With no direct sunlight to the patio, container gardening is challenging and usually futile.  So I don't spend too much money, if any, on it.  The lychee and mango plants below I sprouted straight from the seeds after enjoying the fruits.  Many of the containers are either tofu containers or the bottoms of pop and juice bottles.  For drainage holes, I heat a steel mandrel over a candle and poke it through the bottom of the container a few times.  I supplement potting soil with my own compost made from coffee grinds, charcoal and wood ash, and clippings.

The lychee on the bottom left is the oldest.  The mini terracotta pots are about 2in. in diameter.
I'll have to repot soon.
 
Lychee sprouting in tofu container and the bottom of a 64-oz juice bottle.

Mango sprouted in a tiny bonsai tray.  I decided to move it indoors, just to see what will happen.
   
Seems to be doing pretty well considering there's about only two tablespoons worth of soil, if that, in the bon.

Mango and lychee usually take the common 7 years to bear fruit, and that's in perfect light and growing conditions.
Mine may never fruit, may never even grow bigger than they are right now, but they're still enjoyable to have.
    
These cotton plants are 2 years old.  It finally produced a bud, known as a "square" that, with luck, will eventually bloom and turn into a cotton bol.