Urban gardening isn't a scaled-down version of country gardening — it's a different discipline. Light is limited, water evaporates faster in containers, and neighbours care about what drips onto their balcony. The guide below is a working plan for a productive garden in 20-50 square feet of apartment or small-yard space.

Step 1 — Measure your light honestly

Before any plants: watch your space for one full day. Count hours of direct sun and hours of indirect light. Most "full sun" plants need 6-8 hours; "partial shade" is 3-6 hours; "full shade" is under 3. Mis-estimating light is the single biggest urban- gardening failure.

Step 2 — Pick containers intelligently

Fabric grow bags (5-10 gallon) beat pretty ceramic pots for plant health — they breathe, roots can't circle, and they're cheap. For aesthetics, put the fabric bag inside a cachepot.

Self-watering containers (reservoir on the bottom, wick to the soil) extend your watering windows from 2 days to 4-5. Critical if you work long hours or travel.

Step 3 — Soil: don't use garden dirt

Container plants need a dedicated potting mix (light, draining, fertilised). Garden soil compacts, holds too much water, and brings pathogens. Buy a bag of quality potting mix every planting season; it's the cheapest thing you'll spend on that isn't free.

Step 4 — Pick the plants that work

Easiest: cherry tomatoes, basil, mint (in its own pot — it's invasive), parsley, chives, lettuce, spinach, kale.

Moderate: peppers, strawberries, small bush cucumbers, cilantro, thyme, oregano.

Harder but possible: beans (need a trellis), zucchini (needs a lot of sun), small eggplants.

Step 5 — Water on a schedule, not by feel

Stick your finger two inches into the soil; if it's dry, water until it drains from the bottom. In summer, urban containers typically need water daily; indoor containers 2-3 times a week. Morning watering beats evening (reduces fungal risk).

Step 6 — Feed them

Container plants run out of nutrients in 4-6 weeks. A liquid fertiliser diluted per instructions every two weeks is the simplest schedule. Skipping this is why second-year urban gardens often disappoint.

Step 7 — Prune, harvest, repeat

Harvest herbs frequently — it encourages more growth. Remove tomato suckers (the little stems between main stems and leaves). Deadhead flowering plants. Maintenance is most of urban gardening; the planting is the smallest part.

A 20-square-foot plan that works

• One 5-gallon bag: cherry tomato
• One 3-gallon pot: basil (2 plants)
• One 2-gallon pot: mint
• One shallow long planter: lettuce, spinach, rocket (rotated every 3-4 weeks)
• One hanging basket: strawberries
• A windowsill box: parsley, chives, thyme

That list feeds a small household meaningful amounts of herbs and salads from April to October in most climates. Scale up as experience and space permit.