Hub · 5 guides
Growing vegetables in pots changes three things: the roots have less room, the soil dries faster, and you can move a plant to follow the sun. Every guide here is written with those three in mind.
Last guide added: Lettuces, 23 Aug 2026
Every guide filed under vegetables appears here
guide
Aug 2026 5 min
A 6-inch-deep tray is enough. Sow a pinch every two weeks, shade it in midsummer, and one packet of seed pays for itself many times over.
6 in deep · Part shade · 30 days Read
listicle
Aug 2026 6 min
Thirty vegetables ranked by how well they grow in a 5-gallon bucket, with plants per bucket, depth needed, and which ones want more room.
5 gal · Mixed Read
guide
Aug 2026 5 min
Spacemaster, Bush Champion or Salad Bush, a 5-gallon minimum, a support that stands up to wind, and the watering that keeps the fruit from turning bitter.
5 gal · Full sun · 55 days Read
guide
Aug 2026 6 min
Which varieties, a 10-gallon minimum, how hilling works and when to stop, and what a healthy crop looks like at each stage.
10 gal · Full sun · 70–110 days Read
guide
Jul 2026 13 min
Which bush varieties suit pots, the pot size to aim for, and the watering routine that keeps blossom-end rot away.
5 gal · 6–8 h sun · 65 days Read
Every guide here names varieties bred for containers and gives a minimum pot size in gallons, so you can tell at a glance whether a crop will fit the space you have.
A bed holds a lot of soil, so it forgives a missed watering. A 5-gallon pot holds much less. Three habits cover most of the difference: size up (the sizes in each guide are minimums, so go bigger where you have the room), feed little and often (nutrients wash out every time you water), and mulch the surface to keep the roots cooler through July.
Lettuce, bush beans, radish and chard are the forgiving ones. They germinate quickly, cope with a missed watering, and give you something to pick within about six weeks, which is the fastest way to enjoy this. Tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes are worth the wait, and they go better once you have a feel for how quickly a pot dries out.
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41 vegetables, herbs and fruits, each with a minimum pot size in gallons. Print it and keep it near your pots. One email every other week, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.