×
  • Home
  • Daily
    • Composting
    • Container Gardening
    • Easy Healthy Recipes
    • Food Preservation
    • Garden Design
    • Garden Tools
    • Growing Fruits & Berries
    • Indoor Gardening
    • Pests & Diseases
    • Seeds & Seedlings
    • Soil & Fertilizer
    • Spice & Herb Gardening
    • Vegetable Gardening
    • Watering & Irrigation
  • Freebies
  • Videos
  • Magazines
    • Food Gardening Magazine
    • RecipeLion Magazine
  • Guides
  • Cookbooks
    • Beverages
    • Bakery
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizers
    • Salads & Dressings
    • Soups
    • Entrées
    • Side Dishes & Sauces
    • Desserts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Affiliate Program
  • Sponsor Program
  • Give a Gift
  • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use
  • Manage Account
  • Authors
  • Keyword Index
  • Join

Food Gardening Network

Growing Good Food at Home

Join
Mequoda Publishing Network
  • Daily
    • Composting
    • Container Gardening
    • Easy Healthy Recipes
    • Food Preservation
    • Garden Design
    • Garden Tools
    • Growing Fruits & Berries
    • Indoor Gardening
    • Pests & Diseases
    • Seeds & Seedlings
    • Soil & Fertilizer
    • Spice & Herb Gardening
    • Vegetable Gardening
    • Watering & Irrigation
  • Freebies
  • Videos
  • Magazines
    • Food Gardening Magazine
    • RecipeLion Magazine
  • Guides
  • Cookbooks
    • Beverages
    • Bakery
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizers
    • Salads & Dressings
    • Soups
    • Entrées
    • Side Dishes & Sauces
    • Desserts
  • Sign In
  • Search

The 6 Best Containers for Container Gardening

The 6 Best Containers for Container Gardening

Tried-and-true, the best containers for container gardening can be anything from mason jars to hanging baskets

By Amanda MacArthur | April 4, 2023

Best Containers for Container Gardening

You’ve probably heard that using old wood pallets isn’t the best idea, because you never know what they were carrying and could be filled with poisons you don’t want leaching into your soil and food. So then, if the most Pinterest-ed DIY project is null, what are the best containers for container gardening when you grow food? Mason jars. That’s the end of the list. Pure glass, no plastic. Just kidding. I mean you can grow a lot of things in mason jars and they’re technically containers and on the list, but we’ll also get into larger containers that you might do some gardening in.

I’ve tried a lot of gardening gadgets, and there’s no shortage of containers considered the best containers for container gardening, but some of them are downright complicated to put together and maintain, so I find it’s better to keep it simple and not waste your money. These tried-and-true options work great.

Discover 7 top tips for growing, harvesting, and enjoying tomatoes from your home garden—when you access the FREE guide The Best Way to Grow Tomatoes, right now!

The Best Containers for Container Gardening

  1. Mason jars. Most herbs are naturally easy to grow, and some of my favorites, including basil, thyme, and rosemary can all grow from cuttings. So when you grow herbs in Mason jars, you don’t need to dig up mature plants to do it, nor do you have to start from seeds (unless you want to). There are a couple things to keep in mind before you begin, though. Learn more about growing herbs in mason jars.
  2. Window boxes. Spoiler alert: window boxes are not just for windows! You can attach them to lots of things, mount them to walls, and even hang them from each other using strong cording, ropes, or chains. Window boxes are some of the best containers for container gardening and are a great solution for your vertical vegetable garden design ideas since they can be modified to fit your space and needs. Learn more about building DIY window box planters.
  3. Deck rail planters. Deck rail planters are great for herbs. Most herbs don’t need deep soil to thrive, so they’re ideally suited for these setups. But not all deck rail planters are shallow. You can get them in a variety of sizes. In fact, there is a wide range of colors, materials, styles, and sizes available. Some are recessed in the bottom to fit over your rail, while others have hooks so they can hang from the rail. There are single pots and rectangular boxes and all sorts of possibilities. Learn more about growing food in deck rail planters.
  4. Hanging baskets. There are plenty of vegetables you can grow in hanging baskets on your porch, balcony, or deck railing and I consider them one of the very best containers for container gardening. You can nearly double your growing space by growing upward on your porch. Another good reason to plant vegetables in hanging baskets is to keep animals and pests from getting into your veggies. This is especially helpful if you have some nosy deer who keep coming for your tomatoes! Read more about the types of vegetables that grow best in hanging baskets.
  5. Fabric grow bags. Also known as fabric pots, these are fabric bags that you can grow plants in. They can be small, one-gallon containers, and you can get large, 200-gallon containers. The porousness of fabric grow bags leads to dryer soil near the edges of the container, where there is more contact with the air. When the plant’s roots reach that drier soil and the air, they stop growing, so you don’t end up with root-bound plants. That’s the claim to fame for these bags and people love them to grow potatoes. Learn more about the pros and cons of fabric grow bags.
  6. Standard containers. The plastic garden boxes and pots you’ll find at your garden supply store are last but not least. These containers are built with drainage and room for plants to grow, plus they come in any number of sizes. But when choosing a container, keep a few things in mind: A black or dark-colored vegetable garden box will absorb more heat, drying out your soil more quickly and potentially making the soil too hot for the plant roots. Size matters and you should choose one appropriate for what you plan to grow. Also, keep in mind heaviness, and whether you’ll need a garden box with wheels to move around. And if you need a plant with well-drained soil, consider clay pots over plastic. Learn more about choosing the best garden boxes for your patio, deck, or small space.

Container gardening is a great way to grow veggies if you’re short on space. If you live in an apartment or only have a small balcony, you can still enjoy heirloom tomatoes, fresh greens, and crunchy cucumbers. Gardening always comes with a learning curve, though. Container gardening is no different. Read about some of the mistakes I (and many others) have made, along with ideas on how you can avoid those same mistakes.

What do you consider the best containers for container gardening? Share your favorites below. 

Discover 7 top tips for growing, harvesting, and enjoying tomatoes from your home garden—when you access the FREE guide The Best Way to Grow Tomatoes, right now!

« How to Prepare an Above Ground Garden for Effective Weed Control
10 Enclosed Vegetable Garden Ideas for Every Budget »

Related Posts

  • The Challenges of Growing Vegetables in Containers and How to Overcome Them
  • 7+ Perfect Plants for an Edible Front Porch Garden
  • Making Food-Safe DIY Window Box Planters Fit for a Home Chef

Tags

Best Containers for Container Gardening, container gardening, deck rail planters, fabric grow bags, garden design, grow bags, growing herbs, rail planters, rosemary, vegetable garden, vegetable garden box, vegetable garden design, vegetable garden design ideas, vegetables you can grow, vegetables you can grow in hanging baskets, vertical vegetable garden

Comments
  • Dianne April 4, 2023

    I like to use white 5 gallon pails with holes drilled in the bottom and sides to grow tomatoes in. I buy mine at Canadian Tire.

    Reply
  • Gardenerrrr F. August 26, 2021

    Great project!

    Reply
  • Marie May 18, 2021

    Plastic cooler water bottles, distilled or sterile water bottles well rinsed. Cut the top off , drill a drainage hole sow your seeding germinating soil, water & put the top back on. When seedlings appear & look strong- remove top.

    Reply
    • Amanda M. May 19, 2021

      Love it! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

Click here to cancel reply.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Give a Gift

FREEBIE!

With your FREEBIE, you’ll also receive regular email messages from the Food Gardening Network. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Your email address is private. We promise never to sell, rent or disclose your email address to third parties.

Freebies

  • How to Grow a Vegetable Garden
  • 15 Easiest Fruits to Grow at Home
  • Growing Vegetables Indoors for Beginners
  • How to Master Spice and Herb Gardening at Home
  • The Best Way to Grow Tomatoes
  • Recipes from Your Garden
  • How to Start a Freedom Garden
  • Gardening in Every Season
  • Planning Your Perfect Food Garden
  • Plants for Bug Control Chart

Browse Topics

  • Composting
  • Container Gardening
  • Easy Healthy Recipes
  • Food Preservation
  • Garden Design
  • Garden Tools
  • Growing Fruits & Berries
  • Indoor Gardening
  • Pests & Diseases
  • Seeds & Seedlings
  • Soil & Fertilizer
  • Spice & Herb Gardening
  • Vegetable Gardening
  • Watering & Irrigation

We will be attending the following shows in 2023:

  • MANTS in Baltimore, MD
  • Connecticut Flower Show
  • Vermont Flower Show
  • Philadelphia Flower Show
Click here to schedule a time to visit with us at the show!

Enter Your Log In Credentials

This setting should only be used on your home or work computer.

  • Lost your password? Create New Password
  • No account? Sign up

Need Assistance?

Call Food Gardening Network Customer Service at
(800) 777-2658

Food Gardening Network is an active member of the following industry associations:

  • American Horticultural Society
  • GardenComm Logo
  • MCMA logo
  • Renewd logo
  • Manage Account
  • Join
  • About Food Gardening Network
  • Contact Us
  • Affiliate Program
  • Sponsor Program
  • Give a Gift
  • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use

Food Gardening Network
99 Derby Street, Suite 200
Hingham, MA 02043
support@foodgardening.mequoda.com

FREE E-Newsletter for You!

Discover how to grow, harvest, and eat good food from your own garden—with our FREE e-newsletter, delivered directly to your email inbox.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Powered by
Mequoda Publishing Network
copyright © 2023 Mequoda Systems, LLC

Food Gardening Network® and Food Gardening Magazine® are registered trademarks of Mequoda Systems, LLC.

Go to mobile version