[Journal](https://thecomposta.com/journal) Guide # A terrace garden starter guide Pots, soil, light and feeding: how to get a small terrace growing without overthinking it. 18 March 2026 · Updated 8 October 2026 · 6 min read _Illustration: A small terrace with a turmeric sky and a sun: a striped awning shading a window box of flowers and a fern bowl, herbs in the sun, a tall chilli plant in a big pot cut open to show the mix and its roots, a pouch of castings with a scoop tipping a handful on top, and a watering can_ Key points - Watch the light first: most vegetables and herbs want five or six hours of direct sun. - Big pots, at least 30 cm deep for tomatoes and chillies, dry out more slowly. - A simple mix is two parts soil, one part cocopeat and one part vermicompost, fed with a handful a month. A terrace is a good place to garden: plenty of light, space for a few large pots, and no lawn to mow. A handful of decisions up front make everything easier. ## Start with light Watch your terrace for a day. Most vegetables and herbs want five or six hours of direct sun. Put those in the brightest spots, and keep leafy greens and ferns where there is afternoon shade. ## Choose big pots Large pots hold moisture better and do not dry out in an afternoon. Look for pots at least 30 cm deep for tomatoes and chillies, with plenty of drainage. ## Build good soil - Two parts garden soil or potting soil - One part cocopeat for lightness - One part vermicompost for food and microbes ## Water and feed Water deeply, less often, and check the soil with a finger before you water. Top-dress each pot with a handful of vermicompost every month and the plants will do the rest. ## Terms in this guide - [Cocopeat](https://thecomposta.com/glossary#cocopeat) - [Potting mix](https://thecomposta.com/glossary#potting-mix) - [Top dressing](https://thecomposta.com/glossary#top-dressing) - [Vermicompost](https://thecomposta.com/glossary#vermicompost) ## Keep reading [_Illustration: A balcony: a railing against the sky, a row of planters in front of it with a chilli plant, marigolds, a herb and a fern, and a hanging basket above_GuideThe best organic fertiliser for a terrace or balcony garden in IndiaA clear way to feed pots on a roof: the potting mix, how much vermicompost, how often, and what to check before you load a terrace.8 October 2026 · 6 min read](https://thecomposta.com/journal/best-organic-fertiliser-terrace-garden-india)[_Illustration: A terracotta pot with a plant on a potting bench, a can, a scoop and a trowel resting beside it; the scoop tips castings in, the trowel mixes them into the top and the can waters, one at a time, and a wall calendar marks the monthly feed_GuideHow much vermicompost to use: per pot, per square metre and per acreRates from ICAR, TNAU and Kerala Agricultural University, turned into amounts you can measure out.8 October 2026 · 6 min read](https://thecomposta.com/journal/how-much-vermicompost-to-use)[_Illustration: A cut through soil: cow dung and plant scraps on the surface, an earthworm below them, fine castings falling from its tail into a dark mound that a seedling's roots reach into_ComparedVermicompost vs compost vs cow dung manure: which is better?What each one is, what the published Indian nutrient figures say, and which to use for pots, vegetables and orchards.8 October 2026 · 6 min read](https://thecomposta.com/journal/vermicompost-vs-compost-vs-cow-dung-manure) ## Put it to work Fine, odourless castings, delivered to your door and quoted to order. [Get a quote](https://thecomposta.com/shop) _Illustration: A garden running the width of the page: a freshly packed pouch of castings sitting on a low wall beside a seedling in a pot, a trowel stuck in the soil at the foot of the wall and an earthworm pushing a barrow of castings toward it_ --- Source: https://thecomposta.com/journal/terrace-garden-starter-guide The Composta is a brand of Nutrify Private Limited, 1st Floor, Plot No. B & B1, Vanijya Nikunj, Enkay Centre, Udyog Vihar Phase 5, Gurugram, Haryana 122016, India. Contact: contact@thecomposta.com, +91 90535 19734 (also WhatsApp). Quotes: sales@thecomposta.com. Importers and bulk buyers: export@thecomposta.com. More for agents: https://thecomposta.com/llms.txt