The Best Vegetables for Container Gardening
While you can technically grow just about anything in a container, there are some vegetables that simply do better in them than others. And if you don’t have a lot of outdoor space at home, container gardens allow you to experience the satisfaction of producing your own food without needing to design, install and tend to an expansive garden. All you need are a few well-draining containers and some high-quality soil to start growing these veggies at home.
Tomatoes
It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that tomatoes make excellent container plants. You’ve probably seen plenty of these delicious crops growing happily (and plentifully) on apartment balconies over the years. You can grow just about any kind of tomato in a container, as long as the pot is big enough, but there are some that do better in small spaces than others. One thing to keep in mind, as well, is that tomatoes are considered heavy feeders. You’ll want to invest in a top-notch fertilizer and keep your plants on a feeding schedule to make sure they get the nutrients they need to thrive.
Best container varieties: Tiny Tim, Sungold, Plum Regal, Galahad, Patio F1 Hybrid
See more:Â How to Start Homesteading in a Small Space
Radishes
Radishes may not be at the top of your grocery shopping list, but have you ever tasted a homegrown one? Even people who claim not to love radishes will change their tune if they taste one fresh from the garden (or container). Another bonus of growing these beautiful plants is that you can harvest your bounty in record time. Some varieties can be planted and harvested in less than three weeks. That’s pretty remarkable, especially considering how well they grow in small spaces!
Best container varieties: French Breakfast, Cherry Belle, Easter Egg
Salad Greens
Salad greens are some of the easiest plants you can grow in a container. You don’t even need a green thumb to keep things like kale and spinach alive long enough to harvest a dozen salads. Some gardeners like to start their greens indoors, but you can actually scatter the seeds (or plant them in rows) in your container, place them in an area with plenty of sunshine, water them diligently and see baby greens in no time at all. If you’re planting something like head lettuce, you’ll want to stick to the planting guidelines on the seed packet. But baby greens are so easy that even children can have fun planting and tending to them.
Best container varieties: New Zealand Spinach, Swiss Chard, Blue Scotch Curled Kale
See more:Â How to Start a Vegetable Garden From Seeds
Peppers
Did you know there are an estimated 50,000 or more different kinds of peppers in the world? Both sweet and hot peppers thrive in containers when conditions are right. As with most plants, you’re going to want to use rich soil and place the pot in a place that receives ample sunshine. As long as you keep them watered throughout the growing season, you’ll be in for a sweet (or spicy) treat this summer. You can even find ornamental varieties to give your space an extra pop of color.
Best container varieties: Poblano, Jalapeño, Sweet Bell Peppers, Cayenne Peppers
See more:Â Plant Chili Peppers to Spice Up Your Garden
Green Beans
If you grew up with grandparents who planted green beans, you may only be accustomed to the varieties that grow up tall trellises or poles. But did you know there are two different types of beans? Vining beans require a little more effort and space, but bush varieties can happily grow in small pots and containers on apartment balconies, courtyards and front porches. Most bean plants need to be planted 6 to 8 inches apart to thrive, so just make sure you measure before dropping the seeds into your containers.
Best container varieties: French Mascotte Bush Bean, Nickel Filet Bush Beans, Blue Lake Snap Beans
Cucumbers
Cucumbers make a refreshing addition to all kinds of meals, especially when those peak summer temperatures roll around. These fast-growing vegetables are probably some of the most common to find growing in container gardens around the world. They understandably need plenty of water to grow, so you want to make sure your containers are capable of retaining a decent amount of soil moisture. Similar to beans, cucumbers come in vining and bush types, so make sure you select a bush variety if you want the greatest chance of container growing success.
Best container varieties: Sweet Success, Bush Slicer, Salad Bush