Container Garden
A container garden turns a patio, doorstep or balcony into a productive little kitchen plot. Pots make it easy to place each crop where conditions suit it best, move tender plants into shelter and keep fresh leaves near the house. With a few well-sized containers, you can grow generous salads, herbs, tomatoes and even potatoes without a traditional bed.
What to grow in a Container Garden
How to design it
Use the largest containers you can accommodate, with drainage holes and saucers only where overflow will not cause trouble. Group sun-loving tomatoes, basil and strawberries in the brightest sheltered position; use a 30 litre pot for each tomato plant. Put lettuce, rocket and parsley where they receive morning sun and some shelter from fierce afternoon heat. Grow mint alone in its own pot. Plant potatoes in deep containers or grow bags, adding compost around stems as they grow. Raise smaller pots on feet to improve drainage and make watering easier.
Care through the season
Check containers daily in warm or windy weather, watering at the base until excess runs out. Feed fruiting tomatoes and strawberries as their crop develops, following the product label. Sow lettuce and rocket repeatedly for a longer season, harvesting outer leaves. Pinch basil tips, remove tired leaves and refresh the top layer of compost each spring. Move tender plants under cover before cold autumn nights.
Tips
Container success depends more on regular watering than on clever planting. Use peat-free compost and avoid overcrowding, as crowded pots dry quickly and produce weaker plants. Place pots close together to create a sheltered microclimate, but leave enough air movement around tomatoes to keep foliage healthy.
Planning a Container Garden: frequently asked questions
How do I design a container garden?
Use the largest containers you can accommodate, with drainage holes and saucers only where overflow will not cause trouble.
How do I care for a container garden through the season?
Check containers daily in warm or windy weather, watering at the base until excess runs out.
What are some tips for a container garden?
Container success depends more on regular watering than on clever planting.
General planning ideas for UK gardens; adjust plant choices to your space and local conditions. Page updated 19 Sep 2026.