Talia, gardening is lots of fun, and this site is full of information, so be sure to read as much as you can. in order to help, we(and you) need to know how much sun the area gets now and how much it will get in the summer. how about wind? How big is the balcony? This is a great time to plant lettuce and spinach, so you could start right away with those. getgoing100 is much more experienced than I am , and maybe she will chime in. Read the posts She has made so far.

first things first ... im sure you dont want things flying off your balcony ... how high up are you ... can things be secured from wind???

to me.. corn seems too tall .. would need too big a pot to stabilize ... and too many plants.. to get just a few ears ... i suspect there are other crops that would serve you better ...

and just about the same with any tree ... and.. wintering over trees can be very hard .. especially for the newb .. and many others ...

lets start with some specifics.. how big is the balcony.. what direction does it face... might wind be an issue based on height ...

the most important thing in a pot.. is not the plant.. but the media ... in my use of words.. soil is mother earth .. media is what is in a pot.. and dirt is what you have all over yourself after playing in either ...

one forum you missed.. is container growing .. which probably addresses the media issue and much more ...

welcome to the forums ... and my best advice.. start small and simple.. and go from there .. and trees arent an easy place to start.. imo ... ..

ken

ps: ive been watching old green acres .. lol.. i will be thinking of you ...

https://simkl.com/tv/7816/green-acres/season-1/episode-1/

lol

If you have never gardened before then I would suggest you take some time and read through some of the postings on the Container Gardening forum. Container gardening has some unique characteristics and it doesn't really matter where you do it - highrise balcony, rooftop deck, driveway or patio or on your front porch. You will need to pay close attention to pot size, soil media and watering needs. And frequent fertilization.

If you do nothing else, read this link carefully. It is long and moderately involved but it will provide you with more accurate container gardening information than years of trial and error experience can possibly provide!!

Just an FYI but strawberries are possibly the easiest fruit to grow in a container. And don't bother with corn....it is not a good container subject :-) The peas should work or try salad greens or even a tomato. And herbs - basil, parsley, chives, etc.

I just picked up my 1st fig tree from Home Depot yesterday , it will be a potted tree. I am in NY state by the Great Lakes. I also have a couple potted persimmons. I am in a colder zone, I bring them into attached insulated garage during the winter months. you might be able to use burlap for winter protection since you are in a warmer zone. Happy planting!

And be sure your balcony is made for the extra weight of water laden pots. Have fun!