Best vegetables to grow in a container

So you decided to create a container garden. If you are a practical person and you are also interested in organic food and health, you might think about growing your own vegetables. This can be one of the most satisfying decisions you have taken concerning gardening and it can help you take healthier lifestyle decisions.

There are many choices you can make, but it is recommended to start with the easiest ones. Here are some of the best vegetable to grow in a container.

Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes will ensure you the best results if you have small containers and not a lot of space. Also, other dwarf varieties of tomatoes are recommended for container gardening. Tomatoes will need a lot of sun and water and it is important to have a large and deep pot (it should be at least 12 inches deep). Best soil for tomatoes should have a pH of 6 – 6.8.

Peppers
Peppers look great in pots and need a lot of sun and warmth. You should make sure they get at least 6 hours of sun daily. Watering should be done carefully: peppers need water, but they are also sensible to excessive water. One useful clue regarding watering is that soil should never be let to go completely dry. Check that the container has sufficient drainage holes.

Cucumbers
They also need a lot of sun (about 6-8 hours of direct sun every day) and water. They thrive in self-watering containers but you can grow them in a normal container if you pay close attention to their watering. They can grow off the ground if you provide a trellis for them. A trellis is preferable as they will be easier to harvest and they will get more sun. A trellis will also save space as cucumber plants tend to sprawl a lot. It is also important to choose a fertilized soil.

Radishes
They grow quickly (about three weeks from seed to harvest) and the small varieties do not need large pots. For small radishes, a pot 6 inches deep is enough. It is recommended to leave a space of 3 inches between each plant. They also need about 6 hours of direct sun daily. Watering is also important: too little will make your radishes fibrous, too much will rote them.

Beans
Pole beans will need a trellis or some sort of structure to support them and plenty of space as they can get to a height of 8 feet. They need a container that is at leas 8 inches deep and will need daily watering in hot days of summer. The best part of growing beans is that they are quite prolific and you can harvest them frequently. If you do not have enough vertical space, you can try the bush beans.

Now you know what vegetables grow easily in a container, so you can enjoy the satisfaction of growing and picking your own food.