Have you ever wondered what vegetables can be grown in containers? If you have a backyard homestead with no space for a big garden, then container gardening may be just the thing you are looking for.
Almost anything that can be planted in soil can be grown in containers of various shapes and sizes, such as flowers, vegetables, and even trees. Although not an exhaustive list, in this post, we will discuss vegetables that shine in container gardening.
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Tricks for success
Before we start, let’s discuss a few keys to keep in mind about container gardening. Make sure the vessel’s diameter and depth are large and deep enough for the plant(s) you will grow, that it is heavy enough to not tip over in the wind, and it has sufficient drainage.
Other things to be aware of with container gardening is that your plants will need watering and feeding more frequently. Potted plants are more susceptible to changes in temperature and may overheat and freeze easier than their in-ground counterparts.
When planting several things together, make sure they are compatible in sun, watering and nutrient needs. For a fuller appearance, plants can be spaced about one-third closer than in-ground planting. Check out Vegetable Companion Planting for Insects, Vegetable Companion Planting for Yield and Flavor, and the Vegetable Companion Planting Cheat Sheet.
Often the smaller varieties grow best in containers. These may be labeled as bush, compact, dwarf, miniature, patio, or trailing. They should be groomed regularly to prevent fungal diseases and pests and to stop unwanted sprawl.
Leaf lettuces and leafy greens
Leaf lettuces and leafy greens, such as chard, kale and spinach, are hard to beat because they are fast growing and their roots are shallow so they only require about six-to-eight-inch soil depth.
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These grow best in the spring and fall because they don’t like the heat of summer. In many climates they may do well with partial sun or even mostly shaded areas in the summer.
For a continual harvest, pick the outside leaves first to keep them growing, or plant successively every two weeks if you take the whole head.
Nightshades
Nightshades, such as tomatoes, eggplant, and both hot and bell peppers do well in pots. Potatoes, although a nightshade, have very different growing needs and will be discussed next.
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Generally speaking, one plant per large pot, but the size of the pot is determined by the size of the fruit, with a larger pot for larger-sized fruit. These are sun and heat loving plants, so place in full sun.
Keep the soil moist, but well drained, watering deeply from the base of the plants. As they grow tall, these will need staking to keep the fruit from breaking the stems. Tumbling cherry tomato varieties can hang down from hanging baskets or window boxes.
Growing in containers keeps these plants off the ground, which assists in preventing diseases and pests from easily overcoming your plants. Space containers so that if one plant gets infected, it won’t spread easily.
Wait until tomatoes and peppers are fully ripe for the best flavor. Some varieties of tomatoes can be harvested in less than 60 days. Eggplant is best picked when the fruit is young with small seeds and thin skin.
Potatoes
While potatoes are technically a nightshade, they grow very differently than the other nightshades. Smaller “new” potatoes do best in containers, rather than big Russets. Growing potatoes in containers protects against fungus and blight.
Start potatoes in the spring and keep the container shaded from the hot summer sun because when the roots warm up, they may stop producing. However, the foliage needs 6-8 hours of full sun.
You will need a container that is about 2-3 feet tall with a 10–15-gallon capacity. If it is taller, the tops may dry out while the potatoes get soggy and rot. Make sure your container has good drainage.
Plant by starting with 6-8 inches of potting soil and space seed potatoes about one foot apart and add six more inches of soil. Throughout the season add six inches of soil at a time, leaving six inches of foliage exposed.
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Harvest when tops turn yellow, or at the first frost (if you don’t bring the pot inside). Gently sift through the soil so you don’t bruise the potatoes, and brush off the extra soil. Store without washing.
Legumes
Peas and beans are both legumes that are beginning gardener friendly. Bush beans won’t require any trellis, but pole beans and peas will require a trellis, wall or fence to grow up onto. Growing up with enough air circulation also inhibits diseases and pests.
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Peas are a cool weather crop, enduring light frost and even a light snow, but you will need to protect them from a hard frost. They stop flowering when temperatures are in the 70’s F. Once the pea harvest is over, the pot can be used for another crop that likes the nitrogen the peas have deposited in the soil.
There are two types of beans, green beans in which the whole pod is eaten, and dry beans where the beans are shelled. Beans should be planted after the last frost and can be planted successively for continuous harvesting.
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Both peas and green beans should be harvested while they are young and tender. Harvesting them often, even daily, will encourage more to grow. Dry beans should be left on the vines until the beans rattle inside the pods.
Brassicaceae a.k.a. Brassicas or Cruciferous (cabbage/mustard family)
Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, turnips, and radishes are examples of this family of plants. They like cooler weather, so they are best grown in the spring and fall, but they still like full sun and moist, well-drained soil.
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Broccoli actually increases its sugar content to prevent freezing when it is subject to freezing temperatures down to the mid 20’s F. Heat and drought make for bitter broccoli, so keep the soil moist and give it shade when the temperatures start heating up.
Several varieties of radishes mature in less than a month! The foliage is beautiful but there are no roots to eat if the soil is too rich. Harvest as soon as they are ready so they don’t get woody. Radishes can be planted weekly to have a continual harvest.
Cucurbits
This vining plant family includes cucumbers, squashes, pumpkins, and melons. They like full to partial sun and fertile, well-drained soil. These are great beginning gardener plants.
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Use dwarf varieties of squashes, pumpkins, and melons. Use raised bed type containers, rather than pots, to accommodate the sprawl of these plants.
Using a trellis to help cucumbers and summer squashes to grow up keeps the leaves dry to better withstand bacterial or fungal diseases and pests don’t just walk up, and it also gives them more sun exposure, and makes harvesting easier.
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Cucumbers like cooler weather. Harvest them early and often (even daily) which keeps them flowering and producing. Water them frequently to keep them from becoming bitter.
Summer squashes are best when the fruit is harvested young at about 6” long and seeds are small. However, they are still edible if they get much larger.
Harvest winter squashes and pumpkins just before the first frost. Melons are ready when the vine dies next to the fruit and/or the fruit’s underside turns white or cream colored.
Happy Gardening
Although this has not been an exhaustive list, the varieties of foods that can grow well in containers is plentiful. If you don’t have room for a large garden plot, container gardening may be just the thing your circumstances require.
With a little knowledge about the advantages and tricks for success, container gardening can provide you with some of your favorite vegetables and a sense of satisfaction that you grew some of your own food. Happy gardening!
I started life on an 80-acre homestead in Alaska where my sisters and I learned gardening, sewing, and how to follow recipes from my mother. My mother-in-law increased my cooking abilities, taught me how to can, and how to live on a tight budget. I used these skills to make ends meet while raising six children. I put my college education on hold until my youngest was grown and then, as a grandmother, received my Bachelor’s Degree, crossing the stage with one of my sons. After living on every size acreage from apartments and small city lots to several acres and currently back on a 47-acre homestead, I have come to realize that homesteading is really about the mindset of becoming as self-sufficient as possible, or at least knowing how to do so. I look forward to carrying on this legacy with my thirteen grandchildren and my readers.
Pam - An Artful Mom
Thursday 18th of May 2023
What a great post! I haven't had the energy, lately, for a big garden, but I've been wanting to do some container gardening. I'm pinning this as a reference (and also to my Thursday Favorite Things board.) I'll be featuring this post today at Thursday Favorite Things, starting at 10:00 a.m. Central Time. Thanks for sharing this great post with us. :)