Container Gardens - Growing Vegetables and Herbs

Wiese Acres Mint containers

I'm fortunate enough to have plenty of garden space for my herbs and vegetables, but for those who don't, there are many herbs and vegetables that can be successfully grown in containers.   In fact, even though I have space, there are some herbs I grow in containers.

I grow mints in containers so that I can keep them in check.  I made the mistake of planting a hardy perennial mint in the garden one time, many years back.  I'm still pulling mint out of places where it isn't wanted.  Mint plants are pretty cheap, so I'd rather replant them in pots each year than let them loose in my gardens.  I can plant a variety of mints, such as ginger mint, pineapple mint, apple mint, and orange mint, which make a wonderful addition to ice tea, without worrying about them running roughshod over my other plants.

I also plant rosemary in a container so that I can bring it indoors in the fall and have fresh rosemary throughout the winter.  My bay laurel tree lives in a pot for the same reason.  You can also overwinter chives, parsley and cilantro for fresh use, if you wish.  Basil is another herb that does well in containers.  Thyme makes a nice ground cover plant in drought tolerant containers, however, it can become a little aggressive and crowd out the other plants.



There are many vegetables that are suitable for growing in containers.  Tomatoes grown in containers should be "determinate" tomatoes, meaning they grow to a "determined" size and then stop growing, usually remaining in a compact, bushy form.  Determinate tomatoes rarely require staking, which also makes them easier to grow in a container, and they bloom and produce fruit at the same time, so they produce over a much longer time frame.  Some of the more popular determinate tomato varieties that are suitable for containers are Early Wonder, Early Girl Bush, Rutgers (heirloom variety), Roma, Celebrity, and all the "patio" tomatoes.  Containers for tomatoes should hold four to five gallons of soil per plant.

Cucumbers can also be grown in a container, using a trellis to train the vines.  Trellises make the cukes very easy to pick and allow you to grow a pretty substantial vine in a very small space.  Picklebush, Salad Bush Hybrid, Spacemaster and Midget Bush Hybrid are recommended varieties for containers, but almost any bush type cuke will work fine.  Cucumbers also need soil volume of four to five gallons of soil per plant.

Peppers are great container plants and almost any variety will do just fine in a nice sized container.  Provider green beans do well in containers.  Peppers and beans need approximately 2 gallons of soil per plant.

Leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, spinach, and even cabbage can be grown in containers.  If you like red cabbage, it actually can make a nice addition to a combination flower and vegetable container.  Swiss chard is a leafy green that comes in some very colorful varieties, which can be used as the "thriller" in a mixed container. 

Root crops, such as radishes, beets, carrots and onions can also be grown in containers, however, they do best in broad, deep containers.  Most radish varieties can be grown in containers.  Red Ace F1 Hybrid  and Bull's Blood are good container beet varieties.  Scarlet Nantes is a good carrot variety.  Bunching type onions are most suited for container growing. 

Leafy vegetables and root crops all need containers that hold approximately 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 gallons of soil per plant.

Even squash can be grown in containers.  Black magic zucchini is a good choice for containers.  Acorn, Sugar Dumpling, and Delicata are winter squash that have more of a bush type growth habit so they can be grown in containers, using a trellis to support them.  Squash need a similar sized container as tomatoes and cucumbers.

Most vegetables require full sun, although leafy, non-blooming vegetables, such as lettuce and spinach, can tolerate part shade.  Most herbs tolerate some shade as well.

Virtually any type of vegetable can be grown in containers, as long as the container size is large enough to support the root mass necessary for the plant to produce vegetables.  So everyone can enjoy the taste of a sun-warmed tomato picked fresh off the vine or find themselves sneaking around trying to dispose of an excess of zucchini.