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Looking to grow your own organic vegetables but have limited space? Container gardening is the easiest and cheapest alternative. Container gardening is ideal for those who have only small spaces to dedicate to their plants. If you have only a small patio or deck, or if your garden is tiny, container gardening is the best choice for you.
The best thing about container gardening is that you can use almost anything as a container, as long as it's clean and durable. It means you have several very affordable options you can use. All you need is the right size containers and potting mixes made specially for container gardening.
Here is our list of 10 vegetables that you can easily grow in containers + plant combination ideas for container gardens
1. Tomato
Tomatoes are the holy grail of gardens. Who can resist all those sweet, juicy orbs ripening in the sun every summer, filling the air with that unmistakable sweet tomato flavor.
Growing tomatoes in pots really levels the playing field in the home garden game, as it allows even gardeners short on space (say, a balcony or side patio) to grow beautiful and productive plants regardless of real estate.
2. Cabbage
Growing cabbage in containers is fairly easy! You can do this in a small space and produce a fiber-rich, nutritious, and a low-calorie vegetable that can be cooked for a delicious meal or can be tossed directly into salads! It does very well in containers and growing it is fun as well!
A 10-12 inches wide and deep pot is a good choice for growing cabbages. Limit on container to one cabbage only , as planting more cabbage will result in smaller heads. The pot should have adequate drainage too. If you want to plant more cabbages in a single pot, go for wider containers.
3. Garlic
Growing garlic in pots is completely doable and easy, but there are a few things to keep in mind if you do so. Garlic is prone to fungal root diseases, so it is important that the soil you plant the cloves in drains well. Don't be tempted to put regular garden soil in the containers. We recommend a potting mix specifically made for container gardening. To begin, you'll need a container that's at least 8 to 10 inches deep. This will give the roots enough space to grow comfortably. Separate your store bought garlic into single cloves. Cloves must be planted four to six inches apart, so keep that in mind when you're selecting your container. Unlike planting it in the ground, when you're growing garlic in pots there's no need to use a trowel; just push each clove down into the potting mix with your finger.
4. Beetroot
Growing Beets in Containers is easy. This quick-growing vegetable doesn’t require much care and perfect for beginner container gardeners
Beets need a pot that's ten inches deep at the very least, so the roots have plenty of room to grow and stretch. The container can be as wide or long as you want it to be, depending on how many beets you'd like to plant. Keep in mind that they need to be sowed three inches apart in order to have enough room to mature. Beets don’t like to be transplanted, so no role of seed trays! Pick desired pots and sow seeds 1/4 inch deep. Once they germinate and reach a significant height, select the healthiest seedlings and thin others apart to maintain the recommended 3 inches distance spacing.
5. Coriander
Coriander is an excellent herb to grow in pots for several reasons
First of all coriander reacts badly to periods of high heat – so growing it in containers means that you can easily change its environment
Secondly, coriander hates being waterlogged so again you can change its environment if you grow it in pots.
Last but not the least, growing coriander in pots means that you can grow specific plants in an area and easily sow in succession between spring and autumn to ensure that you always have a supply of coriander leaves for your cooking.
Pots for growing coriander should be around 25 cm in diameter and 25 cm deep because coriander has deep to roots. Selecting smaller pots for growing coriander can mean that the herb becomes rootbound. The compost won’t be able to retain enough moisture and your coriander will wilt and die. The germination of coriander seeds can take 14-21 days and I can tell you it feels like an absolute age. If you’re looking for how to grow coriander from seeds in a pot you can potentially speed up the coriander germination time by soaking your coriander seeds for 24-48 hours.
6. Carrot
Container grown carrots are a great option for both gardeners limited on space or beginners alike. In fact, short on space or not, growing carrots in containers is a lot easier than growing carrots in the ground or in a raised bed. A container garden approach to growing carrots means gardeners avoid common issues such as pests, poor soil or garden weeds. When choosing the best container, depth is the most important factor to consider. Carrots can be grown in most container shapes ranging between 6 to 15 inches in depth.
Check the specific depth requirements according to the variety of carrots you’re growing.
Most carrot varieties require a minimum container depth of 12 inches, with 1.5 to 2 cm of spacing available between seedlings and the container edge. Good spacing and depth will allow carrots to grow well and fully develop.
7. Lettuce
Growing lettuce is very quick and easy and the plant is ideally suited to growing in pots. Utilizing containers to grow delicious leaves offers many benefits. You can grow it all year round. When choosing container type consider a container with 6" depth and good drainage. Use the right mix of soil, clay, compost, and sand. Like many vegetables, lettuce thrives in full sunlight and consistent watering. Depending on the variety it can take anywhere from 6 to 14 weeks from sowing to become ready for harvest.
8. Radish
Radishes are one of the fastest-growing vegetables. Patio and small space gardeners can easily grow radishes in containers. Planting radish seeds in pots produces the food I quickly and with minimum effort. Select a pot that is at least 6 inches deep for most regular radish varieties like Cherry Belle, Purple Plum, and Easter Egg. These radish varieties take 3-5 weeks to reach the harvesting period after planting.
Most radishes don’t require more than two inches of spacing.
9. Bell Pepper
Growing peppers in containers is a great way to harvest fresh homegrown produce even when you have limited space. With the right techniques, the proper plants, sunlight, fertilizer and water, you'll be picking a peck of peppers before you know it.
Peppers need room for their roots to spread, so choose a pot at least 12 inches in diameter. A young pepper plant may initially appear small in such a large vessel, but it will fill out the container in no time.
Purchase a pot with holes in the bottom, or drill your own to ensure adequate drainage. Use a plastic or metal pot instead of fast-drying terra cotta, especially because peppers require consistently moist soil.
10. Cucumber
Although cucumbers have sprawling vines, you can grow them in containers. The key is to choose a compact variety like cucumber marketer or poinsett and train those vines up a trellis. The crop climbs high, conserving space and harvesting is a breeze. In addition, growing in containers is a great way to give cucumbers the extra heat they love and control moisture and fertility. Cucumbers need large pots with plenty of soil, so they can develop extensive root systems to support vigorous growth and abundant crops. Choose a container that holds at least 5 gallons (or 20 quarts) of soil for each plant; a larger container is even better. Self watering planters are especially good for cucumbers because they provide some insurance against drying out. Because of the built-in reservoir, self-watering planters don't dry out as quickly. You'll still need to monitor the moisture level, but you'll have more time between waterings.
That's it for our top 10 vegetables to easily grow in containers. Be sure to get your quality seeds and potting mix from Kantanka Farms for a bumper harvest. Try our 10 in 1 garden starter pack which contains carrot, lettuce, beetroot, parsley, cucumber, okra, sweet pepper, radish, onion and scent leaf. It is currently on sale for 81ghc only!
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