Want to grow fruit and vegetables this year but lacking on space? Not a problem
There are loads of great edibles that thrive in small spaces and containers, so you can enjoy the benefits even if you don’t have a lot of room. All you really need to start a garden this summer are a few small pots, some good soil and a few packets of seeds.
Here are some of the best fruits and vegetables for small space and container gardening...
1. Radishes
Photo by Gil Ndjouwou on UnsplashNotoriously hearty and really the perfect “starter plant” for any beginner gardener, radishes are easy to grow in small pots. Fast-growing and robust, radishes can be ready to pick in as few as 25 days if you choose a hybrid variety.
2. Lettuce
Photo by Lulucmy on UnsplashWith a shallow growing depth, many lettuce varieties will thrive in small pots. They don’t even need a lot of sun. Lettuces have a shallow root system and are easy to start from seed. If you stagger planting three or four plants, you will have leaves to pick for salads pretty much every day in the summer. Try switching up regular romaine for butter to change up your summer salad!
3. Spinach
Photo by Louis Hansel on UnsplashSimilar to lettuce, spinach is an easy-going green that even tolerates part shade. Even if you don’t have an outdoor space, spinach will survive in a small pot on your windowsill. Choose a container that is at least 6 to 8 inches deep for best results.
4. Ornamental peppers
Photo by Nick Artman on UnsplashThese colourful annuals are cheerful and have funky foliage. Best suited in full sun, these heat-loving red, yellow and orange fruit do well in smaller pots outdoors. You can start them from seed in the spring or from small seedlings at your local garden store.
5. Tomatoes
Photo by Akash Rai on UnsplashWhether beefsteak or cherry, or the always delicious “Early Girl” variety, tomatoes thrive in full sun in containers. Best to use a cage, especially for heartier varieties, so that the plant will train upwards and won’t fall over under the weight of the tomatoes. Look for the “bush” varieties that are trained to stay smaller and stouter. Cherry tomatoes will produce the highest yield.
6. Green beans
Photo by Akash Rai on UnsplashThriving in the sun, beans do well in small pots, and even better if they have a trellis or wall to climb up. They are also rewarding: In only a few weeks you can have a robust wall of green.
7. Green onions
Photo by Laura Mitulla on UnsplashLong and thin, green onions don’t take up a lot of space in the garden and are easy to grow. They do well in smaller pots, and are a great addition to salads.
Happy container gardening!