Easiest Vegetables to Grow in Flower Pots

Almost any fruit or vegetable plant can be grown in a container, provided your container is large enough. You can easily grow herbs, peppers, tomatoes, onions, summer squash, beans and eggplant in summer, as well as broccoli, cabbage, lettuce and greens in spring and fall.

It helps to choose varieties specifically bred for small spaces. Look for variety names and descriptions including these words: bush, dwarf, patio, trailing, compact and miniature. This container is filled with Tumbling Tom tomato, a beautiful compact trailing variety that's ideally suited for containers.

Most vegetables need fairly large containers to grow well. The best containers for vegetables are 12-18 inches wide and 18-24 inches deep. As a rule of thumb: The bigger the eventual size of the plant, the bigger pot you need. This Roma tomato variety is called Little Napoli, and even though it's a compact plant, it still benefits from a deep container where roots can stretch out.

Lettuce is an exception to the size rule. Because it has shallow roots, lettuce grows well in nearly any container, including ones with as little depth as 6-8 inches. Lettuce grows best in cooler weather, so sow seeds in spring or fall. To grow in summer, keep lettuce in part shade.