When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden.

Minnie Aumonier

I have had so many people comment or mention to me that they would love to garden, but they don’t have the space. I have an alternative! Container gardens are becoming quite popular, and for good reason. All you need to produce some delicious and fresh veggies is a small patio or even a windowsill and some containers. Of course not everything can be grown in a small container, but let’s explore some of your options, and weight out if a container garden is the right fit for you.

What is a Container Garden?

Container gardens are any plant or group of plants grown in a container. A container can be anything from actual flower pots to grow bags or buckets. It is whatever you want to make it and what will go best with the aesthetic you are trying to create.

Why Container Gardens?

People choose container gardens for many reasons. If lack of space for an in ground garden is an issue, container gardening is the way to go. Container gardens also take less time to tend, as they usually have less weeds and the weeds that do pop up are easier to pull and stay ahead of.

Nutrient issues are also easier to zero in on and address with a container garden. Soil samples are likely to be more accurate as the containers are much smaller than a full sized garden that can vary so much.

Container gardens are also great for containing plants that are “runners”. Plants like strawberries produce what are called runners that can easily, over a short amount of time, take over a garden. When planted in containers, they don’t have many options for places to go!

My favorite thing about container gardens is that they are mobile. If you want to move things around on your back patio for a different look or different sun exposure, you can do so very easily. If you are renting and don’t plan on staying in your current home forever, your garden can be packed up and go with you when you move.

What are the Cons?

One of the biggest drawbacks I see with container gardens is that the plants can outgrow the container and need to be repotted or in some cases have roots trimmed back to keep the plant from growing. Anytime repotting is done or any maintenance is done to the plant itself, it can cause the plant stress and risk permanently damaging it.

Container gardens can also require more water and more frequent watering. Because of the space limits, the containers will dry out faster than a typical garden, especially in dry climates or on warmer days.

Gardening can be addictive, so if you are considering a container garden, make a plan and stick to it! Having multiple containers on your back porch can clutter your space very quickly.

What Plants Should I Choose?

Most plants will grow in containers, given the container is big enough. With that being said, do I recommend you start a corn crop in a grow bag? Probably not. My favorite thing to grow in containers is lettuce. Lettuce is something best sown several times throughout the growing season, and I just find that easier to do if my lettuce is in a container of some sort. I have also grown cucumbers in hanging baskets with amazing success, plus they are pretty when the plants start draping down out of the basket. Other things that grow well in containers are herbs, peppers, beans, eggplant, and strawberries. I have even recently been seeing some micro fruit tree varieties that can stay in large pots and will produce fruit. How amazing is that?

I hope this gave you some insight into container gardens, and at least gave you a starting point with planning your spring garden!

~Tara