects in order to transfer the pollen from the male flower to female flower. If you don’t have pollinators in your area, you will have to hand pollinate which is easy. Here is a great video explaining how to do it:

8. Cucumbers

Growing cucumbers in pots is a great option for those setting up a balcony garden, just be sure to put the plant in a pot that is 12-18 inches deep and wide to provide enough room for the cucumber plant to grow.

If starting from seeds, plant a few seeds about one inch deep in the center of the pot. Once they germinate, thin out the weakest seedlings, leaving only one or two plants. Or, take the easy route like I do, and purchase seedlings at the garden center.

Cucumbers are vining plants that benefit from vertical support. You will need to provide a trellis or a tomato cage for the plant to climb.

Cucumber plants do require pollination for fruit set. If you don’t have pollinators nearby, you will need to hand polinate like the squash plants (see above).

9. Peppers

I love growing peppers! There are thousands of pepper varieties available, each with its unique characteristics in terms of flavor, heat level, shape, size, and color.

I always plant jalapenos, a pepper for stuffing like Anaheim or pasillas, purple bell peppers because the are pretty and tasty, and shishito peppers which are great stir fried with oil and salt. I also try to plant a new-to-me variety each year.

Peppers are easy to grow in pots. They typically need a pot that is at least 12-16 inches in diameter and has drainage holes at the bottom so the roots don’t rot. Peppers love sun, but if temperatures got super hot, like above 90, it can burn them a bit so a little shade during heat waves can be a good thing.

10. Peas

Fresh peas are the best and you can enjoy them by growing them easily right on your balcony! All you need is a pot and a trellis (if you pick a vining variety). Choose a well-draining pot that is at least 12-18 inches deep and wide. Sow the pea seeds directly into the pot, planting the seeds about 1-2 inches deep.

Peas are typically ready for harvest around 60-70 days after planting, depending on the variety. Harvest the pods when they are plump and the peas inside have developed. Pick the pods regularly to encourage continuous production.

Tom Thumb is an extremely compact pea variety, reaching only 8-10 inches in height. It’s perfect for small pots and produces sweet, tender peas. Little Marvel is a popular dwarf variety that grows to about two feet in height. It produces a bounty of sweet and flavorful peas.

If you are looking to plant snap peas, Oregon Sugar Pod is a snap pea variety that grows to about three feet tall. It produces stringless, crisp pods that are delicious in stir-fries and salads.

11. Green Beans

Growing pole beans in pots can be a rewarding experience because fresh green beans are tasty right off the vine. They are easy enough to grow in pots as long as you plant them in well-drained potting soil that is in a pot that is at least 12-18 inches in diameter and depth.

It is important to plant beans when soil is warm (minimum 60 degrees). They also need to be trellissed since pole beans are vining beans.

Kentucky Wonder is a heirloom variety is a classic pole bean with a rich flavor. It produces long, stringless pods and is known for its reliable yield. If you are looking for a show stopper, check out Scarlet Runner which is prized for its beautiful red flowers and edible pods. It’s a vigorous climber that adds visual appeal to the garden.

If you choose to plant a bush bean, I highly recommend the beautiful dragon tongue bean plant that has green pods that are striped with purple and has a delicate flavor.

12. Carrots

Carrots are a fun and easy vegetable to grow on a balcony. I like to grow my carrots in window boxes because they are deep enough to handle the carrot’s root but don’t take up too much room. Make sure your soil isn’t too dense- you want those roots to grow easily!

Carrots need regular watering, especially during dry spells, to prevent them from becoming tough or cracked. Water deeply to ensure that the moisture reaches the deeper roots. Using a drip water system is a good idea. They prefer cooler temperatures and are a great veggie to grow in the spring or fall.

Some carrot varieties that are well-suited for container gardening include Thumbelina, Paris Market, Little Finger, and Nantes. These varieties tend to be smaller in size, mature quickly, and have a good flavor. I like to grow varieties that aren’t easily found in grocery stores like Cosmic Purple.

13. Beets

Last but not least is the mighty beet. For many years, I was not a fan of beets. I thought they tasted like dirt. But I knew they were good for me so I persisted in trying them, and now they are one of my favorite vegetables!

Choose a container that is at least 8-10 inches deep to allow room for the beet roots to develop. The container should also have sufficient width to accommodate multiple beet plants. A rectangular or round container works well for growing beets.

You are better off sowing beet seeds directly into the container instead of trying to transfer seedlings. Scatter the seeds evenly over the moist soil surface, leaving about two inches of space between each seed and cover them with about a 1/2 inch of soil.

Beets like cooler temperatures and can tolerate some shade, especially in warmer climates, but at least 4-6 hours of sunlight daily is preferred. Beets are typically ready for harvest 55-70 days after sowing.

Beet varieties that are well-suited for container gardening include Babybeat, Bull’s Blood, Cylindra, and Detroit Dark Red. These varieties are known for their compact size, quick maturity, and good flavor. I also love chioggia beets because the red and white stripes are so lovely.

Container fruit trees are attractive, easy to manage, and don’t take up very much space at all. Here are some of my favorite patio fruit trees. They look great and produce fruit 10 times better than you will find at the grocery store!

These patio fruit trees all grow well in California. Some of them, such as the citrus trees, will need to be brought inside during a frost but as long as you give them a sunny window, they should do well. Use this guide to bring a splash of color to your yard, no matter its size.

The 10 Best Container Fruit Trees for Your Patio

1. Lemon Tree

Lemons are probably the most classic patio trees in California. They are easy to grow in our mild climate and the convenience of being able to pick a lemon right off the tree whenever you need one just can’t be beat!

Growing lemons as container fruit trees also means that you can still have a lemon tree in areas that a subject to freezes in the winter. Simply bring the plant indoors when the first frost hits and keep it in a sunny window.

A lemon tree planted in a glazed ceramic pot is a cheerful and welcoming addition to a front yard walkway.

Dwarf Lemons are ideally suited for 15 gallon pots. You can go as small as 5 gallon, but this will reduce production. Choose a more lightweight container (like plastic) if you will have to move your tree indoors for the winter.

Recommended Lemon Varieties to Use as Container Fruit Trees

Whichever lemon you choose, be sure to purchase a dwarf variety. Meyer Improved dwarf lemon trees produce fruit with excellent flavor and grow well in a pot.

Pink Variegated lemons are stunners. They have lovely variegated foliage and produce fruit with green and yellow stripes and pink flesh! They have the flavor of a standard Eureka (similar to grocery store varieties) lemon and are dwarves.

Tomatoes also do well in a warm, sunny climate! Check out our tomato growing tips to ensure you have a bountiful tomato harvest.

2. Pomegranate 

There is just something so beautiful about a pomegranate. It has this primitive, forbidden fruit vibe and the delicate arils are a wonderful addition to a salad or cheese platter.

Pomegranates can be expensive or hard to find in grocery stores, so having a tree at home is key for pomegranate lovers.

Pomegranate trees are ridiculously easy to grow in warm climates. They require far less water than many other tropical fruits, and it is best to let the soil dry out a bit in between waterings. They are not evergreen, and do lose their leaves in the fall.

Pomegranate trees can have the appearance of a shrub or a tree, depending on how you prune them. They are wonderful additions to a patio garden.

Recommended Pomegranate Varieties to Use as Container Fruit Trees

Opt for a dwarf variety of pomegranate as full size trees can row 20 feet in size. State Fair grows to about 5 feet and is best suited for a 15 gallon pot. Nana is only 2 to 3 feet tall and can grow quite happily in a 5-10 gallon pot.

3. Kumquat

Kumquats are one of those fruits that many people have never actually tasted, let alone heard of. They are in the citrus family, native to China, and are a symbol of good luck.

Unlike most citrus fruit, the outer rind of this fruit is edible, and the sweetest part of the the fruit. I like to think of a kumquat as a tiny, reverse orange.

The rind is sweeter and the juice is tart and bitter. To eat a kumquat, simply pop the entire thing in your moth and chew to enjoy the sweet and tart tastes together. Kumquats are also great sliced and candied.

Kumquat trees are naturally small and perfect for a patio. They are also pretty hardy. Once I left on vacation and my house sitter failed to water my kumquat tree. It lost all of its leaves and I thought it was dead.

I left it in the corner of the yard for months. Then, it started to rain and suddenly, my kumquat began to sprout leaves and green stems once again! It had sprung back to life and even fruited that year!

Recommended Kumquat Variety to Use as Container Fruit Tree

The Nagami Kumquat is by far the most popular variety out there. It is perfect for a container. It can grow well in a 10 or 15 gallon pot. They do require frequent watering, especially in the summer when it is hot and dry.

4. Fig

My grandmother had a fig tree in her yard. It was ancient and grand, but it was also very large. Thankfully, you can grow a fig tree in a container so that you can enjoy the sweet flavor of a fresh fig without having it take up so much space.

Fig trees can take 8-10 years to start producing fruit when planted in ground but they produce fruit at within a couple years of planting inside of a container. Why? Because figs produce fruit best when their roots are constrained.

You can start with a smaller container and then transplant every couple of years until you reach the maximum size you would like your fig tree to grow. A half whiskey barrel is a great option for a fig tree.

Give it some sun and water and your fig will be quite happy. Water is the key to plump fruit, but don’t overwater! If your fig’s leaves begin to yellow, dial it back a bit.

You may have to throw a net over the tree during fruit season because squirrels are just as big of fans of figs as we are!

Recommended Fig Variety to Use as Container Fruit Tree

Mission figs are the most popular, but they grow quickly and aren’t ideal for a container. Instead, try varieties like Petite Negri fig and Brown Turkey. They are better suited to small spaces and can tolerate frequent pruning.

5. Clementines

Not all mandarin orange trees are clementines, but all clementines are mandarin oranges. The fruit from this version of the mandarin orange is super easy to peel, mostly seedless, smaller in size, and full of flavor. It is the perfect “eat from the tree” orange for families.

Clementine trees are naturally shorter than standard oranges, making them one of the best container fruit trees for your patio. They are often grafted on dwarf stock, so they will be small in stature but voluminous in production. They are also very attractive trees.

The tree typically produces fruit in the late fall or early winter. As with all citrus trees, you will need to protect it from freezes. A Satsuma mandarin is also similar to the clementine and produces fruit that are very easy to peel as well.

6. Dragon Fruit

Dragon fruit (or Piraya) is another one of those exotic fruits that does extremely well in a container. In an arid climate like we have in Southern California, I have seen lots of dragon fruit plants potted in people’s yards.

The plant is native to South America and is a member of the cactus family which means it doesn’t need much water (score!). You want to plant a dragon fruit in sandy cactus soil. They can be grown easily from cuttings or just pick one up at your local nursery.

Dragon fruit do not tolerate freezes or prolonged temperatures over 100. So if you live in an area with extended periods of weather during the summer where your temps hover above 100, it probably isn’t a good fit for you.

Dragon fruit plants do need to be supported with a stake or trellis since it is a climbing plant. They bloom at night, so it is fun to go out and check out the blooms when the sun sets. When the plant is about 3 years old and 5 feet tall it will start producing fruit.

The fruit tastes like a mild kiwi and can be halved and scooped right out with a spoon. It is nice in salads or smoothies and full of  antioxidants.

Recommended Dragon Fruit Varieties to Use as Container Fruit Tree

The variety you choose largely depends on what color flesh you are looking for. If you want the bright pink flesh to brighten up the color of smoothies, try the American Beauty. It self pollinates which is nice because many dragon fruit varieties require hand pollination or cross pollination from another dragon fruit. 

If you prefer the white flesh variety try a Yellow Dragon Fruit. The exterior is yellow and the interior is white. It is self pollinating and said to be the sweetest of all the dragon fruit varieties.

The Vietnamese Jaina is another option if you would like a self-pollenating plant that has pink skin and white flesh.

7. Lime

The convenience of having a lime tree on your patio can’t be beat! I planted my lime tree in the ground and it got so big that I have limes coming out of my eyeballs!

In hindsight, I wish I would have planted my tree in a pot. That would have resulted in a smaller tree and much more manageable lime production.

Limes, like oranges and lemons, need to be protected from freezes and require regular watering.

Did you know that many limes varieties are actually at their ripest and most juicy when their skin changes from green to yellow? I didn’t until I planted my own lime tree!

Recommended Lime Varieties to Use as Container Fruit Tree

When planting limes, you need to decide which size limes you prefer. If you are looking for the little limes that are perfect for beer, you are best off with a Mexican Key Lime tree. Choose a dwarf variety to limit the tree size.

If you would prefer the more traditional lime size that you see in grocery stores (generally better for juicing), go with a Bearrs or Persian Lime tree. My Bearrs lime tree produces limes nearly year round.

8. Guava

Guavas are easy to grow and taste great, making them another one of those container fruit trees you will want to add to your patio. Guavas are fairly drought tolerant once established and many varieties can handle a dip in temps down into the 20s. 

Guavas have shallow roots and absorb water quickly, so they only need watering once a week in the summer and can go weeks without water during the winter.

Guava blossoms have a wonderful scent. The fruit take three to four months to mature after flowering. If your guava is a good producer, it is recommended that you thin fruit out to a maximum of four per branch, to keep the branches from breaking under the weight.

I suggest planting your guava in a 15 gallon pot to allow it room to grow. They have more of a shrub-like appearance than a traditional tree shape.

Recommended Guava Varieties to Use as Container Fruit Tree

There are over 100 varieties of guava out there, and many have distinctly different flavors so you may want to add more than one option to your patio garden.

Pineapple Guava is a very popular container plant. It has beautiful blossoms (which are edible and have a bit of a cinnamon taste) and the fruit reminds many of the flavor of Juicyfruit gum. It is delicious!

The Brazilian Pink Guava has a sweet, traditional guava flavor and are great picked right off the tree! They do very well in containers and are drought tolerant. The fruits ripens in California during the fall.

The Strawberry Guava also has a traditional guava flavor and does very well in pots. It grows so well that it is considered to be an invasive species in some areas!

9. Loquat

If you haven’t had the pleasure of tasting a loquat, than you are really missing out.

We had a loquat tree in our backyard when I was growing up and I used to eat them right off the tree until I made myself sick! It is sweet and tart, kind of like a cross between an apricot and a pineapple with citrusy undertones.

Most of the main population centers in California are well suited for loquat rowing, especially in Southern California. They do very well in containers as long as they are well-watered and provided with ample sunlight.

Loquat trees do best in containers that are at least 15 gallons in size.

Like citrus, they do well with deep watering and fertilization a couple times a year. You may need to net your tree during fruit season if the neighborhood birds catch on to how tasty these fruit are.

The fruit has orange flesh and yellowish-orange skin that bruises easily when ripe. This makes it hard to transport, which is why you don’t often see loquats in grocery stores. It also makes it an ideal pick-and-eat backyard fruit.

Recommended Loquat Variety to Use as Container Fruit Tree

The Gold Nugget loquat is the most popular variety.  It self pollinates and is a prolific bearer of fruit. Be sure to plant a dwarf variety (which are usually grafted onto a quince stock).

10. Apple

I will never forget the first time I saw an espalier apple tree growing. An espalier fruit tree is one whose whose branches are trained to grow flat against a wall, supported by a lattice. 

It was such a clever idea. It allows people with small backyards or patios to enjoy their very own homegrown apples without dedicating a massive space to an apple tree!

Recommended Apple Varieties to Use as Container Fruit Tree

There are literally dozens and dozens of apple varieties out there, and it is important to choose a variety that will do best in your climate.

In Southern California, we don’t get very many chill hours so a low chill variety is key. The Anna apple is a popular espalier variety in California, it is ideal for small spaces.

Another great option is the Fuji apple. It is known for its great flavor and does well on a trellis. While you can attempt to trellis your own sapling, I suggest purchased one that is already espaliered from a local nursery,

It happens every summer. I wander into the backyard of a friend and discover a pitiful tomato plant, neglected and desperately struggling to produce a few yellow blossoms. Meanwhile, in my small suburban backyard, I have a jungle of tomatoes rapidly taking over my raised bed. Vines soar six feet into the air, filled to the brim with juicy fruit waiting to be transformed into salsas, sauces, or sprinkled with a bit of salt and devoured right in the backyard.

People tell me that I have a green thumb. I disagree. I simply know the secrets to a successful tomato crop. I also know that after the initial set up, it really doesn’t take much work at all to produce the bumper crop of your dreams. Here are 10 of my favorite tomato growing tips.

Warning: there is nothing quite like a home grown tomato. After making sandwiches, sauces, and salsas with the real deal, you will become addicted. Store-bought tomatoes will taste like bland mush.

Tomato Growing Tips for a Successful Tomato Crop

1. Select the Right Seed or Plant

The first key to a successful tomato crop is to pick the right tomato for your backyard. There are dozens of varieties specially bred for a variety of needs. Some are designed for climates with short, cool growing seasons. Many are great for slicing, while others are bred for using in sauces.

Selecting the right tomato plant may seem a bit daunting to first timers, but once you know which questions to ask yourself, you will feel like a kid in a candy store while strolling down your local nursery’s vegetable aisle.

Check out my post on 5 questions to ask yourself before purchasing a tomato plant and discover all you need to know about tomato selection.

2. Plant at the Right Time

Tomatoes do best when the days are warm and the nights are cool, but not cold. Frost will kill a tomato plant, so it is best to plant as soon as the danger of frost has passed in the spring.

You can find your local frost dates in the Farmer’s Almanac. In Orange County (USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 10a) where there is no real danger of frost, I typically plant in March. When I lived in Sacramento (Zone 9b), I tended to plant towards the middle of April. Visitthe USDA Plant Hardiness website to find out which zone you live in.

If you live in the Western United States, I highly suggest familiarizing yourself with Sunset’s climate zones. They take into account micro-climates and offer great insight into the specifics of what can successfully grow on your little dot on the map. In South Orange County, I currently live in zone 23, which is subtropical and great for growing all sorts of citrus, avocados, and yes, tomatoes.

3. Tomato Growing is All About Location, Location, Location

Tomatoes like sun. This means, it is crucial that you plant tomatoes in a spot that gets at least six hours of sun in order to have a crop. You want at least eight hours of sun to have a bountiful crop.

These hours of sunshine do not need to be consecutive. If you aren’t willing or able to give your tomatoes six hours of sun, don’t even bother planting them.  This is not one of those tomato growing tips that you can ignore. You will end up with piddly, disappointing plants.

If you are planting near a wall, house, tree, or other shade-producing structure, pay attention to which hours your plot will be receiving sun. I like planting my tomatoes in a spot that will get a decent amount of afternoon sun because tomatoes love heat.

If you live in a climate that experiences more extreme heat, such as the desert, you may want to focus more on the earlier sun and not plant next to a cement wall, which will further radiate heat.

While tomatoes can grow in compact spaces, they do need some room to grow. I suggest planting seedlings at least 18-24 inches apart.

4. Tomato Growing is Also All About the Dirt

This is one of those tomato growing tips that should not be ignored, especially if you want to produce a big crop. Planting your tomatoes in the wrong soil is like feeding your kids a diet entirely of fast food. They will probably survive, but they will be completely unhealthy and never reach their full potential.

Tomatoes grow fast and pull nutrients from the soil in order to produce fruit. They grow best in soil that that is slightly acidic, with a pH of 6.0-6.8. I don’t typically test the pH of my soil (but it is easy to do with a pH test meter) because I grow my vegetables in raised beds, which are filled with good top soil mixed with 2-3 inches of compost.

Raised beds should be at least 12 inches deep. It is important that you mix in some new compost each year to retain the health of your soil year after year. I highly recommend growing in raised beds, especially if you are trying to be productive in a small amount of space.

If you are planting directly in the ground, test your soil to see what you are working with. You will need to break up your soil (especially if you have clay soil) and likely have to amend it in order to achieve the proper pH (typically by adding sulfur or lime). Soil should be tilled to the depth of 6-8 inches. Compost should also be added to help break up both sandy and clay soils and help absorb moisture.

5. Water is Key

Of all my tomato growing tips, I feel like this is the one that people can’t seem to get right. Tomatoes need water. Giving them a quick soak with the hose for 30 seconds every few days is a recipe for disaster. People have good intentions but then they get distracted by life and four days into a heat wave they discover half dead plants.

I highly recommend installing a drip irrigation system to water your tomatoes. This will allow you to use less water and target each tomato plant individually.

Plus, you can put your drip system on a timer and then set it, and forget it! Drip systems are easy to install, especially if you have an existing sprinkler line or faucet you can tap into. Here is one of many online drip system installation guides.

Another benefit of using a drip system is that it will help you avoid tomato rot which can occur when using overhead watering (ie: sprinklers or hose).

6. Mulch Your Tomato Plants- Yes, It’s Important!

This tomato growing tip is connected to the previous tip about water. During the hot summer months when tomato plants are supposed to be producing at their best, evaporation can become one of a tomato plant’s greatest enemies. Mulch prevents evaporation and soil erosion. 

Mulch basically acts as shade and protection for your precious, nutrient-dense soil. It helps ensure that the water you have given your tomato plants stays in the ground so that the plant’s roots can continue to absorb it.

Another reason mulch is beneficial is because as it biodegrades, it helps feed your soil and make new soil. Decaying organic material is essentially what good soil is made of. It also helps improve the overall appearance of your tomato garden. After all, who doesn’t love a neat and tidy looking garden?

Finally, mulch helps reduce weed infestations. Nobody wants weeds in their beautiful vegetable garden and mulch can greatly reduce the amount of time you will spend weeding your beds. 

I like to use bark mulch that I purchase from a local nursery or home improvement store. I re-mulch my garden every year after I plant my tomatoes. 

7. Feed Your Tomato Plants!

So many people seem to skip this part. One of my most important tomato growing tips is to actually feed your tomatoes! Your tomato plants are growing at a rapid rate and sunlight, soil, and water is simply not enough to sustain a healthy production rate. 

What do you feed tomato plants? I like to keep my garden organic so I purchase organic tomato food. A good tomato food has nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in it. Nitrogen stimulates chlorophyll production, phosphorus is important to developing strong flowers and fruit, and potassium helps strengthen the roots. 

Tomato food comes in a variety of forms such as liquid, granular, and stakes. I have always used granular tomato food because it is easy to deliver the proper amount per plant, releases slowly, and stores well. There are many great brands out there which can be found on Amazon, at home improvement stores, or local nurseries. One brand I can recommend is Jobes Organics.

Directions are on the packaging of the plant food, but I typically feed my tomato plants when I first plant them and then begin fertilizing them every 4-6 weeks after the first fruit begins to appear. Make sure not to over-fertilize your tomatoes! Too much fertilizer or direct contact with fertilizer on the plant roots can burn the plant’s leaves.

8. Stake Those Bad Boys

Like a teenager going through their first breakup, tomatoes need support. No, this doesn’t mean that they need a hug or a shoulder to lean on; they need actual physical support!

Without support, indeterminate tomatoes grow on the ground like vines and their leaves and fruit are more susceptible to fruit rot and sunburn. When the vines are staked, the fruit is shaded by the leaves and less like to be exposed to constant moisture. It is also much easier to see and pick ripe fruit.

Many people use circular, wire tomato cages. I am personally not a fan of these. They are typically are much too short to support my tomato plants (which usually extend to six feet in the air during peak season) and quite frankly, can be expensive and difficult to store.

Staking your tomatoes is inexpensive and effective. I either use bamboo stakes or plastic-coated metal stakes that can be used year after year, but wooden stakes are a great option as well. The system I typically use involves using stakes in combination with garden twine. Here is a great video tutorial which covers the details. 

Important note: Determinate tomatoes are bushier plants which tend to be smaller since they have a limited harvest. They work well in cages. 

9. Prune Now For Higher Yields Later

I often wonder if casual, backyard gardeners know that they are supposed to prune their tomato plants. My guess is that most don’t. I certainly had no idea in my tomato farming days 20 years ago.

Believe it or not, pruning your tomato plants will result in more fruit, especially if you are trying to grow multiple tomato plants in a compact area. It is important to prune any leaves which might be touching the ground (to prevent rot and disease) as well as remove some suckers to keep things neat and tidy. 

What is a tomato sucker? It is basically another little tomato plant that grows out of the joint of a tomato plant where a branch meets the stem. These shoots will turn into full size tomato plants if left alone. The more suckers you have, the less resources the main tomato plant has (plus, things can get unruly). 

I typically remove suckers until the plant gets to be sturdy and at least a couple feet off the ground. I may let a couple suckers stick around if I have the space and feel like they are interfering too much with the overall shape of the plant. 

There are so many schools of thought on tomato pruning and endless Youtube videos on the subject. Here is the school of thought I tend to follow. 

10. Keep Those Tomato Pests and Diseases Away

You have beautiful tomato plants filled with ripening fruit and suddenly a pest invasion occurs. Gah! Don’t fret, there are many solutions to common pests and diseases. Here are a few of the problems I most commonly encounter and what to do about them. 

1. Tomato Hookworms

Tomato hornworms are gross and destructive. Many people new to tomato growing might mistake them for caterpillars. They are bright green, leave dark droppings everywhere, and can rapidly eat your tomato plants!

While you can use insecticides to get rid of them, I keep my garden organic and have found hand removal to be easy and effective. I check my tomatoes regularly during the growing season and simply pluck and chuck (while screaming obscenities) those little jerks away. Planting marigolds in the same bed as your tomato plants can be good deterrent as well. Their scent keeps several pests away.

2. Aphids

Ew. I hate aphids. They can be so damaging to a garden and leave this sticky, gross substance behind. Check the underside of your plants leaves and if you little dot-like creatures on the on them, you likely have aphids.

I pull leaves that are heavily infected and then apply a diluted soap spray to the plant, which kills the aphids. The ratio of soap to water in your spray should be approximately 2 tblsp dish soap per gallon of water. If you are just using a standard squirt bottle, put a couple drops in the bottom and then fill up with warm water and start spraying those leaves!

3. Birds and Rodents

I have the same bird show up every single year to feast on my tomatoes. He is a tropical-looking bird with vibrant yellow and black feathers and a hunger for partially ripened tomatoes. I call him “Bitch Bird”. He is not to be outdone by his pals, “Asshole Opossum” or “Jerkface Rat”. 

How do I keep the local wildlife from feasting on my tomato harvest? I use a mesh net to cover my plants when the tomato feast party seems to be getting out of control. They still get a nibble on some of the tomatoes on the outer edge of the garden, but the net drastically reduces their tomato consumption rate.

I keep the net secure at the bottom by using a combination of stakes and bricks. Yes, it is a major pain. Yes, my garden is less aesthetically pleasing when I have to put the net up. But I want to actually enjoy my tomatoes, so these are the sacrifices I have to make. 

4. Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew basically looks like white must on your tomato plants. I most often find it on my squash plants, but have definitely encountered it on tomatoes as well. It is often caused by humidity. I typically use the same soap and water solution as I do on aphids and it gets rid of it. I also pull the most infected leaves. 

5. Blossom End Rot

If you are noticing a dark, brownish spot on the bottom end of your fruit, you have blossom end rot. This is cause by two things- uneven watering and calcium deficiency. Both of these problems can be solved by following my previous tomato growing tips on watering, feeding, and mulching.

6. Fruit Cracking

This is another condition caused by uneven watering. Keep your tomato watering on a schedule and cracking will be at a minimum. Overhead watering is another source of fruit cracking, so try to avoid that. Hot, rainy weather is can cause fruit cracking, but there isn’t much you can do about that. 

Here is a link to a good resource  that covers several more tomato problems and how to fix them. 

Featured image via Flickr/Lufa Farms