15 Easy-To-Grow Vegetables For A Container Garden

Growing a vegetable garden can have so many benefits beyond having healthy, nutritious food at your disposal. According to The Garden Continuum, the benefits also extend to the connection with nature and reducing the use of carbon emissions and pesticides. It's also fun to learn about the planting process and what conditions will help your plants thrive. It's potentially a new hobby that gets you outside in the sunshine — doing wonders for your mental health.

You don't need a big backyard or raised garden beds to grow hearty vegetables. A container garden is perfect for those with little space or for those that want to start slowly and see if it's a hobby worth keeping. Not all vegetables are alike, so whether you want the fastest growing vegetables or ones that take time and last all year, we've got the list for you. We have 15 easy-to-grow vegetables for a container vegetable garden that you can plant anywhere.

Tomatoes are the easiest and most popular vegetables to grow in a container. According to The Reid Homestead, there are a ton of different varieties that can be grown, even dwarf tomatoes that are great for small spaces. Choose a big container with a stake or cage for tomatoes, so they have room to grow upwards. Tomatoes are also sensitive to cold temperatures, so don't plant them too early. Also, keep the container away from pets, the leaves are toxic to them.

USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 10

Growing Conditions: full sun

Soil Type: moist with good drainage

Easy to plant from seed, peas are a great choice for container gardens. According to Growing in the Garden, it's best to plant outside. They are very delicate and break easily, so handle these with care. They grow vertically, making them a good one for small spaces as they produce a lot without taking up room. There is a wide variety of different peas, from size to taste. We suggest going to your local nursery and talking to them about what you like.

USDA Growing Zone: 2 to 11

Growing Conditions: full sun

Soil Type: moist with good drainage

Both sweet and hot peppers are good choices for container gardening. The bright colors are beautiful to see and add pops of color to a backyard or patio. They also naturally reduce cross-pollination between peppers if grown in pots, another big plus. The biggest problem with peppers is overwatering, as peppers don't thrive in either too wet or too dry conditions. Gardening Chores suggests moving the pots indoors when a rainstorm hits to avoid standing water.

USDA Growing Zone: All

Growing Conditions: full sun

Soil Type: moist with good drainage

Whether you like them plain in salads or pickled for a salty and sour crunch in sandwiches, cucumbers are a fast-growing vegetable that can easily be grown in a pot. Balcony Garden Web suggests growing them in a medium to large plastic or ceramic pot that can retain moisture from constant watering. Make sure the soil doesn't get too dry, as cucumbers love the sun and plenty of water. There are also two varieties — bush and vining — with different uses.

USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 12

Growing Conditions: full sun

Soil Type: loamy, slightly acidic

There is a reason radishes are a popular pick as a preschool or elementary school project. They are super fast-growing (for short attention spans), and kids love the crunch and beautiful bright color. In just about three weeks, you'll have more radishes than you know what to do with, according to Almanac. Plant the seeds a bit apart, so they have room to grow, water regularly, and see them pop up!

USDA Growing Zone: 2 to 10

Growing Conditions: full to partial sun

Soil Type: moist, loose soil with good drainage

Growing lettuce is easy, and in no time, you'll be forgoing the salad bags at the grocery store for the delicious kind in your backyard. According to Gardener's Supply Company, they play well (meaning they can be grown together) with various herbs, making it easy for a garden-fresh salad. Whether it's butter, red leaf, or any other greens variety, this vegetable doesn't need a lot of sun, so keep them in the shade once in a while to give it a break.

USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 9

Growing Conditions: full or partial sun

Soil Type: moist

We love arugula for its peppery, aromatic taste, but did you know it's not actually lettuce? According to Lettuce Info, it has more of a resemblance to mustard and is part of the brassica family. Planting is simple and doesn't need a ton of maintenance to thrive. A small to medium pot is fine, and as long as it gets about six hours of sunshine, it can go in the shade for the rest of the day.

USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 11

Growing Conditions: full sun to partial shade

Soil Type: moist with good drainage

Green onions (scallions) are great in a lot of dishes, so instead of buying the bagged kind that gets slimy and old after a few days, try planting some seeds and picking as needed. They only need about three weeks to grow and do well in full sun. Want something a bit faster? Little Yellow Wheelbarrow suggests cutting onions from the bulb, putting them in water, and in about a week, you'll see roots forming. 

USDA Growing Zone: 6 to 9

Growing Conditions: full sun

Soil Type: slightly dry

There are a ton of different types of beans, making them one of the most versatile vegetables to grow. Bring the kids for a fun adventure to the local nursery to see what kind of beans you want to grow. An easy one to harvest, but be sure to attach a lattice in case they like to climb, according to Clean Green Simple. They can also get a little top-heavy, so a deep pot will work best to keep these guys stable.

USDA Growing Zone: 2 to 11

Growing Conditions: full sun

Soil Type: loamy with good drainage

Carrots are fun to plant with kids, as they will love pulling the leafy greens to reveal bright orange carrots. According to Gardening Know How, baby carrots can be ready to pick after 2 months. Be wary of growing apples and pears together with carrots, as they can make the vegetables taste bitter. It's also wise to make sure the soil is clear of any rocks or pebbles as that can affect the carrot growth as well.

USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 10

Growing Conditions: full sun

Soil Type: moist with good drainage

Potatoes (like carrots) are a fun one to grow because the magic happens under the soil. There are a lot of varieties depending on personal and family tastes, making it personal to plant. While you do need a fairly large pot that is deep enough to grow potatoes, it can be done. Gardening Channel suggests a plastic trash can or even a cardboard box will work to provide enough space, soil, and water for potatoes to thrive.

USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 10

Growing Conditions: full sun

Soil Type: loamy soil with good drainage

Squash is another vegetable that is easily grown in containers, not to mention how beautiful the yellow flowers are. The bush squash variety and even a variety of acorn squash are especially great because of how well they grow in small spaces, notes Get Busy Gardening. Just be careful not to get a butternut squash or even pumpkin (unless they are the tiny variety), as those can weigh up to 20 pounds and are not suitable for containers.

USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 10

Growing Conditions: full sun

Soil Type: moist with good drainage

Swiss chard is a vegetable that, once harvested, is plentiful and beautiful, making it a great addition to a small garden. We love the rainbow chard variety with yellow, purple, and red stems. According to Attainable Sustainable, it also grows for two seasons, so you only have to plant it once and let it grow again for a second year. We recommend getting the seeds and planting them from scratch instead of ones already grown for its cost-effectiveness and ease.

USDA Growing Zone: 6 to 10

Growing Conditions: full to partial

Soil Type: moist with good drainage

With its beautiful purple and green color, eggplant is another good one to grow in containers. Fine Gardening suggests trying the "fairytale" or "patio baby" varieties as those are smaller and perform better in containers. While not as fast as other vegetables, taking between 45 to 65 days to harvest, it's a beautiful one to have on your patio or porch. They like a lot of water, so make sure the pot has sufficient drainage.

USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 12

Growing Conditions: full sun

Soil Type: moist with good drainage

It is tough to mistake beets for other vegetables with their bright, beautiful color that isn't only delicious but versatile in uses. From natural food coloring to edible leaves, beets are an amazing vegetable and one that should have a spot in your garden. According to Gardener's Path, beets can be grown either indoors or outdoors, making this a good choice for small spaces or for those that have an outdoor window and small balcony.

USDA Growing Zone: 2 to 10

Growing Conditions: full sun

Soil Type: moist