Balconies can be deceptive. At 11 a.m. on a weekend, you might see bright light and assume, “Full sun balcony! I can grow anything.” But maybe by 1 p.m., the building shade cuts in and that’s it for the day. Or the opposite: it might be gentle in the morning but brutally hot in the afternoon.
Watching your balcony for one normal day—morning, midday, late afternoon—tells you the truth. How many hours of direct sun does it get? Is it morning sun, which is softer, or harsh afternoon sun? Or is it mostly bright indirect light?
Plants are fussy about this. Shade lovers will burn in strong sun, and sun lovers will sulk and stretch in low light. If you know your actual light, you can choose plants that match it instead of randomly buying what looks pretty at the nursery and then wondering why everything dies.
It’s like checking the weather before planning an outfit. A little observation first saves a lot of disappointment later.