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Most balcony advice assumes you own the building. If you rent, you have a different brief: nothing goes into the wall, the railing stays unmarked, and everything has to come back down when the lease ends. Here is the approach that keeps a small balcony productive without risking your deposit.
Start with what the balcony will actually take
Before buying a single planter, find out three things: how much weight the floor is rated for, which way the balcony faces, and how hard the wind blows at your height. A wet 40-litre container can weigh around 40 kg, so a handful of them adds up quickly.
Spread the load along the wall side of the floor rather than the middle, and prefer lighter containers where you can. Fabric pots and plastic planters weigh far less than ceramic.
Choose no-drill hardware
Clamp-on and hook-over planters are the easiest win. They grip the railing without drilling and come off cleanly. Check the railing profile first: flat, round and glass balustrades each need a different design.
For anything that sits on the floor, a freestanding rack or tiered stand keeps pots off the ground and uses the vertical space you have.
Plan for wind and heat
Upper floors get stronger wind, and masonry walls radiate heat long after sunset. Group tall plants against the wall, put thirsty crops where they get afternoon shade, and anchor anything light with weight low in the container.
Wind
Staking and sheltered positions matter more than the plant variety. A windbreak made of a freestanding screen can transform a gusty balcony.
Heat
South-facing masonry can run hot. Mulch the soil surface and check containers daily in summer, because small pots dry out fast.
What to plant first
Start with forgiving crops that suit containers: salad leaves, herbs, radishes and compact tomatoes. Get one season of notes before you scale up.
Keep a simple log
Write down what you planted, where, and what happened. After a year you will have something no generic guide can give you: advice that fits your balcony.