The 6 Best Vegetables For Container Gardening

Arricca Elin SanSone

February 28, 2024 at 9:28 PM·6 min read

Plus, the best varieties of each to plant in the South.

Container gardening is a smart way to add growing space without having to create new garden beds. You can enjoy fresh veggies anywhere you have lots of sun on your patio, deck, or balcony. Plus, you won’t have to struggle with poor soils, such as heavy clay or sand, because you’ll fill containers with the potting mix of your choice. Container gardens also warm up faster than garden beds to give you a jumpstart on the growing season.

You can grow almost any vegetable in containers, although some do better than others, especially those labeled as compact or dwarf varieties. Bonus: Containers help keep your veggies out of the reach of hungry garden visitors, such as rabbits.

Raised containers also make gardening easier for anyone with mobility issues (no more bending way over to reach the ground!). Containers with wheels or the use of plant dollies also makes moving pots less awkward, and you can roll your pots to follow the course of the sun throughout the day, if necessary.

Here's what you need to grow vegetables in containers, as well as the best varieties for container gardening in the South:

Sunlight: Most vegetables require full sun. Place your container where it receives 6 or 8 hours of direct sunlight per day.
Water: Containers dry out more quickly than in-ground plantings and may need watered daily, or even twice a day, as plants mature. Ideally, containers should be within reach of your garden hose, which is less tedious than lugging heavy watering cans all over the place. Or consider investing in self-watering containers, which have reservoirs that last for several days.
Fertilizer: Feed with an extended release granular product or liquid fertilizer when you water, according to package instructions. Regular feeding is necessary because nutrients tend to leach out of pots quickly.
Pot Size: Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants do best with containers that hold at least five gallons of soil, while shallow-rooted plants, such as greens and herbs are fine in pots that hold a gallon of soil. Also, the shallower the pot, the faster it will dry out, especially as plants mature.
Pot Material: Porous materials, such as clay and fabric grow bags, dry out more quickly than materials such as plastic. Dark-colored materials also absorb more heat and need watered more often, so choose light-colored pots, if possible. Finally, make sure pots have drainage holes so excess water can run out.
Soil Type: Use a potting soil mixture for best results.

With top picks from All-America Selections (AAS), which trials seed performance for home gardeners, Burpee, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, and university coop extension services at Alabama A&M and Auburn, Louisiana State University, and Texas A&M University, here are the best heat-tolerant vegetables to grow in containers in the South:

Pepper

Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Soil Type: Well-draining, rich
Soil pH: Neutral (6.0 to 8.0)

Both hot and sweet peppers thrive in containers and add color and flavor to your harvest. They do especially well in self-watering containers to deliver a steady level of moisture. They love hot weather, so don’t plant them in containers until all danger of frost has passed.