Container Gardening: Best Vegetables to Grow in Pots

By: Angela Judd | Updated: April 27, 2026

Don’t have a big garden? No problem! Learn about the best vegetables for container gardening and get tips for growing in pots. Container gardening is a simple way to begin gardening, add more space to an existing garden, or make a garden portable. Over the years, I’ve grown many crops in containers, and these are my top picks for the 20 best vegetables (and fruit and herbs, too!) that grow well in pots.

Wooden barrel planters filled with green plants in a sunlit garden, with mulch covering the soil.

Article Index:

Container Gardening Tips
1. Tomatoes
2. Peppers
3. Citrus Trees
4. Potatoes
5. Summer Squash
6. Lettuce
7. Eggplants
8. Peas
9. Sweet Potatoes
10. Carrots
11. Cabbage
12. Onions
13. Garlic
14. Okra
15. Swiss Chard
16. Kale
17. Cauliflower
18. Strawberries
19. Fig Trees
20. Most Herbs
Container Gardening Resources

Key Takeaways: Best Vegetables for Container Gardening

Container gardening simplifies growing, especially for those with limited space.
The article lists the 20 best vegetables for container gardening, including tomatoes, peppers, and citrus trees.
Choose dwarf or compact varieties for containers and ensure proper soil and watering techniques.
Use ollas to maintain consistent moisture and select appropriate container sizes for different plants.
For more tips and detailed guidance, consider reading the author’s book on container gardening.

Container Gardening Tips

When choosing to grow in containers, look for “dwarf”, “bush”, or “compact” varieties. These are smaller versions of full-size plants that do better in containers.
Because containers limit the size of the roots and available water, adding an olla to your container helps provide regular water for your plants. The olla is regularly filled with water, which seeps out through the porous wall of the pot into the surrounding soil and root zone of the plant. I use ollas from Growoya in most of my containers.
If you’re wondering which size container to use, this guide to container sizes will be helpful. I love using grow bags because they’re so easy to move and have so many different sizes. Read this guide to learn How to Use Grow Bags Successfully in Hot Climates.
The type of soil you use is important. Use potting soil made for containers. Regular garden soil is too heavy for containers. If you want to reuse potting soil, use the tips in this guide.
To learn more about gardening in containers, read my book on this topic. Learn more about the book “How to Grow Your Own Food: A Beginner’s Guide to Container Gardening” in this post or purchase the book here.

Not sure what to plant or how to grow it? The Ultimate Plant Index covers everything from vegetables and herbs to fruit and flowers—organized A–Z for easy browsing. It’s your go-to resource when you’re planning your garden or seeking care tips.

20 Best Vegetables for Container Gardening

1. Tomatoes

Choose a large enough pot (at least 10 gallons) and water it well. Tomatoes grow happily when given an oya or self-watering container that will ensure consistent watering. Plant one tomato plant per container, and add a trellis when you plant. Determinate varieties are best for all but the largest containers.

Read this post to learn more about how to grow tomatoes.

2. Peppers

Good drainage is a must for peppers, and containers provide that. Peppers also grow well with an olla. Choose at least a medium size container (5 gallons or larger). They also prefer warm soil; containers will warm up more quickly in the spring. You can bring those same pots inside to overwinter the peppers in cold climates. Provide support for peppers at the time of planting.

A hand holding a green bell pepper growing on a plant with lush green leaves.

Read this post to learn more about how to grow peppers.

3. Citrus Trees

Growing citrus in containers limits their size so that I can add more varieties to my garden. Growing citrus in containers also keeps the roots out of your garden beds. In cooler climates, container-grown citrus can be brought indoors. Use an extra large container that holds at least 20 gallons of soil.

A small orange tree growing in a large pot outdoors, with several ripe oranges and green leaves. Surrounded by mulch and flowering plants to help protect citrus bark from sunscald and pests.

Learn how to grow citrus in containers in this guide.

4. Potatoes

I prefer growing potatoes in containers – harvesting is so simple! When the potatoes are done, dump the container into a wheelbarrow. Choose at least a medium size container (5 gallons or larger) and use slightly acidic soil.

Read this post to learn more about how to grow potatoes in containers.

5. Summer Squash

Summer squash can take up a lot of room in your garden but grow happily in a pot (5 gallons or larger). Leave plenty of room around the container for the plant to grow large. Ollas are a great choice to add with squash. Most winter squash grow too large to grow well in containers, but smaller varieties like mini jack pumpkin also do well.

Mini jack pumpkins growing in a container

Read this post to learn more about how to grow summer squash.

6. Lettuce

Lettuce, spinach, arugula, and other greens are a perfect choice for small containers (2 gallons or larger). Most greens have a small root system and grow quickly. Give lettuce regular access to water (an olla is great for this) and they often grow better in containers. Lettuce is one of the best vegetables for container gardening.

Red romaine lettuce growing in a garden, surrounded by green leafy plants and a small label reading red romaine—an inspiring scene for anyone learning how to grow lettuce at home.

Read these articles to learn more about how to grow lettuce, how to grow spinach, and how to grow arugula.

7. Eggplants

Choose compact varieties like fairytale and bambino. Eggplants prefer warm soil; if you grow in containers, you can plant earlier in the spring—stake eggplants to support branches and grow in a medium size container (5 gallons or larger).

A single eggplant growing on a plant, surrounded by green leaves in a garden.

Read this post to learn more about how to grow eggplants.

8. Peas

Put supports in place at time of planting. Peas’ shallow root systems make them a good choice for medium size containers (5 gallons or larger). Peas are easy to plant from seed. Look for dwarf varieties of peas like little Marvel, Sugar Ann, and Tom Thumb. For other crops that are easy to plant from seed read this article.

A close-up of a woven basket filled with freshly picked green pea pods, some with stems still attached—one of the best vegetables for container gardening. The text growinginthegarden.com appears at the bottom.

Read this post to learn more about how to grow peas.

9. Sweet Potatoes

Growing sweet potatoes in a container (at least 10 gallons) keeps them contained. Sweet potato vines grow large; let them grow and direct all that energy to the growing potatoes. Growing in containers makes harvesting sweet potatoes simple – dump the container into a wheelbarrow.

25 Thriving Edible Perennials In My Desert Garden

Read this post to learn more about how to grow sweet potatoes.

10. Carrots

Choose a container that is 10-12 inches deep and holds at least 3 gallons of soil. Plant carrots by seed, and thin to 3 inches apart when carrots are 2-3 inches tall.

A person holds freshly harvested carrots with soil still on them in a garden.

Read this post to learn more about how to grow carrots.

11. Cabbage

Cabbage is a cool-season crop that grows well in containers. It grows well in containers that are at least 10-12 inches deep and hold at least 5 gallons of soil.

Close-up of a green cabbage with water droplets on its leaves, growing in a garden.

Read this post to learn more about how to grow cabbage.

12. Onions

I love interplanting onions in containers with other crops. Onions are an excellent companion plant. When growing bulbing onions, choose a container at least 12 inches deep. When growing green onions, choose a container at least 6 inches deep.

A metal container filled with garlic chives and green sage plants sits on soil with mulch and a wooden planter nearby—a lovely setup for gardeners interested in learning how to grow green onions alongside other herbs.

Read this post to learn more about how to grow onions.

13. Garlic

Garlic is a great choice for containers. Grow it all by itself or interplant with other crops. Garlic grows well even in small containers (2 gallons or larger).

Read this post to learn more about how to grow garlic.

14. Okra

This warm-loving crop grows through summer and into fall. Interplant quick-growing crops like beans or carrots, and then let okra take all the space when those finish. Grows best in a medium size container (5 gallons or larger).

Read this post to learn more about how to grow okra.

15. Swiss Chard

Swiss chard grows happily in small containers (2 gallons or larger). This good-for-you vegetable tolerates a little cold and a little heat. Easy to grow from seed or transplant, harvest as needed for months.

Close-up of vibrant green Swiss chard leaves with red stems, backlit by sunlight in a garden.

Read this post to learn more about how to grow Swiss chard.

16. Kale

Cool-loving and easy to grow. A frost improves kale’s flavor. Grows well even in small containers (2 gallons or larger). Kale is one of the best vegetables for container gardening.

Person harvesting leafy greens from a raised garden bed with various vegetables growing.

Read this post to learn more about how to grow kale.

17. Cauliflower

Can be tricky to grow because cauliflower doesn’t like it too hot or too cold. It grows well in containers that are at least 10-12 inches deep and hold at least 5 gallons of soil.

Read this post to learn more about how to grow cauliflower.

18. Strawberries

Growing strawberries in containers keeps them off the ground and away from pests. Day-neutral and ever-bearing types of strawberries do best in containers. Spinach is an excellent companion crop for strawberries. Choose a container that is at least 8 inches deep and holds at least 3 gallons of soil.

Read this post to learn more about how to grow strawberries.

19. Fig Trees

Growing fig trees in containers helps to control their size and slow growth. In cooler climates, they can be brought indoors. Use an extra large container that holds at least 20 gallons of soil.

Close-up of a fig tree branch with several unripe figs and large green leaves.

Read this post to learn how to grow fig trees.

20. Most Herbs

Herbs are just as rewarding as vegetables in containers—see my full guide to growing herbs in pots. Most herbs, especially invasive ones like oregano, mint, and lemon balm, grow well in almost any size container and will expand to the size of the container. Read these articles to learn how to grow oregano, how to grow mint, and how to grow lemon balm.

Container Gardening Resources

If you’re looking for more resources, I have several videos and blog posts that provide step-by-step guides, tips, and tricks for successful container gardening. I even wrote a book about container gardening, which covers everything from choosing the right containers to harvesting your first crop. You’ve got this!

If you enjoy container gardening, you’ll love the benefits of elevated beds—check out my guide, How to Grow in Elevated Garden Beds, to learn how to get started.

Looking for more small space gardening ideas? Don’t miss my post on GreenStalk Gardening Tips, where I share what’s worked (and what hasn’t) in my Arizona garden.

To learn more about gardening in containers, read my book on this topic. Learn more about the book “How to Grow Your Own Food: A Beginner’s Guide to Container Gardening” in this post or purchase the book here.

What to Plant for Year-Round Fruit Tree Harvests in an Arizona Food Forest

And to learn even more about container gardening check out Growing in the Garden Academy. I teach monthly classes and cover dozens of timely gardening topics. Join us on Patreon to start learning today and don’t miss my class tailored specifically to this topic: Container and Grow Bag Gardening.