How to maintain potted plants in apartment balcony

We have a lot of shade in our yard, so I grow veggies, herbs and flowers in pots so i can place them in the sunny areas on our back balcony/deck.

Veggies: Patio, cherry and grape tomatoes are perfect for growing in containers. The best container is a clay pot at least 12" in diameter and about 18" tall. Tomatoes have deep roots, so need deep pots. I use a potting mix made up by our local garden center, but Miracle Grow potting soil works well too. A layer of drainage is important in the bottom of the pot. Although broken shards from old pots or gravel is good - consider using those packing peanuts for drainage. They certainly won't break down and they are much lighter, so you can move your pots around without breaking your back. The lighter weight is also a consideration on patios that may not have been built with gardening in mind.

Rain will keep your pots watered, but I also set out a bucket to collect rainwater for dry spells. Place a few drops of cooking oil in he container and this will prevent mosquitoes from breeding. The oil coats the mosquitos wings as they try to take flight when they're ready to 'lift off' and they sink and drown, so no mosquitoes!

A new kind of earth-friendly fertilizer called 'Worm Poop' is perfect for all plants. it's a liquid, de-smelled, form of worm excrement that is extremely high in nutriends and totally earth friendly. I've seen it in garden centers recently and also in Wal-Mart!

You can grow sweet or hot peppers in containers, as well as cucumbers (provide a trellis for them to climb), peas,basil, chives, green onions, parsley, thyme, rosemary, cilantro and oregano all in one large pot. They're attractive and tasty, as well as high in nutrients.

Annuals, such as petunias, Gerbera daisies, geraniums, zinnias, do well in sunny areas in pots. Spikes, ornamental sweet potatoes, various forms of ivy, caladiums and salvia combined or in separate pots are great for decorating your balcony.

Water when needed and make sure they pots drain, as the plant roots will rot and the plants will die quickly if you let them sit in water.