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10 Best Vegetables for Your Container Garden
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Growing Veggies Without a Garden Patch
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**By Kerry Michaels**
Kerry Michaels is a container gardening expert with over 20 years of experience maintaining container gardens in Maine. She specializes in writing and capturing photography for gardening and landscape design for print and broadcast media, including the Discovery Channel, Small Gardens, and Disney, among others.
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No Such Thing as Foolproof Vegetable Gardening
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There is no such thing as foolproof vegetable gardening, but container vegetable gardening comes close by reducing problems posed by weather and critters. This makes vegetable container gardening a good option for beginners. Another benefit of container gardening is you don’t need a vast space or an in-ground garden patch. For instance, a small balcony vegetable garden idea might include a few pots that fit the space, along with hanging containers or ones that attach over railings.
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Vegetables That Do Well in Containers
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Some vegetables that do well in containers include nightshades, such as tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Fast-growing crops, including peas and lettuce, also are some of the easiest veggies to grow in pots. In general, to fill a container for planting vegetables, use a quality organic potting mix with good drainage. Some mixes specifically state they’re good for use in vegetable gardens.
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Container Size Matters
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What size container you need to grow vegetables depends on what you’re growing. Some veggies, such as leafy greens, have relatively shallow roots and don’t need a deep container. But others, such as potatoes, need deep soil to develop properly. Some container gardening ideas include using fabric pots that are lightweight to move as needed or planting vertical gardens with pots mounted on a fence or wall. You can also experiment with vegetable combinations in container gardens using the same pot, as long as the plants have similar growing requirements. For example, herbs and salad greens often can be grown together.
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Tips for Container Vegetable Gardening
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Container plants tend to deplete soil moisture and nutrients faster than those in the ground. So be sure to adjust your watering and feeding accordingly to keep your vegetable container garden healthy.
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10 Vegetables That Do Well in Containers
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01. Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum)
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Growing tomatoes in containers is easy and incredibly satisfying. Most tomatoes are happiest in big containers and will need staking or a tomato cage. This support keeps the heavy fruit from bending and breaking the vines. If you are buying tomato seedlings, look for short, stocky plants that do not have blossoms yet. Keep in mind the larger the tomato variety is, the bigger the pot it will require. Small cherry tomatoes will not require the same amount of room and soil as a large beefsteak type tomato, for example.
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- USDA Growing Zones: Grown as an annual in all zones
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Needs: Deep, moist, good drainage
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02. Peas (Pisum sativum)
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Peas can be planted in early spring and then again when it gets cool in the fall. There are three types of peas: English peas, snow peas, and sugar snap peas. They are perfect for succession planting because they enrich the soil with nitrogen. Depending on the variety grown, most peas will require some type of support.
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- USDA Growing Zones: 2 to 11
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Needs: Good drainage, enriched or loamy soil
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03. Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)
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Freshly picked potatoes taste entirely different from the potatoes you buy in a grocery store. They have higher water content and a bitter, earthy flavor to usher in the freshness of spring. Growing potatoes in containers requires a lot of soil and water, but it is worth the resources and effort. Containers also add an extra level of protection against fungus or blight (Phtophthora infestans), which spreads easier among in-ground plants.
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- USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 10B
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Needs: Good drainage, loamy soil
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04. Squash (Curcurbita)
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Squash is an easy vegetable to grow, and squash blossoms are beautiful, delicate edibles. Most squashes require a lot of space and a reasonably large container. Ideal growing conditions include lots of light, good soil, as well as consistent watering and feeding. If you are going to grow a winter squash such as butternut squash in a container, make sure the variety you choose is not one of the giant types, which can weigh more than 20 pounds and topple the containers.
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- USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 10
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Needs: Rich soil, good drainage
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05. Lettuce and Salad Greens (Lactuca sativa)
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Growing lettuce and other salad greens in containers is fast. Container growing gives you the flexibility to control weeds and pests more easily than in-ground planting. Most lettuces and salad greens are spring crops although there are newer varieties developed to withstand summer heat. You can also extend your harvest by moving your container to a cooler shady area as the growing season heats up.
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- USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9
- Sun Exposure: Partial sun
- Soil Needs: Moist, fertile soil
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06. Hot and Sweet Peppers (Capsicum annuum)
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Both hot and sweet peppers can be spectacularly beautiful, especially orange and purple sweet peppers in containers. They thrive in grow boxes but can be grown in any large container with plenty of sun, good drainage, and consistent watering. Dry soil or overly wet soil is disastrous for peppers. One of the most significant benefits of planting peppers in containers is that you can move your plants inside if continuously stormy weather threatens your area for several days.
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- USDA Growing Zones: Grown as annuals in all zones
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Needs: Moist soil with good drainage
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07. Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus)
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Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are a fast-growing vegetable commonly grown in containers. These water-loving plants do best in large plastic or ceramic pots that help retain soil moisture. Growing cucumbers in containers is a great way to give them the heat they love (hotter ambient temperatures raise soil temperature quicker in pots than in-ground).
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- USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 12
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil Needs: Good drainage with moist, fertilizer-enriched soil
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08. Radishes (Raphanus sativus)
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Radishes grow quickly; most go from seed to harvest in just a month. They also do not need much space—they can grow in containers that are 4 to 6 inches deep. These plants will bolt in hot weather, but you control this easily by moving the plant into the shade or adding water to cool them down.
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- USDA Growing Zones: 2 to 10
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil Needs: Good drainage with moist soil
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09. Arugula (Eruca vesicaria)
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Spicy arugula leaves are tasty, and its edible flowers are a sweet treat. They are also beautiful. Arugula does not need a huge container—a pot 8 inches deep and 6 inches in diameter works. A benefit of growing arugula in a container is that you can move it.
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- USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 11
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil Needs: Good drainage with moist soil
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10. Eggplant (Solanum melongena)
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Eggplant is one of those great vegetables that also works as an ornamental. Some eggplant varieties can get dense and heavy; do not use those types in your container garden. Look at compact cultivars like ‘Fairytale’ and ‘Hansel’ which are beautiful and tasty.
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- USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 12
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Needs: Good drainage, evenly moist soil
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What are the benefits of container vegetable gardening?
It reduces problems posed by weather and critters, is suitable for beginners, doesn’t require a vast space, and allows for flexibility in arrangement and location.
What type of vegetables do well in containers?
Nightshades (like tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplants), fast-growing crops (like peas and lettuce), and leafy greens.
What is important to consider regarding container size for different vegetables?
Size depends on the vegetable; leafy greens need shallow containers, while plants like potatoes require deeper soil.
What are some tips for container vegetable gardening?
Adjust watering and feeding as container plants deplete soil moisture and nutrients more quickly than in-ground plants.
What are the characteristics of tomatoes suited for container gardening?
Tomatoes need large containers, staking, and thrive in deep, moist, well-draining soil.
What types of peas are suitable for container gardening?
English peas, snow peas, and sugar snap peas; they require support and good drainage.
Why are potatoes a good choice for container gardening?
Potatoes require a lot of soil and water, but containers offer protection against soil-borne pests and diseases.
What are key considerations when growing squash in containers?
Choose smaller varieties to avoid toppling containers; need lots of light, rich soil, consistent watering, and feeding.
Why are lettuce and salad greens recommended for container gardening?
Fast-growing, easier weed and pest control; can be grown in shallow pots with moist and fertile soil.
What are the requirements for growing peppers in containers?
Thrive in large containers with good drainage, moist soil, and frequent watering; can be moved indoors for protection.
What makes cucumbers suitable for container gardening?
Fast-growing, prefer large plastic or ceramic pots for moisture retention; need full sun to partial shade, good drainage, and moist, fertilizer-enriched soil.
What are the benefits of growing radishes in containers?
Quick growth, can fit in shallow containers (4-6 inches deep), can be moved to shaded areas to prevent bolting.
Why is arugula a good choice for container gardening?
Does well in shallow pots (8 inches deep, 6 inches wide), can be moved, and requires moist soil with good drainage.
What are some considerations when growing eggplant in containers?
Use compact cultivars that are heavy; need full sun, good drainage, and evenly moist soil.
