How to Grow a Vegetable Garden in Containers

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Try This… Grow a vegetable garden in containers!

Each year my mom plants small herb containers and vegetables in containers in a small section of a flower bed that we have off of our patio (see new patio here). Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and a variety of herbs like parsley, mint and basil are easy to grow and great for beginner gardeners to try.

This year, we are going to grow a vegetable garden in a bigger area but put a little more thought into layout and keeping it safe from the birds and squirrels. Growing vegetables in containers is a great way to create your own mini kitchen garden right on your patio.

Related: how to decorate your patio with my favorite Spring flowers

I love it when friends share delicious, home-grown fruits and veggies with us, and the idea of having a “kitchen garden” is really appealing.  If you are thinking about having a vegetable or herb garden, then you might enjoy looking at some of the ideas for low-cost backyard gardens that I’ve discovered.

Already an experienced gardener?  Share some of your tips in the comments!

How to Grow a Vegetable Garden in Containers

Planting a kitchen garden and growing vegetables in containers is also a great way to add character to your patio. I wouldn’t necessarily grow sprawling lettuce on my patio but herbs and smaller growing vegetables look great mixed in with flowering planters and pretty patio furniture.

Small Vegetable Garden layout

When creating your vegetable garden layout, think in terms of keeping vegetables organized. You don’t want to plant sprawling vegetables near smaller growing, more contained vegetable growers.

1. Wooden Wine Crate Containers

Art and Appetite stacked their backyard herb beds to optimize the space they had available.  Aren’t they beautiful?

I definitely love this idea for repurposing wine crates into a small-space garden at LLH Designs.

There are so many ways you can grow a vegetable garden in containers.

Why not in a galvanized tub or wine crate? Such a great idea! If you are wondering about drainage, you can simply drill drain holes in the bottom of the containers.

2. Raised Flower Bed

My Daily Randomness has an entire series on their experiences with backyard gardening, including how to build these raised beds that look great.

I personally love raised beds when it comes to planting flowers or vegetables. Your vegetable garden design can be pretty and organized with raised beds that can be painted or stained.

3. Hanging Tomato Planter

There’s nothing to compare with the taste of a homegrown tomato.  HGTV makes some terrific suggestions for tomatoes that grow well in containers.

4. Wooden Trellis

Great idea!  Florida Vegetable Garden suggests letting your cucumber vines shade your lettuces.

Vegetable Garden Ideas

The Farmers Almanac has a great article about how to grow a vegetable garden in containers. The specially share which containers to use for certain vegetables. For example, if you are looking to plant beans, snap, broccoli carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, onions or peppers check out their container recommendations.

5. Garden Trellis

Another easy DIY idea for a garden trellis comes from Frugal Family Home. I think if you have a large space in your backyard, the Frugal Family Home offers great tips on how to grow a vegetable garden in containers.

6. Raised Cedar Garden Bed

Look to Ana White for plans to build these raised cedar garden beds that cost only $10! You do not need a lot of money to start your own vegetable garden in containers. I bet if you looked around your home, you probably have all kinds of items you could use!

7. Vertical Pallet Herb Garden

8. Galvanized Tub

Another low-cost gardening idea comes from Kelly Moore, who used a pallet to make this vertical herb garden.  I think her idea of galvanized tubs is genius for herbs and would also work nicely for a vegetable garden.

Planet Garden suggests keeping things tidy by planting in galvanized tubs.

Related: Don’t miss these 9 Herb Garden Ideas!

I can remember as a kid, my grandparents always had a garden and so didn’t my mom. Their vegetable gardens were more of a lawn garden which took over a large space in the yard. I am definitely more of a vegetable garden in containers kind of person.