I just measured little patio I mentioned, it's pretty tight. 7.5' long but not even 4' across (really it's just a BBQ area) and I'm gonna need some room to walk around a little bit as well. Hmm, I'm sure just starting with garlic and herbs will be okay and just go from there.
Until you move out of the People's Republic of Californiastan, you might want to invest in something like this (or build one yourself) for your patio:
https://www.wayfair.com/Gracie-Oaks...nA3C1bN831KnquJnjYv3aajj3lvK2pYxoC8GUQAvD_BwE