Today on Just Grow Something, we walk through the essentials of container gardening from the ground up: how to evaluate whether a crop is a good candidate for a pot, how to pick the right container size based on root system and mature plant size, what kind of soil to use (and what NOT to use), how to feed your plants organically, and the special considerations that make container growing a little different than growing in the ground — things like light, drainage, airflow, watering, and trellising.
Whether you're a total beginner or someone adding containers to an existing garden, you'll walk away knowing how to get your best start. Let’s dig in!
SHOW NOTES & RESOURCES
Resources
• Just Grow Something Garden Planning Workbook — https://justgrowsomething.com/shop
• Plan Like a Pro Course — https://justgrowsomething.thinkific.com
• Days to Maturity reference chart — https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/maturity
• The Cantry, Belton MO: https://thecantrypantry.com/?page_id=357
• Fabric Grow Bags: https://amzn.to/4vHDHSO
• Fish Emulsion: https://amzn.to/4sM7nvg
• Kelp Concentrate: https://amzn.to/4u0dcq7
Quick-Reference: Container Size by Crop
Small containers (2 gallons, 4–6 in. deep):
• Lettuce, spinach, arugula, salad greens, radishes, scallions, basil, cilantro, thyme, mint
Medium containers (3–5 gallons, 10–12 in. deep):
• Bush beans, Swiss chard, beets, short carrots, dwarf tomatoes, dwarf peppers, compact eggplant, kale, cabbage, larger herbs
Large containers (8–15+ gallons, 12–16+ in. deep):
• Standard tomatoes (determinate), peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, summer squash, broccoli, large herbs like rosemary
Extra-large containers (15–25+ gallons, 18–24 in. deep):
• Indeterminate tomatoes, winter squash, large sweet peppers, long-season superhot peppers, bush melons
Quick-Reference: Light Requirements
• Fruiting vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, squash): 6–8+ hours direct sun
• Root vegetables (carrots, beets, radishes): at least 6 hours
• Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, chard, kale) and most herbs: at least 4 hours
Simple Organic Feeding Schedule
• At planting: Mix a balanced granular organic fertilizer (e.g., 4-6-4) into potting mix per label rate.
• Every 2 weeks during the growing season: Water with diluted fish emulsion or fish-and-kelp blend (follow label; skip the first 2–3 weeks after transplanting).
• When fruiting plants start to flower: Switch to a lower-nitrogen, higher-phosphorous and potassium feed (e.g., 3-4-6 tomato & vegetable formula).
University Extension References
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/types-containers-growing-vegetables
University of Maryland Extension — Types of Containers for Growing Vegetables
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/maintaining-container-grown-vegetables
University of Maryland Extension — Maintaining Container Grown Vegetables
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/growing-vegetables-containers/
University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension — Growing Vegetables in Containers (XHT1278)
https://extension.psu.edu/container-vegetable-gardening-four-keys-to-success
Penn State Extension — Container Vegetable Gardening: Four Keys to Success
https://extension.psu.edu/growing-vegetables-and-flowers-in-containers
Penn State Extension — Growing Vegetables and Flowers in Containers
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/container-gardening-grow-vegetables-even-without-yard-space
Oregon State University Extension — Container Gardening: Grow Vegetables Even Without Yard Space
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