Ooh, it sounds like you have an Earth Box! These can be much fun, and since I have a bindweed problem, I plant only in containers of similar design, but they're from Garden Patch and they're called Grow Boxes. They're AWESOME!!! Google both, and read on what you can plant, how dense, etc. Here's an important question: do you have an elasticized cover that is black on one side and white on the other? This is KEY to your success using the EB; if not, there are ways to improvise; I currently use a hybrid of the EB & GB versions using some 4-mil plastic that I bought at Walmart, cutting it to size like the GB does, and using some good fertilizer, also purchased at Walmart, and using it ala EB instructions. (if you're totally lost after googling and reviewing the box instructions, email me and I can give you more specific details) You can plant alot into one box, if you plan accordingly. Since you have limited sun, you'll definitely want to get the biggest babies you can find (try Walmart, Lowes, look for garden centers in your area), because they may not grow a ton; you may even want to consider getting some additional lighting to supplement. As far as what varieties do well with less sun, you may want to post a question in the vegetable gardening forum--I would think a tomato on one end, but in my experience, peppers need full-on sun to go anywhere. Maybe you could do a pizza & pasta garden, and do a tomato plant, and some herbs on the other end--chives, basil, oregano. Don't know how well the herbs do with the limited light, though. Again, there are other forums where you might get better answers there. If you find yourself shopping at a nursery, seek out the most experienced gardener there (usually not the clerk, right?) and ask if they know of something you can plant for your sun exposure. They may not be familiar with the EB, so don't let them talk you out of planting the number of plants that you can put in there. The other thing you can do is to maximize the light that you do get, as well as the ambient light, by putting up thing that will reflect the light. Your patio may already have a reflective coating; if not, it's a minimal expense to put some up, and I wouldn't think you would even need to ask the building super if you do a nice job on it. If you're not concerned about looks, of if you can do it nicely, put up some white sheets on the non-glass portions to reflect as much light back onto the container plants as possible. Good luck!

Check out the earthtainer construcion guide for some mix info for a self watering planter, or just search container mix. Most will be a soil-less mix, there are a ton of great threads on here regarding container mixes, fertilization, and also water movement/retention. The poster above "Al" has some very informative and detailed explanations. It seems like gardening is such a varied and expansive topic that searches very rarely yield a simple, direct clear answer to a question. The answers I have found have been partly from searches, partly from posting a question, and partly from reading older posts ( sometimes not directly related to my original question ). There is an enormous wealth of knowledge here, take advantage of it, I did and have learned alot.

How deep is this sink?? I would check out a local pet shop and snag one of those foam filters for fish tanks and use it to plug the drain hole in the sink as it will let the water out but not the substrate. The substrate should be 50 50 river sand and peat moss. You can plant live sphagnum into it. It will look nice but be sure it gets 2 to 3 hours of direct sun, preferably in early morning or late afternoon unless you are up in the northern USA then mid day is fine. Do not overplant!! Probably just 3-5 species of carnivorous plants and nothing else apart from live sphagnum and you will have a nice bog.

Geat!!! That gives me an extra twenty containers for planting!!!!!