If your only growing space is on a deck or patio, don’t fret.
Almost any veg can grow in a container.

I began to grow vegetables in containers primarily out of necessity. With a tree-filled yard, I could plant tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables in need of full sun only in the scarce pockets of sun. When I moved into a townhome, my outdoor space was limited to patios and decks.

“Container vegetable gardening offers flexibility in your planting. The self-contained little growing environments are also more accessible—you can do your vegetable gardening in a lawn chair!”

Container Best Practices

1. Plant for the sun you have.

• Full sun conditions rule with most vegetables, so position your pots where they get at least six hours of direct sunlight. Eight is better.
  • Lettuces and herbs can get by with less—about three hours of direct sun or lots of indirect, bright light.
• A pot full of vegetables is a beautiful thing so place them wherever you need to, even if that’s front and center.

I grew two pots of trellised Malabar spinach (technically, it’s a leafy green,
not spinach) and placed them at the end of my front walk. People constantly stopped to look and comment.

2. Know your soil basics

• Use commercially packaged potting soil, not soil from the garden.
  • Roots need air and water, and garden soil will be too heavy and compact.
• Consider incorporating compost and adding a slow-release fertilizer at planting time.
• Learn all about soil health on our soil homepage.

3. Pick the right container

• Generally, you will need at least 8 inches of soil to grow vegetables, so select an 8- to 10-gallon container, though you can grow them in a 5-gallon pail as well. Larger pots are also an option and work great for multiple plantings.
• Stock tanks are all the rage, but they take a huge amount of soil medium compared to smaller containers. Store-bought mixes can be pricey!
• As with all containers, drainage is key. Whatever vessel you choose to grow in, make sure it has a drainage hole at the bottom. Drill holes if needed.

More on small space vegetable gardening:

• Growing Tiny Vegetables – The Tool Shed
• Container gardening for small spaces – UMN Extension
• Can You Grow Food Indoors? – The Tool Shed

This article originally appeared in the 2023 issue of Northern Gardener® Magazine.

Eric Johnson is a blogger, lifelong gardener and longtime contributor to Northern Gardener based in Roseville, Minn. and western Wisc. 
gardendrama.com | @gardendrama