The ‘best vegetables to grow in pots’

Gone to pot…

With summer fast approaching and the weather getting warmer, now is the perfect time to start planting and growing your own vegetables. Growing vegetables in pots is great for those who are short on space and ideal for both beginners and experts alike.

As well as being a great way to incorporate more fresh vegetables into your diet, the process of planting and growing is something that many people find rewarding and therapeutic. ATV Today Lifestyle welcomes gardening expert Calum Maddock at HomeHow.co.uk to explain the very best vegetables for growing in pots.

Calum is a UK-based landscaper with over fifteen years of experience in the industry. As a gardening expert for HomeHow, Calum offers his expert advice to tradespeople and homeowners around the globe.

10 top vegetables to get planting in your garden pots this year…

Kale

Kale has enjoyed a huge rise in popularity over recent years due to its superfood status. Tasty, nutritious, and easy to grow, kale is a member of the cabbage family and works wonderfully both as mini salad leaves and tasty greens for cooking or adding to smoothies.

Smaller varieties of kale can be easily grown in containers, and you can even grow one or two kale plants in a pot along with your annual flowers or perennials. Kale likes to germinate in cooler temperatures, so it is best planted either in early spring or autumn, and you can expect a harvest 30-40 days later. Grow in a pot that is at least 12 inches in diameter, and use a well-draining potting mix.

Potatoes

Potatoes are one of the most versatile and beloved vegetables that can be prepared and cooked in many ways to complement an endless variety of dishes. You may be surprised to learn that they are also one of the best vegetables to grow in pots, given that spuds can often grow quite large!

For planting potatoes, you will need a larger pot that is at least 15 inches deep. Make sure that your pot has some drainage holes and is kept in a sunny, frost-free spot. They are best planted in early March for an early summer harvest – simply tip the pot upside down when the plants start to flower and retrieve your homegrown potatoes from the soil.

Lettuce

Lettuces are easy to grow and come in many colours, flavours and textures, making them a staple for salad dishes. They are amongst the most popular crops to grow because, as well as being easy and delicious, they are compact enough for even the smallest gardens and pots.

Lettuce is a cool season crop, so it is best sown during early spring for a harvest 6-8 weeks after germination. These plants ideally need around 8 hours of sunlight every day, but make sure to put them in the shade during the hottest parts of the day if you are growing them in the summer.

Carrots

Carrots are a traditional grow-your-own favourite that is sweet, tasty, and packed with vitamins. Homegrown carrots may not be as straight and aesthetically pleasing as those sold in supermarkets, but they taste so much better when freshly harvested. They are straightforward to grow from seed, taking up little space, so they are perfect for growing in pots and other containers.

Sow small batches of carrots regularly from early spring onwards for harvests almost all year round. Prepare a pot with peat-free multi-purpose compost, sow the seeds thinly, and cover them with a further inch of compost before watering well. Note that a deeper pot will be needed for long-rooted carrots unless you plan to harvest them as baby carrots when they are young.

Cherry Tomatoes

Juicy ripe tomatoes picked straight from the plant make for the perfect addition to any summer salad or sandwich, along with a variety of other dishes. Compact, bushy sets of cherry tomatoes are the easiest to grow, look decorative trailing over the edge of a pot, and give bountiful harvests from a single plant.

They are best planted once the last frost has passed (usually middle to late May), and this should provide a mid-late summer harvest. Place your pots in a warm, sheltered spot and fill about an inch of the rim with moist compost. Cut out holes in growing bags to accommodate the plants and make slits in the base for drainage. Water regularly to keep the compost moist, and as soon as the tomatoes start to form, feed them regularly with a liquid tomato feed.

Radish

Salad radishes are quick and easy to grow from seed and can be grown in even the smallest of spaces. Thanks to their short roots, they are one of the best vegetables to grow in pots and will not need overly large containers to flourish.

Radishes are quick to mature and are usually ready to be harvested in as little as 3 weeks. For best results, plant them in spring or early summer in a pot with a diameter of at least 8 inches and a depth of 10 inches. They will require regular watering to keep the soil moist, ensuring even growth and succulent roots that don’t split.

Sugar Snap Peas

Sugar snap peas are known for their wonderful taste and texture, and homegrown varieties are much sweeter and juicier than anything you could buy in a supermarket. Growing sugar snap peas in pots is a simple process so long as the pots are large and you water and feed them regularly.

Pots are best placed in a fairly sheltered spot in full or partial sun. It is a good idea to make several sowings at two- or three-week intervals to increase the potential harvesting period. Water regularly, as peas will need moist soil in order to produce a heavy crop. In drier conditions, it is a good idea to mulch the soil to conserve more moisture.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are a delicious and nutritious vegetable that can easily be grown in pots. This makes them perfect for people who do not have access to a large garden or wish to grow them on a balcony or terrace. Cucumbers are ready to harvest when they are 15-20cm long and firm to the touch – usually about 8-10 weeks after planting.

Start off your cucumbers by sowing them in a seed tray during March or April when the soil has started to warm up. By May or June, the seedlings should be ready to be gently removed from the tray and planted in individual pots. Water them thoroughly and keep pots in a warm, sunny spot.

Green Beans

Green beans are a great way to up the amount of greens in your diet and are another easy vegetable for planting and growing in pots. These crops are best planted in late May, and no matter the size of your garden, you can produce a bountiful green bean crop in containers all season long.

Green beans prefer mild to warm temperatures, but as long as you wait until the last frost has passed, you should still see a germination that is ready to harvest 3-4 weeks later. These plants are climbers, so it is a good idea to give them a little extra support with a stake or trellis.

Spring Onions

Spring onions, also known as scallions, are a quick and easy-to-grow vegetable that is a great ingredient for salads and stir-fries, amongst other dishes. With varieties that can be grown all through the winter months, they have a long cropping season. In addition to this, they don’t require much space, so they are ideal for growing in pots.

Plant your spring onion seeds into a pot with a diameter and depth of at least 12 inches. Place the pots in an open, sunny site and add rich, well-drained soil that should be further prepared by adding a good quality fertiliser. Make sure that you keep your crops well-watered so that the soil does not dry out.