Easiest Vegetables to Grow in Flower Pots

It's simple to grow vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce, squash, and strawberries in containers. Just make sure your pots are the right size for your plants.

Growing Vegetables in Pots

You can grow almost any fruit or vegetable plant in a container, as long as the container is large enough. Some great options include herbs, peppers, tomatoes, onions, summer squash, beans, eggplants in summer, and broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, and greens in spring and fall.

Choose Smaller Varieties

It's helpful to select varieties designed for small spaces. Look for names and descriptions with terms like bush, dwarf, patio, trailing, compact, and miniature. This container features Tumbling Tom tomato, a compact trailing variety perfect for containers.

Container Size Matters

Most vegetables need fairly large containers to thrive. Ideal container sizes range from 12-18 inches wide to 18-24 inches deep. As a general rule: the larger the plant will grow, the larger the pot you'll need. This Roma tomato variety, Little Napoli, is a compact plant but still benefits from a deep container where its roots can spread.

Lettuce

Lettuce is an exception to the size rule. With its shallow roots, it can grow well in almost any container, even those just 6-8 inches deep. Lettuce grows best in cooler weather, so it's ideal to plant in spring or fall. To grow it in the summer, place it in part shade.

Peppers

Both hot and sweet peppers grow easily in containers. You can grow them on their own or mix them with flowers in a larger pot.

Tomatoes

Upright tomato varieties grow well in larger pots with a cage or stake. Alternatively, try small cherry tomato varieties in hanging baskets or window boxes. This Terenzo variety stays compact, reaching only 16-20 inches tall and wide.

Strawberries

Strawberries grow exceptionally well in containers that are designed specifically for them. These specialized strawberry pots have pockets on the sides allowing fruit to grow and cascade, avoiding ground contact that can cause rot. As the name suggests, these pots are perfect for strawberries.

Summer Squash

Summer squash and zucchini can thrive in containers. They grow large but do not produce long vines like winter squash, making them more suitable for container gardening.

You Can Even Try Corn

Although it's not the easiest vegetable to grow in pots, it's definitely possible. Go for dwarf varieties. Pictured here, corn thrives in its own pot alongside containers of New Guinea impatiens and sweet basil.