Does your balcony need new life? Try potted herb plants! Using pots is helpful because you can simply change their spot as you experiment with the quality and amount of natural light they get. Their portability also helps for bringing your herb plants indoors at the end of the growing season—you don’t want to leave your herbs on the balcony all winter.

Your best bet for your balcony herb garden would be any herb that does well with lots of sun, like a morning glory. These little plants will tolerate the reflection from the windows and doors and also the heat that a metal balcony captures. Observe the amount and type of sunshine, heat and intensity on your balcony during a normal day. You’ll also want to know which way your balcony is facing—will you get more morning or afternoon sun?

Use gray or silver-colored herb plants as well as those with a velvety texture or thick leaves in your balcony garden. They will do well because they lose less water in evaporation.

These are some herbs that I recommend for your balcony:

• Aloe vera: Aloe vera is an easy herb to grow. It doesn’t need much water and it tolerates a lot of sun and heat. It is also very helpful for burns, just clip a small piece off and rub it on the burn. It is sticky, but you will feel better in no time!

• Cayenne pepper: If you grill out on your balcony, imagine being able to break off a pieces of cayenne pepper to add to your next dinner. With a bright pop of color, cayenne pepper will be great on your balcony.

• Cucumber: A trailing vine, like a cucumber, will provide an added touch to your balcony. You can also use cucumbers in cosmetics—like facials! You can also grab some cucumbers to slice for your salads, straight from the balcony!

• Hens-and-chicks: These are among my most favorite plants. Because they are succulents, they will hold water very well (less watering for you) and they can handle the bright sun and hot temperatures you may have on your balcony. Not to mention that they are so adorable too!

• Lavender: Just one whiff of the soothing aroma of this fragrant herb and you will be more at ease. It is also a brilliant herb that provides a nice pop of color.

You can select a few nice-sized containers to put on your balcony or try a hanging balcony basket that has an inside layer from a coconut liner. I used chicken wire and moss to make my own herb balcony basket. I had never tried anything like that before. It was not fantastic, but it worked. The key is to choose a pot or basket that will allow for good drainage.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Windowsill Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.