Pro tip: stop putting your balcony pots right against the railing, mine cooked in one afternoon

Lisa Patel · 2026-09-15T22:35:03.351543+00:00

I lost 4 pepper plants on my south facing balcony in Austin two summers back because I lined every pot right up against the metal railing for max sun. The leaves looked fine at 2pm, then by 5pm they were curled and crispy on the railing side only. I stuck a cheap thermometer back there and it hit 118F in the shade of that railing while the open air two feet in was 96F. Metal soaks heat all day and dumps it right back into your soil, so the roots basically steam. Now I leave a 6 inch gap and slide a strip of cardboard between pot and rail, and my cherry tomatoes made it through August without a single scorched leaf. Has anyone else measured a hot spot like this on a west balcony? I want to know if wood rails run cooler or if it's the same trap.

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Pro tip: stop putting your balcony pots right against the railing, mine cooked in one afternoon | Balcony Vegetable Gardens - HW Forums