With the right care and conditions, container gardens can be just as productive as in-ground gardens, especially when it comes to growing vegetables. All most vegetables need is full sun, regular watering and rich, well-drained soil. These conditions are easy to meet in the right containers—especially when paired with vegetables that are known to thrive in them.
Here are the 10 best vegetables to grow in your container garden—and everything you’ll need to get started.
First, choose the right containers for your container garden.
Because container gardens are often used to maximize growing space, it is important to choose the right containers for your space—and for what you’re planning to grow.
This terracotta planter stand, with room for nine terracotta pots across three staggered rows, is both beautiful and practical. With a small footprint, this planter stand is perfect for gardeners with limited areas of full sun. It is also a great option for balcony or patio gardeners.
Another great container for gardeners with limited space is this self-watering window planter, which is perfect for growing vegetables like shallots or lettuce on your porch, patio, or even an indoor windowsill.
Grow bags are another excellent option for container gardeners; and these grow bags in particular are especially great, as they feature mesh sides that allow the root stock to breathe and better absorb nutrients.
Whatever your space, there is a container sure to fit your needs—just make sure to purchase one with proper drainage!
Next, decide what to plant.
Once you have the right container(s) for your space, it is time to decide what to plant. Here are the 10 best best vegetables to grow in your container garden:
● Tomatoes
● Peppers
● Eggplants
● Green Onions (Scallions)
● Potatoes
● Cauliflower
● Lettuce
● Radishes
● Peas
● Carrots
While there are even more vegetables, flowers and fruits that can thrive in containers, these are the 10 vegetables I would recommend above all.
Tomatoes are probably the first vegetable you think of when you imagine a container garden—and for good reason! Tomatoes grow exceptionally well in containers.
Look for dwarf varieties if you’re especially short on space, but otherwise most tomato varieties stay small enough to grow in containers.
Pro tip: Invest in a tomato press before harvest. Tomatoes thrive in containers and you might just wind up with more tomatoes than you know what to do with. Homemade tomato sauce is an excellent way to put all those tomatoes to good use.
I’ve grown everything from bell peppers to jalapenos in containers to great success. Like tomatoes, peppers like full-sun and warm temperatures, so many cooler weather gardeners actually prefer to plant peppers in containers rather than in the ground.
Just be sure to stake your pepper plants. This half-circle steel garden support will more than get the job done.
Eggplants can grow beautifully in a container—as long as it’s the right one. Each plant requires 12 to 14 inches, so you’ll need rather large containers for your eggplants.
You will also need plenty of water. Like tomatoes, peppers and every other vegetable on this list, eggplants require regular, thorough watering—and container-grown eggplants, like all container-grown plants, requires more watering than their ground-grown counterparts.
Invest in a high-quality hose and spray nozzle, watering can, or traditional terracotta hydrator.
Green onions are one of the easiest vegetables to grow—just as they are one of the easiest vegetables to regrow from scraps.
They are unfussy and will thrive in basically any container; just make sure the container drains well.
When it comes time to harvest, invest in a sharp harvesting knife and enjoy fresh, crisp scallions atop baked potatoes, in scallion pancakes, or in omelettes.
While potatoes generally aren’t thought of as container vegetables, both white and sweet potatoes grow exceptionally well in grow bags.
Like asparagus, potatoes like to always be covered by soil as they grow. Container gardening makes it easy to keep an eye on—and correct, if necessary—this soil level. If you notice your container is looking a little low on soil as your potatoes grow, just scoop some more soil on top with your favorite, high-quality trowel and your potatoes will stay very happy, indeed!
Pro tip: just keep an eye on the moisture level of your soil, as soil dries more quickly in containers than it does in the ground. This 4-in-1 soil tester will help you keep your soil exactly where it needs to be!
Like eggplant, cauliflower requires large containers and careful watering—but once it has those two things, it does fare quite well in pots or raised planters.
Cauliflower is a heavy feeder, however, so it is important to include compost in your soil when growing it. Make your own with a small composting pail that is attractive enough to live on your kitchen counter! Your cauliflower will thank you—and then you’ll thank yourself once you see the harvest.
Almost all varieties of lettuce can be grown successfully in containers. You can sow lettuce directly into your containers or you can transplant more mature plants.
If you decide to transplant your lettuce, invest in an heirloom-quality garden transplant trowel, water well, and wait.
Many varieties of lettuce can be harvested multiple times during a single growing season, so grab a pair of spring-loaded garden scissors and get ready for crisp, delicious container-to-table salads every night.
Radishes don’t love the heat, so start them outside in containers early, or inside, where it’s cooler, all summer and spring. Just choose a container that’s at least six inches deep to allow for the proper formation of roots.
To water, invest in a terracotta watering vessel that will properly hydrate the plants without overwatering them. Soil that’s too wet can result in rotten radishes, so it is important to watch your soil here closely. Moist is the goal; wet never is.
Peas—in particular, sugar snap peas—are one of my personal favorite vegetables to grow in containers. They deliver a high yield for minimal effort, and even feature beautiful little white flowers along the way.
Invest in a high-quality pair of gardening gloves, a sturdy trowel, and start planting! Eventually, your peas will need a support structure, too. You can easily make your own with five to seven sticks. Just gather the sticks and arrange them in a triangular shape, secure them together with twine, and voila! Your peas are ready to climb.
Carrots are so fun to grow—especially in containers—but they require a little more care than the other vegetables I’ve mentioned.
First, carrots do not tolerate transplanting, so you will need to start with seeds. Grab a packet of carrot seeds from your seed library and get started. Germination takes between two to three weeks, at which point you may notice your seedlings starting to crowd one another. To thin things out, I like to use a pair of thread scissors to gently remove weaker-looking plants to help the stronger ones really thrive.
From there, growing carrots in containers is just like growing anything else: Watch your carrots closely, water them regularly, and wait for the wonder. It’s coming—with a crunch.
Growing a container garden helps to make the most of your limited gardening space. You should consider which containers you plan to use.
You can get grow bags which are a great option for growing food crops. Many people use 5-gallon buckets and other large food-safe totes and containers to grow their food.
When you are deciding what to plant in your containers, here are a few guidelines to follow:
When choosing to grow in containers, look for “dwarf”, “bush”, or “compact” varieties. These are smaller versions of full-size plants that do better in containers.
Because containers limit the size of the roots and available water, some plants are better-suited to grow in containers. Adding an olla to your container helps provide regular water for your plants.
With the right care and conditions, container gardens can be just as productive as in-ground gardens, especially when it comes to growing vegetables. All most vegetables need is full sun, regular watering and rich, well-drained soil. These conditions are easy to meet in the right containers—especially when paired with vegetables that are known to thrive in them.
Here are the 10 best vegetables to grow in your container garden—and everything you’ll need to get started.
First, choose the right containers for your container garden.
Because container gardens are often used to maximize growing space, it is important to choose the right containers for your space—and for what you’re planning to grow.
This terracotta planter stand, with room for nine terracotta pots across three staggered rows, is both beautiful and practical. With a small footprint, this planter stand is perfect for gardeners with limited areas of full sun. It is also a great option for balcony or patio gardeners.
Another great container for gardeners with limited space is this self-watering window planter, which is perfect for growing vegetables like shallots or lettuce on your porch, patio, or even an indoor windowsill.
Grow bags are another excellent option for container gardeners; and these grow bags in particular are especially great, as they feature mesh sides that allow the root stock to breathe and better absorb nutrients.
Whatever your space, there is a container sure to fit your needs—just make sure to purchase one with proper drainage!
Next, decide what to plant.
Once you have the right container(s) for your space, it is time to decide what to plant. Here are the 10 best best vegetables to grow in your container garden:
● Tomatoes
● Peppers
● Eggplants
● Green Onions (Scallions)
● Potatoes
● Cauliflower
● Lettuce
● Radishes
● Peas
● Carrots
While there are even more vegetables, flowers and fruits that can thrive in containers, these are the 10 vegetables I would recommend above all.
Tomatoes are probably the first vegetable you think of when you imagine a container garden—and for good reason! Tomatoes grow exceptionally well in containers.
Look for dwarf varieties if you’re especially short on space, but otherwise most tomato varieties stay small enough to grow in containers.
Pro tip: Invest in a tomato press before harvest. Tomatoes thrive in containers and you might just wind up with more tomatoes than you know what to do with. Homemade tomato sauce is an excellent way to put all those tomatoes to good use.
I’ve grown everything from bell peppers to jalapenos in containers to great success. Like tomatoes, peppers like full-sun and warm temperatures, so many cooler weather gardeners actually prefer to plant peppers in containers rather than in the ground.
Just be sure to stake your pepper plants. This half-circle steel garden support will more than get the job done.
Eggplants can grow beautifully in a container—as long as it’s the right one. Each plant requires 12 to 14 inches, so you’ll need rather large containers for your eggplants.
You will also need plenty of water. Like tomatoes, peppers and every other vegetable on this list, eggplants require regular, thorough watering—and container-grown eggplants, like all container-grown plants, requires more watering than their ground-grown counterparts.
Invest in a high-quality hose and spray nozzle, watering can, or traditional terracotta hydrator.
Green onions are one of the easiest vegetables to grow—just as they are one of the easiest vegetables to regrow from scraps.
They are unfussy and will thrive in basically any container; just make sure the container drains well.
When it comes time to harvest, invest in a sharp harvesting knife and enjoy fresh, crisp scallions atop baked potatoes, in scallion pancakes, or in omelettes.
While potatoes generally aren’t thought of as container vegetables, both white and sweet potatoes grow exceptionally well in grow bags.
Like asparagus, potatoes like to always be covered by soil as they grow. Container gardening makes it easy to keep an eye on—and correct, if necessary—this soil level. If you notice your container is looking a little low on soil as your potatoes grow, just scoop some more soil on top with your favorite, high-quality trowel and your potatoes will stay very happy, indeed!
Pro tip: just keep an eye on the moisture level of your soil, as soil dries more quickly in containers than it does in the ground. This 4-in-1 soil tester will help you keep your soil exactly where it needs to be!
Like eggplant, cauliflower requires large containers and careful watering—but once it has those two things, it does fare quite well in pots or raised planters.
Cauliflower is a heavy feeder, however, so it is important to include compost in your soil when growing it. Make your own with a small composting pail that is attractive enough to live on your kitchen counter! Your cauliflower will thank you—and then you’ll thank yourself once you see the harvest.
Almost all varieties of lettuce can be grown successfully in containers. You can sow lettuce directly into your containers or you can transplant more mature plants.
If you decide to transplant your lettuce, invest in an heirloom-quality garden transplant trowel, water well, and wait.
Many varieties of lettuce can be harvested multiple times during a single growing season, so grab a pair of spring-loaded garden scissors and get ready for crisp, delicious container-to-table salads every night.
Radishes don’t love the heat, so start them outside in containers early, or inside, where it’s cooler, all summer and spring. Just choose a container that’s at least six inches deep to allow for the proper formation of roots.
To water, invest in a terracotta watering vessel that will properly hydrate the plants without overwatering them. Soil that’s too wet can result in rotten radishes, so it is important to watch your soil here closely. Moist is the goal; wet never is.
Peas—in particular, sugar snap peas—are one of my personal favorite vegetables to grow in containers. They deliver a high yield for minimal effort, and even feature beautiful little white flowers along the way.
Invest in a high-quality pair of gardening gloves, a sturdy trowel, and start planting! Eventually, your peas will need a support structure, too. You can easily make your own with five to seven sticks. Just gather the sticks and arrange them in a triangular shape, secure them together with twine, and voila! Your peas are ready to climb.
Carrots are so fun to grow—especially in containers—but they require a little more care than the other vegetables I’ve mentioned.
First, carrots do not tolerate transplanting, so you will need to start with seeds. Grab a packet of carrot seeds from your seed library and get started. Germination takes between two to three weeks, at which point you may notice your seedlings starting to crowd one another. To thin things out, I like to use a pair of thread scissors to gently remove weaker-looking plants to help the stronger ones really thrive.
From there, growing carrots in containers is just like growing anything else: Watch your carrots closely, water them regularly, and wait for the wonder. It’s coming—with a crunch.
Growing a container garden helps to make the most of your limited gardening space. You should consider which containers you plan to use.
You can get grow bags which are a great option for growing food crops. Many people use 5-gallon buckets and other large food-safe totes and containers to grow their food.
When you are deciding what to plant in your containers, here are a few guidelines to follow:
When choosing to grow in containers, look for “dwarf”, “bush”, or “compact” varieties. These are smaller versions of full-size plants that do better in containers.
Because containers limit the size of the roots and available water, some plants are better-suited to grow in containers. Adding an olla to your container helps provide regular water for your plants.
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