Water plants early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce evaporation. Overwatering is a common mistake; check soil moisture before watering.
Know the light needs of your plants. Leafy greens like lettuce and spinach tolerate shade, while tomatoes and peppers need 6-8 hours of direct sun. Choose plants based on your balcony’s orientation.
Use a mix of potting soil, compost, and perlite for containers. Avoid garden soil, which compacts in pots and suffocates roots. Ensure pots have drainage holes to prevent root rot.
Many plants have medicinal properties, but only use those you are certain about. Willow bark can be used for pain relief (contains salicylic acid). Avoid unknown plants.
In tropical environments, look for vines with milky sap (often toxic) and plants with thorns near water sources (potential poison). Safe water is often found by digging in dry riverbeds or following animal trails to water. Avoid eating insects with bright colors.
Before consuming a wild plant, perform a test: touch to skin (wait 15 mins), touch to lips (wait 15 mins), touch to tongue (wait 15 mins), chew without swallowing (wait 8 hours), swallow small amount (wait 8 hours). If no reaction occurs, eat more. Never test mushrooms this way.
