Are you a beginner gardener? Container gardening is perfect for you! This article will teach you about the best vegetables for container gardening. You will also learn about the benefits of container gardening and some tips for getting started. By the end of this article, you will be excited to get started on your own container garden!
What is container vegetable gardening?
Container gardening is a popular way to garden that does not require a lot of space. You can grow a variety of plants in containers, including vegetables, fruits, and flowers. Containers can be placed on a patio, deck, or porch, or they can be hung from a balcony or porch railing.
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What types of containers can I use to plant?
There are many types of containers you can use for container gardening. Remember that whatever you chose to as a container for your garden, make sure it has good drainage.
For many containers, make sure you create holes at the bottom to help drain the water.
Another important information is that containers that contain harmful chemicals you do not use as planters at all.
You see, if the container you are thinking of using for your vegetable container garden has dangerous toxins that are harmful to humans, pets will be detrimental to plants as well.
Always check and see how deep a plant must be before planting it in any container. Container diameter and depth vary and will affect the growth of the plants.
So, what are the types of containers you can use on a vegetable container garden? Check out the list below:
- Clay pots
- Plastic pots
- Milk jugs
- Ice cream containers
- Polyethylene plastic bags
- Planter boxes
- Bushel baskets
- Barrels
Give this a quick read to discover the vegetables that work best for a container garden.
6 of The Best Vegetables to Grow in Containers
Radish
Crispy and peppery, radishes may be your salad staple, and yes, they are one of the best veggies to get started within your container garden, since they grow super quick.
You can expect them to go from seed to harvest in just a month- how cool is that? Radishes typically require full to medium sunlight, and flourish in moist soil.
Beets
Beets are great container crops. Before you get started on these, here’s a quick tip- soak the seeds in warm water for a while before you plant them in the soil. This helps speed up their germination.
Soak them in batches every couple of weeks after winter ends, and you’ll be able to have fresh produce coming in throughout the summer. The best time to harvest beets is once they attain the size of golf balls.
Lettuce
Lettuce and almost all salad greens are again, great for growing in containers.
In fact, if you’re looking to reap the benefits of your labor quickly, they are the ones to get started on- they offer you the most bang for your buck.
What’s more, they don’t even need a lot of sunlight, and you can grow them from seeds pretty easily too!
Peppers
Both hot and sweet peppers can thrive easily in small spaces and are another good option if you’re looking for a veggie for your container garden.
They do need a modest amount of care though plenty of sun, consistent watering and soil with good drainage, but once you tick all the boxes, you’ll be loaded with fresh produce!
Tomatoes
From pots and grow bags to even small baskets, you’ll be surprised at how adaptable the tomato plants are. It can grow almost anywhere!
What’s more, they are super versatile too! You know you’ll need tomatoes almost every day right?
Just make sure you choose a variety that doesn’t get too full and bulky, and plant them when it is not too cold.
Also, feed the plant with a high potash fertilizer occasionally to reap even more tomatoes.
Herbs
Herbs are one of the easiest plants to get started with if you’re new to container gardening or even just plain gardening!
Thyme, chives, mint, parsley, sage, coriander and rosemary are all good options.
Pick the herbs that you love to cook with and use often, and plant them in small containers for a constant supply.
The video below gives a pretty good detail on what are the best vegetables to grow in containers.
What are the best vegetables to grow on a balcony?
If space is limited and you have balcony space, the good news is that you can grow vegetables in containers on your balcony.
The vegetables mention above will do well in containers plus the following:
- Cucumbers
- Squash
- Celery
- Greens
- Herbs
- Broccoli
- Mint
- Rosemary
What vegetables can be potted together?
One of the easiest and most practical types of gardening is container gardening, especially for those with small plots or limited areas. As a result, many people have been curious as to what veggies grow nicely together in containers.
Here we provide a response to this query. Continue reading!
Cucumber and beans
Beans are a fantastic plant to cultivate alongside cucumbers because they help the cucumber plant by fixing nitrogen in the soil.
Aside with dill, celery, corn, and lettuce, ideal companion plants for cucumbers are celery and corn.
Cauliflower and beans
Beans can be grown close to cauliflower because they draw in beneficial insects and keep pests away from the plant.
As companion plants for cauliflower, you can also grow celery, onions, beets, spinach, and cucumbers.
Zucchini and corn
Because the vines may flourish between the stalks, zucchini grows well with corn. Additionally, it thrives with crops like dill, beans, peas, and radishes.
Broccoli and onions
In order to promote better development and flavor, plant onions close to broccoli.
For the same advantages, grow potatoes, celery, garlic, shallots, leeks, and shallots alongside broccoli.
Lettuce and mint
Planting mint next to lettuce will shield it from slugs and aphids that want to eat the leaves.
In close proximity to the lettuce plant, you can also grow crops like beans, broccoli, cabbage, peas, radishes, and carrots.
Radish and cucumbers
Together, cucumbers and radishes thrive and keep cucumber pests away.
As carrots grow more quickly than radishes, you can also cultivate them with them. When the radishes are harvested, the soil will become looser, which will help the carrots thrive.
Eggplant and bush beans
Bush beans are a good companion plant for eggplant because they help fix nitrogen in the soil.
The eggplant can also be combined with tomatoes, potatoes, spinach, peas, tarragon, and thyme.
Peas and celery
Growing celery with peas promotes soil nitrogen fixation, which improves pea growth.
Peas thrive in close proximity to plants like strawberries, turnips, potatoes, peppers, spinach, and spinach.
What vegetables can I grow in a 2-gallon container?
The variety of veggies you can successfully grow in your container garden expands when you plant in 2 gallon containers, which don’t take up much more room and have double the soil capacity. Here are the veggies that grow in two gallon containers.
Cabbage
A typical headed cabbage can be grown in a two gallon pot, but the head will be quite little. It is possible, but you would have to wait until the cabbage is fully grown before you could enjoy the plant.
Bok choy or Chinese cabbage
Bok Choy grows to a smaller size and fits comfortably into a two-gallon container. The plant is more advantageous than regular cabbages because it may be harvested for individual stems and leaves as needed. The majority of Chinese cabbage varieties also fall under this category. However, with fully grown Chinese Cabbages, the plants won’t grow as big as those that are grown in the ground.
Swiss chard
A 2 gallon bucket will allow Swiss chard to grow more, but you could also fit two distinct plants inside of it. Your decision. When you need more leaves, harvest them.
Kale
In a two gallon container rather than a one gallon container, kale will do far better. After harvesting, the plants will expand and the leaves will regrow more quickly.
Cherry tomatoes
In a two gallon pot, cherry tomatoes will have just the appropriate amount of root room to thrive and bear fruit. In these circumstances, normal-sized tomatoes become too crowded and cannot yield as intended.
What vegetables can I grow in 12 inch pots?
The options are pretty much infinite once you start growing in 12 inch containers but here’s a few.
- Beans: The best bush varieties are ‘Provider’ and ‘Derby. In a 12-inch pot, you might attempt growing three or four of these plants.
- Beets: Any variety thrives in a pot, and even dwarf types like “Red Ace” do well in miniature containers. In a 12-inch pot, you should have around six plants in the end; if you’re growing them for greens or to be harvested as baby beets, you may need more.
- Carrots: Choose baby kinds like “Little Fingers,” “Short ‘n Sweet,” or “Thumbelina” to start. In pots as little as 6 to 8 inches deep, you can obtain a bountiful harvest if you water them carefully.
- Peas: Consider English peas, Sugar Bon snap peas, “Dwarf Grey Sugar” snow peas, or dwarf pea varieties like “Green Arrow” and “Maestro.” Any larger variety requires a trellis. It should be ok to put six plants in a 12-inch planter.
Which vegetables can be grown in small pots?
This may seem like an impossibility if you don’t have a backyard or live in an apartment, but you might be amazed at the range of vegetables you can grow in small pots.
Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, green onions, beans, lettuce, squash, radishes, and parsley are vegetables that do well in small containers.
What vegetables grow in pots well?
Check out these vegetables that you can grow even without a garden plot if you have a patio, porch, or balcony but with enough sun exposure.
Potatoes
Although it takes a lot of soil and water to grow potatoes in containers, the investment of time and resources is worthwhile. Additionally, containers provide an additional layer of defense against fungus or blight, which spreads more quickly among in-ground plants.
Squash
The majority of squashes need a lot of room and a huge container. The best growing circumstances include plenty of light, healthy soil, regular watering, and feeding.
Cucumber
Fast-growing cucumbers are a popular container-grown crop. Large plastic or ceramic pots that aid in soil moisture retention work best for these water-loving plants.
Lettuce and salad greens
It takes little time to grow lettuce and other salad greens in containers. When growing in containers as opposed to in the ground, you have more control over weeds and pests.
Radish
They can grow in containers that are 4 to 6 inches deep, so they don’t require much room. In hot weather, these plants will bolt, but you can easily prevent this by putting the plant into the shade or adding water to cool it down.
Eggplant
To support the roots and bush-like growth of this plant, large containers are required. Additionally, glazed ceramic pots, which retain water longer, are something to think about if you’re buying new pots.
Fast-growing vegetables in pots
Although it is enjoyable and simple to grow vegetables in pots, many plants take a long time to mature. Check out this list of vegetables that grow quickly in containers if you simply can’t wait to see some results.
- Lettuce: Use a loamy, slightly acidic to neutral potting soil and place your lettuce containers in moderate shade.
- Arugula: Use a neutral pH potting soil, place your arugula pots in full sun, and make sure your pots have enough drainage.
- Spinach: Choose a container that is at least six to eight inches tall, and then fill it with neutral pH, humus-rich, well-draining potting soil.
- Radish: Keep your radish planters free of weeds and keep the soil moist during the whole growth season. Set up your radish containers in a loamy, sandy potting soil with a pH of neutral, under direct sunlight.
- Scallions: A rich, well-draining, loamy or sandy substrate is preferred by scallions. Use a high-nitrogen feed, such as fish emulsion, to nourish the soil.
Best vegetables to grow in pots in Florida
You can grow almost any vegetable in a container. You can choose from many dwarf kinds to grow a variety of plants in pots, including lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans. You have several options; listed below are common vegetables in dwarf types that are suitable for Florida.
- English Pea – Little Marvel, Half Pint
- Pumpkin – Jack Be Little, Small Sugar, Baby Boo
- Tomato – Patio, Small Fry, Tiny Tim
- French bean – Golden Child, Allicante
- Beet – Babby Ball
- Cabbage – Baby Pixie
- Carrot – Little finger, Parisian, Round Romeo, Atlas
- Cauliflower – Snowball
- Cucumber – Very Kuhl, Spacemaster, Bush Champion
- Eggplant – Bambino, Pot Black
- Kale – Dwarf Blue Curled
- Lettuce – Tom Thumb, Little Gem, Bambi, Claremont
