10 Easy Vegetables to Grow in Pots (With Pictures)

Have you ever had a dream of growing your own vegetables in a garden but lack the space? Perhaps you live in an apartment where all you have is a small balcony. Or you only have a small back garden in your home. A lack of space should never deter you from growing vegetables in your home. You can simply use pots and find it easy to grow vegetables.

But which kinds of vegetables are easy to grow in pots?

In this article, we explore several types of easy-to-grow vegetables that you can plant in pots. These are seasonal and will supply you with healthy food for you and your family.

Top 10 Vegetables That Can Easily Thrive In Pots

1. Garden Peas

Garden peas rank top as the easiest vegetables to grow in pots. These are quite healthy and provide a wealth of nutrition. The plant produces pods that mature to produce peas inside.

All you need is a few pots, well-draining soil, moisture, and care. Peas thrive in mildly cooler weather, so a spot with full shade will do. Plant each seed at a depth of an inch. After that, you need to put a little mulch on top to reduce weed growth.

Many animals and birds also love garden peas, so your container garden requires some protection. Also, be on the lookout for aphids and cutworms that love feeding on peas.

2. Swiss chard

Swiss chard is another nutritious vegetable from the beet family that does well in pots. It has lots of vitamins, such as vitamins A, C, and K. On top of that, it contains fiber and phytonutrients. Both the stem and leaves can be eaten. The vegetable thrives well in a cool climate. During summer, you can place the pots in a small greenhouse.

You require some well-draining soil in which you can plant 2 to 3 seeds an inch deep. Water the soil, and the seed will germinate within 24 hours. It might be best to start in a germination container, then transfer the seedlings to other pots when they’re about 4 inches tall.

After sowing the seeds, the vegetable requires 40 days until it’s ready for plucking.

3. Lettuce

Imagine having fresh lettuce on your balcony, or in a small backyard in a few pots! Lettuce is a perfect choice because they take up little space.

Get a wide container if you want to grow the healthiest lettuce. You need about 8 inches of space from one plant to the next. Add some well-draining soil and compost in each container. Each seed needs to go ½ an inch deep into the soil.

Germinate the seeds in one container, then transfer them to individual pots once they are 12 inches tall. You can use some organic solutions to get rid of pests such as slugs and snails that love hiding under the leaves of the lettuce.

Lettuce is perfect for making salads. They are rich in vitamins A and C, manganese, fiber, and potassium.

4. Zucchini

Your potted vegetable collection would not be complete without some zucchini. Yes, the plant is known to take up lots of space, but it’s not impossible to have amazing zucchini plants even in a small space.

The vegetable is packed with vitamins A, C, and K. On top of that, you get magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, potassium, copper, and folate.

Zucchini will require a big pot with a diameter of 24 inches per plant. Ensure the pot has a minimum depth of 12 inches. Add to this container some well-draining soil and check to see it has draining holes underneath. You can start germinating seeds together in one pot, planting each at a depth of an inch. After they germinate, you can transplant them to individual pots.

Zucchini does well in slightly dry soil, so avoid overwatering. As the plant grows, it starts to produce zucchinis and will need some support. You can prepare stakes to support the plant before and keep an eye on its progress.

5. Cucumbers

Another excellent and easy to grow vegetable in containers is cucumber. Despite having sprawling vines, you should never be discouraged about having some cucumber plants in your containers. The trick is knowing how to control and train those vines to have a productive and manageable setting.

Cucumbers are a hit when you consider their nutritional value. Not only do you get lots of moisture with each slice, but there are also vitamins such as C and K. In terms of minerals, cucumbers are rich in manganese, potassium, magnesium, and fiber.

You need wide and deep containers to grow healthy cucumber plants. The container should hold at least five gallons of well-draining soil mixed with compost. Remember, this is a self-watering plant that has its internal reserve so you only have to water it sparingly.

Push seeds about ½ an inch deep into the soil. You can germinate them in one pot and transfer the seedlings after a few weeks. After the plant starts to develop its vines, you can use trellis to train them. This gives the plant a chance to grow healthy and vertically, producing lots of cucumbers.

6. Potatoes

Potatoes are quite famous across the world. The vegetable is packed with lots of fiber and vitamins like niacin, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. It is also a rich source of folate, healthy carbs, manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium

The excellent news is that you can get quite a healthy harvest of potatoes growing in pots. All you have to do is pick an area without much shade to place the pots. Each container should have proper drainage to prevent any waterlogging that can cause the tubers to rot.

As the potato plant grows, you have to water it when necessary. Always check to see the state of the plant. This gives you a chance to note any pests or diseases that you need to handle before it affect your potato plants.

7. Tomatoes

Even without a huge garden, you can enjoy a harvest of vegetables growing in pots. Another easy plant to grow in such a setup is the tomato.

When you want to grow tomatoes in pots, space matters a lot. Start by germinating seeds, then transplant the growing seedlings to pots with well-draining soil. The pot should also have some draining holes. As the plant grows, start to train it by pruning and adding strings to give it support and help it grow taller.

It’s possible to grow a new tomato plant by burying the stem of the plant growing in your container garden. When the stem takes root, you can transfer the new plant to another container. This keeps your supply of tomatoes going, especially if you grow them indoors or in a greenhouse.

Eating tomatoes guarantees you more vitamins B9, C, and K. They also have several other healthy compounds that your body needs, like beta carotene, chlorogenic acid, lycopene, and naringenin flavonoid.

8. Bell Peppers

Imagine having three pots in your garden with red, yellow, and green bell peppers ready for harvest. That would be such a marvelous sight which is quite achievable. Bell peppers are a healthy and easy vegetable to grow at home in pots.

The vegetable can be eaten raw or cooked with other ingredients. It’s a low-calorie food rich in vitamins A, C, B6, K, and E and has lots of fiber. Bell peppers are also rich in antioxidants that help fight off inflammation in the body.

Work with a pot with a diameter of 12 inches or more. Use well-draining soil with the right nutrients to support plant growth.

Since the seeds are small, germinate them in a smaller pot and transplant the seedlings. These might seem small at first, but with better care, you’ll have tall ones soon enough.

When watering your bell pepper plant, you can add a water-soluble organic fertilizer to keep production going. Harvest the bell peppers when ready and start making your healthy meals.

9. Radishes

Root vegetables are an excellent addition to your meals. In this category, you can grow radishes in containers without needing to work up a sweat. This is a light-colored, tasty, and flavorful vegetable that many people love for its crunchiness.

It is an excellent source of antioxidants and vitamin C. On top of that, you also get phenolic compounds, catechin, vanillic acid, and pyrogallol. It has lots of compounds that boost liver function in the body.

Growing radishes in pots is quite straightforward, but you have to place the pot in a cool sunny area in a wide and deep container around 6 inches or more.

Add some potting soil to it and plant each seed an inch deep, ensuring that you cover it with soil. You can plant a variety of radishes. Those of the same variety tend to ripen at the same time. A variety means you can have a continuous harvest and enjoy much more of the vegetable.

10. Carrots

Your potted vegetable collection would do well with some carrots. Carrots are slender root vegetables that you can plant in a sizable pot and get a bumper harvest.

The vegetable is full of essential vitamins like vitamins A, B6, and K1. In addition, you also get lots of potassium, lutein, beta carotene, and lycopene. Eating carrots benefits any person suffering night blindness and other eye issues. You can eat them raw or cooked.

In terms of growing the root vegetable, pick the right pot and add a healthy potting mix to it. Carrots do well in well-draining soil placed in a pot with proper drainage holes.

You can plant several seeds in each container to maximize space. Carrots don’t require transplanting and will grow healthy and strong where you plant the seed. Watering is a must when you start to notice the topsoil getting dry.

• Related Read: 10 Best Trees to Grow in Pots (With Pictures)

Conclusion

Having a garden can be quite fulfilling as you harvest your produce. But what happens when you don’t have ample land or live in a high-rise building? The answer is growing vegetables in pots. So, get your gardening tools today to enjoy fresh vegetables in a few weeks!

Featured Image Credit: HBH-MEDIA-photography, Pixabay