Blessed be the humans with acres on acres of space for rows of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra, etc.  You get where I’m heading with this.  My personal end goal is to skip the crowded grocery aisles and walk barefoot through my garden picking the needed produce for my next soul satisfying meal.

Whether your yard isn’t conducive for a garden, you don’t have time to spend prepping and weeding, or you live in an apartment it IS in fact still possible for you to grow your own food.  Over the last few years, container gardening has become quite popular in the urban areas.  Although container gardening has a reputation of being easier, there are many factors that have to be taken into consideration to ensure that you get the most out of your crop as possible.

When choosing vegetables to plant in containers, look for bush or small varieties (often referred to as dwarf or compact), and ensure that your climate has enough growing days for the required time to mature.

Plants that typically grow well in containers include:

Peas- Use a hanging basket or put tall supports in your container. Water often and fertilize every 2 weeks.

Potatoes- Some potatoes need a 120 day growing season so look for earlier growing varieties, or start earlier inside your home.

Tomatoes- Like peas, tomatoes need a support system. Use a rod or tomato cage to keep your plants upright.

Carrots- Use a container that’s double the length your variety will grow.

Radishes- Containers don’t have to be that large.

Eggplant- When planning which variety to buy, know that many eggplants are sensitive to cool temperatures lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. I’ve had good luck with the black beauty variety.

Summer or zucchini squash and cucumbers- Choose bush varieties rather than the sprawling vine varieties. One plant can fill a 24-inch pot quickly, so don’t crowd your pot. I would recommend 1 maybe 2 plants per pot.  A trellis in the pot will supply support for the fruit and allow air to flow around the plant.

Leafy greens: Spinach and leaf lettuce are among the many greens that you can snip to eat one day and then snip again a few days later. Keep the cool-season crops in partial shade.

Peppers: In a 24 inch pot you can successfully grow 2-3 pepper plants.

Plants that don’t usually work well in containers include: Large melons, corn, large pumpkins or squash.

Finding the containers for your garden doesn’t need to be expensive.  I have an array of large terracotta pots along with containers that I have gotten with shrubs/trees. Totes can be inexpensive and are reusable, or you can build containers from pallets.  For strawberries & peas, you can use hanging baskets or I’ve even seen closet shoe organizers used.