Growing Vegetables in Containers

Getting Started

Vegetables do not need a large plot to be worthwhile. A sunny patio, doorstep or balcony can provide fresh salad leaves, beans, tomatoes and new potatoes for much of the season. The essentials are generous containers, suitable compost, steady watering and crops chosen for the available light and space.

How to do it

Choose a sunny position with at least several hours of direct light for fruiting vegetables. Use large containers with drainage holes and peat-free multipurpose compost, leaving space at the rim for watering. Sow quick crops such as radishes and salad leaves little and often in module trays or directly into troughs. Plant one tomato, compact courgette or pepper per large pot, then add a cane or frame before growth becomes tangled. Keep beans climbing on a firmly secured support. Check compost daily in summer and water thoroughly when the surface begins to dry. Harvest young leaves and pods regularly, then clear spent crops for a second sowing.

Best plants

Reliable choices include cut-and-come-again salad leaves, rocket, radishes, spring onions, dwarf French beans, runner beans, tomatoes, chillies and peppers. New potatoes grow well in bags or deep tubs. Compact courgettes and aubergines need a warm, sheltered sunny position and ample root room. In part shade, concentrate on lettuce, spinach, chard, parsley and kale rather than tomatoes.

Tips

Start with crops you genuinely enjoy eating and sow only what you can water. Taller vegetables need canes or frames fixed securely before they become top-heavy. Pick beans, courgettes and salad leaves frequently to encourage more growth. Rotate the type of crop and use fresh compost for annual vegetables each year to keep containers performing well.

Growing Vegetables in Containers: frequently asked questions

How do I get started with growing vegetables in containers?

Choose a sunny position with at least several hours of direct light for fruiting vegetables.

What are the best plants for growing vegetables in containers?

Reliable choices include cut-and-come-again salad leaves, rocket, radishes, spring onions, dwarf French beans, runner beans, tomatoes, chillies and peppers.

What are some tips for growing vegetables in containers?

Start with crops you genuinely enjoy eating and sow only what you can water.

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General guidance for UK gardeners. Match plant choices to your light and shelter. Page updated 19 Sep 2026.