Container Gardening for Fruits & Vegetables

Many types of dwarf fruit trees grow successfully in large containers.

Smaller yards and apartment balconies needn't prevent you from growing your own healthful fruits and vegetables. Granted, you won't be able to grow corn in a container, but tomatoes, dwarf fruit trees and other vegetables are possible.

Selecting a Container

All containers for fruit and vegetables must have at least one drainage hole. The smallest appropriate size is about 12 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep. To protect wooden surfaces, place a plant saucer under each container.

Potting Soil Mixture

Standard potting soil mixes will suffice for all fruits and vegetables. These plants prefer soil that is slightly acidic, so check the label on purchased soil. To give your soil a little more nutritional value and better drainage, you can mix in about 1 cup of perlite to each 12-inch pot and 4 cups of organic compost.

Dwarf Fruit Trees

Dwarf fruit trees yield apples, peaches, plums, cherries and many other fruits that are the same size as full-size trees. However, your harvest will be smaller on a small tree. Purchase a grafted bare root tree at your nursery and be sure to locate it in full sun.

Vegetables

Start with seeds or purchased bedding plants. One tomato or zucchini plant will fit nicely into a 12-inch pot. You can double up smaller vegetable plants in the same pot: these include peppers, eggplant, spinach, lettuce, green beans and other smaller varieties of vegetables. Give them full sun and allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings.

References

• Texas A&M University: Vegetable Gardening in Containers
• "BBC": Growing Vegetables in Tubs
• California Rare Fruit Growers: Growing Fruit Crops in Containers