If you’re dreaming of homegrown, organic produce but don’t have a large garden, growing crops in pots is a fantastic solution. Here we will look at some of the easiest crops to grow in pots. Whether you have a balcony, patio, or even a windowsill, you can grow a surprising variety of crops in containers. Growing in pots is ideal for renters, or those seeking a temporary vegetable garden, but they can also make a permanent and beautiful feature in any space.
Easiest Crops to Grow in Pots
Growing crops in pots allows you to have great control over the conditions within which your plants grow. In areas of poor soil, regular flooding or other difficult environmental conditions, pots give you the opportunity to give your plants just what they deserve.
The easiest crops to grow in pots will be the plants that are best suited to your climatic conditions. Choose something that will naturally grow well in your climate. Smaller plants generally grow best in pots, but if you have a big enough pot you can grow almost anything!
Tomatoes: A Classic Crop to Grow in Pots
Tomatoes are one of the most popular and rewarding crops to grow in pots. They will produce tomatoes under almost any conditions, but if you get it right, they will give you bowlfuls of beautiful juicy fruits. Tomatoes thrive in the UK’s mild winters, and enjoy plenty of sunshine and water. Make sure that your plants have plenty of water, and the space to grow.
Whether you want to grow a small cherry variety or a larger beefsteak variety, tomatoes will thrive in containers. Choose a pot that’s at least 12 inches deep and fill it with a good-quality organic compost. However, larger “cordon” varieties will need some support or a frame. Tomatoes grown in containers will need a regular application of a good quality liquid fertiliser such as Natural Grower.
For best results in a pot, opt for a dwarf or patio variety.
Lettuce: Quick, Fresh, and Easy
Lettuce is ideal for growing in pots, and it doesn’t require a lot of space. You can keep a pot of lettuce on a sunny windowsill or out in your garden for a constant supply of fresh greens. Choose a leafy variety like ‘Lollo Rosso’ or ‘Bronze Arrow’ as these will thrive in pots, producing large plants from which you can harvest for several months. Harvest the lower leaves and the top will continue to grow. Lettuce is relatively fast-growing, very hardy and will tolerate a range of conditions. However, if you want tender, juicy lettuce you will need to make sure you are growing in a large pot with a good-quality compost and keep them well-watered.
You will need to sow seeds every month or so to keep a constant harvest. Try using an allotment planner for more prompts on what and when to sow.
Herbs: The Easiest Crops to Grow in Pots for Flavour
Herbs are some of the easiest crops to grow in pots, and they come in a range of different sizes to suit every space. They will add flavour to your cooking and create a wonderful aroma in your outdoor space. Some herbs such as basil, parsley and coriander are easy to grow from seed, and will even thrive on a windowsill. Larger, woody herbs such as lavender, sage, rosemary and bay are easy to grow from cuttings, or, bought as plants will keep for many years, and you can share cuttings with your friends.
Most herbs are low maintenance but prefer plenty of sunshine and rich, well-drained soil. A good potting compost will be perfect, and you can add some horticultural grit to improve drainage. Mint is a very fast-growing herb that is best to grow in containers because of its uncanny ability to spread.
You may want to use a large pot and plant several herbs together to create a container herb garden. Watch out for larger herbs such as mint, sage and rosemary that can shade out smaller herbs though!
Radishes: The Easiest Crops to Grow in Pots
Radishes don’t require deep soil and are quick to grow making them a perfect crop to grow in containers. They like plenty of sunshine and water and can go from seed to harvest in as little as 6 weeks. Radish will flower and go to seed quickly if left to dry out or not harvested in time, but the seed pods are edible, making a spicy addition to a salad, and the flowers help to draw pollinators and other beneficial insects into your garden. You can also easily save the seeds and sow them again. By sowing radish seeds every few weeks you can enjoy constant harvests throughout the growing season.
As fast-growing crops radish like a rich potting compost and you may want to top up with some fresh compost after a few harvests from the same container.
Spinach: Superfoods in Containers
Spinach is one of the easiest leafy greens to grow in pots. They’re low maintenance and very forgiving, making them the perfect crop to grow in pots for beginners. Spinach is highly nutritious and can be eaten fresh or cooked. Whilst it will like a lot of sunshine, move it into a shadier spot during warm spells and keep it well-watered to prevent bolting.
Spinach can be grown all year round in the UK, but you will need to sow the seeds in spring, summer and early autumn for continuous harvests.
Chard: Colourful and Productive
Chard is a beautiful and nutritious crop that grows well in pots, and is just as beautiful as it is tasty. It is winter hardy so can be grown all year round, and one plant will last all year if sown in spring. Harvest the stems from the outside, and it will encourage growth. For the best results choose a good-quality peat-free potting compost and make sure to keep your plant well-watered. If you don’t over-crowd chard, it will produce large, tender stems that are delicious cooked or raw.
Peas: Sweet and Easy to Grow
Peas may seem like an ambitious crop to grow in pots, but they’re surprisingly easy, pretty and rewarding. Grow them in a large container, with a small trellis or support to help them climb. Opt for a lower-growing variety for container gardening. Peas like to be well-watered and enjoy a good-quality potting compost and a bright, sunny position.
Carrots: Sweet and Crisp in Containers
Carrots are another fantastic crop to grow in pots. Choose a wide container, around 12 inches deep and use a free-draining soil that isn’t too rich. Mix some sand into the container to lower the nutrient density and create better drainage. It is often easier to grow carrots in containers than it is in the ground. Scatter the seeds over the surface of the container and loosely cover them. Thin out the seedlings, leaving the strongest ones as they start to grow. Choose a sunny position to place your pot and harvest them in late summer right through until early spring. They are very hardy and will store well in the ground.
Strawberries: Sweet Berries in Small Spaces
Strawberries are one of the most rewarding fruits to grow in pots, and are sure to please the whole family. Not only do they produce sweet, juicy fruits, but they also do well in containers. They do well in a rich, moist compost in a sunny position. You may need to feed them or refresh the compost over time. Strawberry plants will produce runners with baby plants on the end. Cut these off and either plant the babies or give them to a friend. When choosing a strawberry, opt for an ‘everbearing’ variety, as these produce fruits all year round.
Spring Onion: Full-flavour Pots
Spring onions are very easy to grow and tolerate a wide range of conditions. The pot size you choose will depend on the number of spring onions that you want to grow, but don’t be afraid to move them into a larger pot if they start to outgrow it. Give them a good-quality potting compost and make sure they have good drainage so their roots don’t get too wet. Harvest when they are small and around the size of a pencil, or when they are larger and have developed small bulbs.
Courgettes/Zucchini: Productive Crops to grow in Pots
Courgettes (Zucchini) are known for being highly productive and will grow well in containers if you have one large enough. They like a rich, moist potting compost and a sunny position and may need to be fed regularly throughout the year, depending on the quality of your compost. Courgettes produce large, ornamental leaves and huge yellow flowers and can produce as many as one or two fruits a day if grown correctly. They are very thirsty plants so make sure to keep them well-watered to avoid problems.
Fruit Trees: Easiest Crops to Grow in Pots with Little Maintenance
Some fruit trees can be successfully grown in pots. If you choose the right variety, apples, pears, plums, cherries and mulberries can all be grown in pots. You will need a large pot, and they will need to have the compost refreshed and to be potted up every year or so. Fruit trees are one of the easiest crops to grow in pots because they take very little maintenance and produce fruit reliably.
Tips for Growing The Easiest Crops in Pots
Growing crops in pots is simple as long as you follow these easy tips.
- Choose a large enough pot; if your pot is to small it will dry out quickly, and the plant will not have access to enough nutrients.
- Use a good-quality potting compost. These are usually dark in colour, don’t have any odour and are called “multi-purpose” composts. If you can’t find a compost that suits you or your plants’ needs, don’t be afraid to mix in other ingredients to improve the drainage, or add nutrients.
- Water regularly. Plants in pots can be prone to drying out faster than plants grown directly into the ground. Ensure that your plants aren’t standing in water for too long too. Roots that stand in waterlogged soil will soon rot and drown the plant.
- Move your pots. If you don’t have a position in your garden that is consistently sunny, you can easily move smaller pots throughout the season to capture the most sunlight.
- Choose smaller varieties. You will be surprised how much variety there is when it comes to fruit and vegetable seeds, so choose a variety that is well suited for patio or container growing.
What is the Fastest and Easiest Crop to Grow?
Radishes are the fastest and easiest crop to grow. In the right conditions, they can produce a crop in as little as 6 weeks here in the UK. They are crunchy, peppery and wonderful either cooked or eaten raw.
What’s the Best Thing To Plant for Beginners?
The best thing to plant for beginners is something that they love to eat. If you use a lot of herbs, try growing herbs, if you love tomatoes, try them. If salads are your thing, try some lettuce and spinach. Just make sure that you can provide the conditions they will enjoy the most.
Conclusion: Easiest Crops to Grow in Pots
The easiest crops to grow in pots will always be the plants that will naturally do well in your environment. Choose something that you love to eat and start small by just mastering one crop at a time. As your confidence (and plants!) grow, you will be able to grow more and more.
Allotment Planner:
If you want to start growing vegetables, or if you’re a seasoned pro its great to keep a notes to make sure you stay on track. I have come up with this handy planner that does just that.
It has space to write down all the seeds you want to sow for the year, and has monthly lists of what to sow indoors and outdoors, what to plant out and what to harvest. It also has dotted paper to help you plan our allotment or beds. It’s big enough to write in and small enough to tuck into your pocket or bag and take up to the allotment.
