Easy Container Gardening Tips for Beginners
Whether starting from scratch or looking for an easier way, this list of easy container gardening tips for beginners will excite you to start growing again.
Nothing is better than homegrown food, especially when it is set up and growing right outside your kitchen door, a lush space full of things you love to eat.
Growing food in containers on a patio is a convenient and rewarding way to enjoy fresh produce at home, and with the right tips for container gardening, anyone can turn even the smallest space into a thriving garden.
There’s something amazing about being outside, hands in the dirt, and feeling the sun on your shoulders. For me, it’s heaven. But over time, my back started protesting, cutting my time in the garden short.
Instead of giving up on something I love, I decided to give container gardening a try—and it’s been a game-changer.
Now, I can still grow my favorite veggies right outside my kitchen door without the strain of bending over garden beds.
Yes, I had my doubts at first, but after a few successful growing seasons, I’m completely hooked. Container gardening has given me all the joy of growing with none of the backache.
And I am happy to say that my back and knees completely agree.
A New and Easier Way to Garden
Over the last handful of years, container gardening has really caught on and allowed folks from anywhere and everywhere to have a garden of their own.
Whether on a patio in the suburbs or just a small window sill in a high-rise apartment, having the freedom to grow food is no longer limited to large yards in the country.
A few months ago, I stumbled onto a book called The Family Garden Plan by Melissa Norris.
This book reawakened in me my love of gardening with so many beautiful images that were incredibly inviting to me. Her book is a great addition to any homesteading library because it contains tips from soil to harvest, covering both vegetables and fruits.
I can always tell how much I love a book by the highlighted parts inside, and my copy of the Family Garden Plan is not only COVERED in highlights but also by sticky note tabs and dogeared pages.
It is a gem and a great addition to your home library.
The Family Garden Plan: Grow a Year’s Worth of Sustainable and Healthy Food
The Family Garden Planner: Organize Your Food-Growing Year •Helpful Worksheets •Weekly Tasks •Expert Advice
A few weeks ago I got the chance to pick Melissa’s brain on gardening and I was able to get her take on growing vegetables in containers. Since this is something still relatively new to me, being able to get a few suggestions from a 5th generation homesteader was not only educational but fun as well.
Easy Container Gardening Tips for Beginners – an Interview with Melissa Norris
Hi, Melissa! I am so excited to talk to you today.
I just loved your new book and found some great and surprising tips tucked inside.
I am an old-school girl, and I just love to have books in my home that allow me to find the information I need without having to power up my laptop. I like to call this my homesteading library, and I always encourage my readers to have a well stock library in their homes as well.
I know your book will be a great addition because of the wide range of information found inside.
Most books focus on just one aspect, usually giving so much more information than the average gardener needs, your book, however, really does touch on it all, making it a great resource to have on hand.
Before we talk plants, I would love to know how long you have been gardening.
Iʼve been gardening on my own for 21 years but grew up gardening with my parents… so almost since birth, lol
I see many photos of your family in your book. Have they always helped you in the garden?
Yes, the garden has always been a family affair. When I grew up, the garden fed us through the winter and was non-negotiable, I take the same approach with my own kids.
Knowing your garden was the main source of your family’s food, was a great way to relay to your family the importance of chipping in.
Do you other tips to help encourage children to help in the garden?
Itʼs one of their chores during the summer and fall. If they want to go to a friends, do something special, or have electronic/screen time, they have to put so much time out in the garden. Iʼve also found that what they help grow, they enjoy eating and are willing to try whereas when we didnʼt grow it, they didnʼt even want to taste it.
If weʼre out as a family, instead of just sending each child out to do a task, they tend to do better and enjoy it as family time.
Family time in the garden, what a great way to share your love of growing food with them.
I have been toying around recently with alternative gardening methods. My favorite is container gardening. I do find that some vegetables fare better than others.
Looking to grow vegetables but don’t have a big garden? Check out these easy Container Vegetable Garden Ideas to get started.
What are good vegetables to grow when first starting out with a patio garden?
The vegetable really depends on the size of the container youʼre planting in. A 1-gallon pot isnʼt going to allow you to grow root vegetables or plants that have a large root system but they will let you grow spinach, chard, radishes, or green onions.
A 5-gallon container will let you grow 1 tomato or zucchini plant, a couple of peppers, several heads of lettuce, or 6 onions or garlic.
You can grow almost anything in a container but the container will need to be large enough for the root growth. In general, herbs and greens do well on a back patio.
Yes, herbs are something I really want to expand on this season. To me, nothing livens a dish up more than fresh herbs.
Do you have any tips for the soil used in containers?
Correct soil is even more important for a container than a raised bed or inground gardening due to gravitational pressure forces being absent compared to inground. A potting soil mix has the correct balance or you can make your own with equal parts loam soil, sphagnum peat moss, coarse sand, perlite or vermiculite.
I donʼt add more soil in a season but will add a liquid fertilizer every 2 to 3 weeks.
Do you suggest the use of compost even when using a bagged or store-bought soil?
You never go wrong with compost but I add it as a top dressing.
That is interesting, so if you are using your compost as a top dressing do you then skip the mulch?
I donʼt normally mulch with container gardening because Iʼm fitting in more plants in a smaller space and I top dress with compost instead.
Get Tips on Composting:
Let’s talk about watering, which I know if completely different when using containers.
What is a good rule of thumb or measurement guide to follow that will better ensure watering is kept consistent?
In general, containers will require more frequent watering than other beds, but itʼs always better to deep water a few times a week rather than small amounts every day (but in smaller containers in the height of summer youʼll likely be watering daily).
I let the top 2 inches of soil dry out in larger containers and then use a gentle spray or mist at a slow trickle until water comes out the drain holes. If the soil has pulled away from the sides of the pot, then the water will likely immediately run out and you should put the pot in a tub of water and let it soak up from the bottom.
I just love repurposing old items, especially in the garden.
Are there any tips you can give that may be helpful when growing vegetables in non-traditional containers?
You must have drain holes and adequate room for the roots.
Funny how I never really thought of the drain holes. I always added a layer of stones to the bottom, thinking that was enough. Good drainage ensures roots won’t sit in overly wet soil, allowing them to stay healthy and grow properly.
That really does explain why my plants did not do quite as well as I thought they should. I will be adding holes to my garden containers this time around.
Do you have any tips for extending the patio garden longer into the growing season?
If you can move your containers easily, take advantage of warmer areas come fall. Southern exposure or near decks, cement or rocks will radiate heat back towards the containers, which can help when cooler weather sets in.
You can use plant frost protection fabric or wrap them overnight to help give you extra weeks of growing in the fall, these usually will buy you about 5 to 10 degrees warmer depending on how well you seal the plants up.
Are there support options for container growing that will work well with peas and beans?
A single pole or metal t-post (provided the vegetable container is deep enough to support it) works well. You can also use a wire tomato cage or place the container near a pole, trellis or fence.
Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me. I know your easy container gardening tips are going to be a big help to my readers as well as myself.
There is a bit of a learning curve when switching from an inground garden to an all container one and your suggestions are really going to help this year’s garden be much more successful.
The trick now is to build a patio big enough to hold all the plants this urban gardener would like to grow!
You don’t need a big yard to grow veggies. This guide on Patio Gardening for Beginners can help you grow plants in even the smallest spaces.
Q&A About Starting a New Container Vegetable Garden
1. What kind of containers should I use for growing vegetables?
The best containers for vegetables are those that are sturdy, have adequate drainage holes, and are the right size for the plant. For example, tomatoes or peppers need larger pots (around 5 gallons or more) to give their roots room to grow, while herbs like basil or parsley can do well in smaller containers.
You can use pots made of plastic, a porous cloth material, or even upcycled items like buckets, as long as they drain well and hold soil without cracking.
2. Which vegetables are easiest to grow in containers?
Some of the easiest vegetables to grow in containers include salad greens (like lettuce or spinach), cherry tomatoes, radishes, peppers, and herbs such as rosemary or thyme. They’re low-maintenance and grow well in small spaces, making them ideal for beginners.
3. How do I care for my container vegetable garden?
To keep your container garden healthy, start by using good-quality soil, like a potting mix designed for vegetables.
Water your plants consistently, as containers tend to dry out faster than garden beds—usually once daily in the heat of summer. Place your containers in a sunny spot that gets at least 6–8 hours of sunlight, and don’t forget to feed your plants with a balanced fertilizer every few weeks to support their growth.
Growing food in containers is an easier way to enjoy the food you love without most of the heavy lifting or full garden prep. Containers give you so many options allowing you to try out new plants extending your garden knowledge every year.
If you have a space with plenty of sunshine, the right-sized container with holes for drainage, and good organic soil, you have what you need to get started. Easy Container Gardening Tips for Beginners will get you back in love with growing again.
More Gardening Resources:
Learn how to Grow Peppers in Containers. They are so easy to care for and can help you make the most flavorful meals.
If you want even more gardening tips Melissa’s book is what you need. Her simple gardening guide will walk you through all you need to know to grow a year’s worth of produce at your own home. Something that can now be part of your family’s summer routine. Grab your very own copy of The Family Garden Plan.
Melissa is a 5th generation homesteader who lives in Washington state and helps people use modern homesteading to grow, preserve, and cook their own organic food no matter where they live. She and her husband, with their two kids, raise 100% of their own meat and over 60% of their own fruits and vegetables for a year.
You can find her on:
