How to Grow a Garden in Containers

Growing a garden in containers makes it easy for small spaces. It’s actually one of the best small vegetable garden ideas.

You can plant just about anything in a container, really. Of course, the larger plants may need bigger containers, but just about any garden can be grown in a container.

broccoli chia peppermint and flowers in containers on plastic table inside greenhouse

All you need are some containers with some drainage holes, dirt, and a plant or seed. Here are some of my favorite reasons to grow a garden in containers.

The best thing I love about this is that it’s fairly portable.

I use larger flower pots for things like pepper plants or even cherry tomatoes. When we need to mow our grass, the pots easily lift up off the ground, and can be mowed. Need to move to a more sunny space? Just pick it up and go!

Want to re-arrange your yard or deck? Simply pick up the pots and go! Small spaces? Container gardening is perfect! You can throw a couple lettuce seeds in a small pot on a kitchen counter or windowsill.

flowers in pots, begonias, violas, African lily and more
Back row left to right: Snap Dragon, Viola, Viburnum Tinus, Surfinia, Regal Pelargonium Front row left to right: Silver Cock’s Comb, Silver Cock’s Comb, African Lily, New Guinea Impatiens, Begonia, Silver Cock’s Comb, Silver Cocks Comb

They are also so easy to weed.

Weeding a large garden, or even raised bed can be a huge job. But, weeding a potted veggie plant can be more along the lines of “10 seconds, that’s amazing!”. Our compost this year had a ton of lamb’s quarter seeds in it, and therefore, all of our pots have it as well. Weeding those out (and saving for a salad) took all of 15 seconds in each pot.

You can move your garden indoors.

Growing season almost over? Late frost warnings? Just pick up the pots, move indoors, and continue on! Of course, you will most likely want to put some plastic down to catch any drips. I like to grow some basil in a pot each year, and just take that pot indoors during the winter for fresh basil all year long. We had one bell pepper plant that lasted and fruited nearly 3 years by taking it indoors in the winter.

You can use nearly any container you have to grow plants.

You may want to consider a larger pot for larger or climbing veggies, but nearly any size pot or container that you have can be used for growing. You can reuse, repurpose, and recycle containers to grow your garden on the super cheap too! We have recycled old tires into garden containers as well. Our cucumbers are shown growing in one that is close to our fence to climb.

diy container gardening

What do you like best about gardening? Do you grow your garden in containers? Be sure to pin this for later!

17 thoughts on “How to Grow a Garden in Containers”

  1. Merissa @ Little House Living

    I have a big garden but I still might end up doing some garden containers because I ran out of room and I keep on thinking of more things I want to add!

  2. suzyhomemaker

    I did container gardening last year, but I think the containers got too hot. I should have moved them, like you suggest. I haven’t done anything this year because I was going to move it to the ground, but I think you convinced me to try it in containers again.

  3. Container gardening is hard work, yo. I do not enjoy it and I’ve yet to have anything worth harvesting. Because I live in a complex it is my only option, but I’ve just been throwing money away at this point. Nature is so much better at making things grow.

    1. that sounds like it would work…just make sure the soil is nice and loose, not compacted so the carrots have a place to grow down.

  4. Rachel @ Grow a Good Life

    I love how versatile containers are. I used to use pots to grow seedlings that I couldn’t find space for in the garden. Last year, I grew lettuce in pots and was able to move them to a shady spot when temperatures rose. I was able to extend my spring lettuce for almost a month that way. Thank you for sharing at Green Thumb Thursday!

  5. Northern Homestead

    Great minds think alike :). I was posting about container gardening too, using grow bags. Our first garden was a container garden on a balcony.we had so much fun growing a whole lot plants in containers.

  6. I used to have my entire garden in containers because my yard was so shaded that I couldn’t grow anywhere else!

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