6 Veggies Unsuitable for Container Cultivation:
With container gardening, you get numerous benefits like having control over soil quality, flexible plant location, and easy care. It's a popular option for growing various veggies, but some plants are better off in the ground due to their deep roots or vast growth requirements. Here are six vegetables that don't do well in pots:
- Asparagus - A perennial vegetable that prefers to find its permanent home. It has deep roots and is usually planted in a trench. Asparagus can take a couple of years to settle and produce spears, while its ferny foliage grows up to 5 feet high. Plant these somewhere in the ground where they can flourish for years.
- Corn - Corn is a tall crop, growing up to 8 feet tall, which makes it a poor choice for containers. Its pollination needs also require a larger space (3 feet by 5 feet).
- Winter Squash - Winter squash includes pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash, and more varieties that vine. Individual plants need 4 feet of space to grow, and the vines will overgrow containers, stretching up to 15 feet. If you want to grow squash in a container, stick with bushy summer squash like zucchini.
- Vining Melons - Due to their size and vine growth, vining melons are best planted in the ground. If you're set on growing melons in pots, opt for bush varieties that don't vine. Each seed needs a container that's at least 16 to 18 inches wide.
- Artichokes - Artichokes require deep, rich soil and plenty of space to thrive. They grow 3-5 feet tall and need room to live for several years. Artichokes will do best in the ground or a large raised bed.
- Indeterminate Tomatoes - Growing tomatoes in pots often yields poor results. Determinate tomatoes have minimal growth and are manageable, but indeterminate varieties just grow and grow. While determinate tomatoes can be grown in a 5-gallon bucket, the indeterminate ones become top-heavy, dry out quickly, produce fewer fruits, and require constant pruning and pampering when planted in containers. Stick with determinate tomatoes for container gardening.
In contrast, compact vegetables like peppers, potatoes in deep containers, peas, spinach, and bush beans can thrive in containers, provided the container size meets their root depth and space needs.
- For a flourishing herb garden, consider growing basil, rosemary, or thyme in containers, as they thrive in well-draining soil and have compact growth.
- Southern Living suggests that home-and-garden enthusiasts looking for gardening ideas can enjoy the advantages of fruit trees in a backyard, with apple, peach, or cherry trees offering luscious produce and enhancing the lifestyle.
- While asparagus and corn might not be suitable for container gardening, growing vegetables like lettuce, cucumbers, and radishes provide an easy care option for those with limited space, as they grow well in pots with proper care and soil quality.
- Even though indeterminate tomatoes don't do well in containers due to their extensive growth, switching to determinate tomatoes like cherries, plums, or grapes offers a solution for home gardeners seeking container gardening ideas.
- Vegetable gardens can include a variety of vegetables like carrots, onions, or bell peppers, all of which can thrive well in herb gardens with minimal space requirements, providing a delightful addition to any home-and-garden layout.
- For those working with limited space in their southern living quarters, vertical vegetable gardening offers a unique solution, enabling the growth of compact vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, or pole beans to climb fences, trellises, or outdoor fixtures, maximizing the available growing space and making the most of your home-and-garden lifestyle.
