Growing Vegetables In Containers [fact sheet] (2024)

FAQs

Can vegetables be grown in containers? ›

Almost any vegetable can be grown in a container given the right variety and container size. However, determinate, dwarf and compact vegetable varieties often work best.

Avoid containers that might contain toxic substances, e.g., treated wood or plastic buckets that may have stored chemicals. Satisfactory containers include plastic or fiber nursery pots; wooden bushel baskets; plastic, metal or wooden buckets; milk cartons - even plastic bags and recycled cardboard boxes.

Once plant roots have filled their pots and the weather gets hot in summer, you can plan on watering on a daily basis. Remember that fluctuations in soil moisture can worsen blossom-end rot in tomatoes. It is better to have constant moisture than to alternate wet and dry conditions.

Following are container soil depth recommendations for popular vegetables: 6" to 9" for shallow rooted vegetables: chives, lettuces, green onions, radishes, spinach. 12" to 18" for moderate depth vegetables: eggplant, peppers, beets, broccoli, carrots (short varieties), cauliflower, celery, chard, kale, peas.

To grow a successful container vegetable garden, start with great soil—not soil from your yard, but what's known as a potting mix. These mixes, like Miracle-Gro® Potting Soil, contain the right blend of materials like coir, peat moss and/or compost to create an ideal growing environment for roots inside a pot.

Home Depot Homer buckets are great for holding lots of things, but they're not food-grade. Yes, these buckets are made from HDPE (high density polyethylene) and have a #2 recycling symbol.

Plastic or clay pots, buckets, baskets, and wooden boxes are suitable for most vegetables. Plastic tubs and garbage barrels provide space for roots of rank-growing vegetables, such as cucumbers and tomatoes.

Since all parts of the container plant are above ground, they are more susceptible to cold injury than those growing in the ground. For this reason, added protection should be provided for most container plants during periods of extreme cold.

Do container vegetables need fertilizer? ›

Fertilizing container-grown vegetables

As watering results in the leaching of nutrients from containers. The amount of fertilizer needed will depend on many factors including what type of plant(s) you are growing, the size of the container, how often it's watered, as well as what type of fertilizer is used.

Yes, you could use either garden soil or potting soil to grow outdoor plants. However, potting soil is a better choice as a growing medium as it's specifically created to support plant growth. But neither is the right choice for indoor plants or container gardening.

- Wood planters, window boxes and half-wine barrels are among the best choices for growing vegetables in containers. - Plastic pots are lightweight, cheap and widely available in myriad colors, shapes and sizes.

Options for Lightweight Pot Fillers

Wood Chips, Pine Cones, Leaves, and Sticks (These materials will break down over time but work fine for seasonal planters.)

Morning watering is actually preferable to evening watering as the plant has time to dry before the sun goes down. At night, water tends to rest in the soil, around the roots, and on the foliage, which encourages rot, fungal growth, and insects.

Lettuce. Lettuce is one of the easiest vegetables to grow in a container. It grows quickly and has shallow roots. Once it grows, you can pluck it directly for your salads and sandwiches.

Container gardens are easy to keep weed-free, and if you use a good planting mix your results with many varieties should equal a raised bed. However, container plants dry out much faster, thus requiring greater watering vigilance. Uneven irrigation can lead to other problems, such as blossom end rot in tomatoes.

One 5 gallon bucket can be home to one vegetable plant or two, or three small herbs. Before you go off to start building your bucket garden, let's go over some common questions about bucket gardening for beginners.