By Food-Landscaping

You don’t need a big garden to grow your own food—you just need a few containers, a bit of sun, and a plan.

Right now, I’ve got potatoes, carrots, beetroots, radishes, and tomatoes all growing in pots and containers. They’re all compact, productive, and perfect for small-space growers, renters, or anyone starting on a budget.

Here’s a closer look at these 5 easy container crops you can try—plus some tips I’ve learned along the way.

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🥔 1. Potatoes

The surprise hero of container growing

Potatoes do brilliantly in containers, especially if you don’t have ground space. They need depth more than width, and you can “earth them up” as they grow by adding more soil.

• Best for: Buckets, sacks, or tall fabric grow bags

• Tips:

  • Start with seed potatoes or sprouted leftovers

  • Add more soil as shoots grow (“hilling”)

  • Harvest in stages—early varieties in 10–12 weeks

Container size: 12–16 inches deep | Sunlight: Full sun

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🥕 2. Carrots

Compact roots, big flavour

Carrots need deep, loose soil, but they’re totally doable in containers. I’ve planted mine in a tall pot with sandy compost and they’re coming along nicely.

• Best for: Deep tubs or stacked crates

• Tips:

  • Choose short or round types (like Paris Market or Chantenay) for shallow containers

  • Water regularly and thin seedlings carefully

  • Don’t disturb the roots once they’re growing

Container size: 12+ inches deep | Sunlight: Full sun

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🥬 3. Radishes

Quick, crunchy, and great for beginners

Radishes are one of the fastest-growing veggies out there—and perfect for filling gaps between slower-growing crops.

• Best for: Small pots, troughs, or alongside carrots/beets

• Tips:

  • Sow directly and harvest in 3–4 weeks

  • Don’t overwater—radishes can split

  • Succession sow every 2 weeks for a steady supply

Container size: 6–8 inches deep | Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade

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🍠 4. Beetroots

Dual purpose: tasty roots + edible greens

Beets grow surprisingly well in pots, and you get a bonus crop of fresh leaves while the roots develop. Mine are doing great in medium containers with rich soil and regular water.

• Best for: Medium-sized containers with good depth

• Tips:

  • Thin seedlings early to avoid crowding

  • Harvest leaves as “cut-and-come-again”

  • Wait for bulbing before pulling the roots

Container size: 10–12 inches deep | Sunlight: Full sun

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🍅 5. Tomatoes

The classic container champion

Cherry tomatoes are my go-to for containers. Even one plant can give you a season of flavour—and they look great tucked into a patio corner or near a sunny window.

• Best for: Large pots, grow bags, or tubs

• Tips:

  • Support early with a cane or cage

  • Feed with tomato fertilizer when flowering

  • Keep soil moist, not soaked, to avoid splitting

Container size: 12–16 inches deep | Sunlight: Full sun

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🌿 Growing Food in Containers: My Take

Container gardening has been the easiest way for me to grow real food while keeping things flexible. It’s renter-friendly, space-efficient, and makes crop rotation and mobility simple—especially for seasonal shifts or slug prevention.

Right now, all five of these veggies are growing side by side, and the beauty of it is: no digging, no fuss, just consistent watering, feeding when needed, and watching the transformation unfold.

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🎥 Want to See These in Action?

If you're curious how container gardening fits into a more flexible, real-life setup—especially when you’re renting or don’t want to transform your whole garden permanently—you’ll want to subscribe to the Food-Landscaping YouTube channel.

I’ll be sharing an upcoming video showing how we’re growing crops like potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, and more in containers—right alongside our in-ground beds—to make the most of our space while keeping things moveable, seasonal, and budget-friendly.

👉 Subscribe now to follow the progress and get ideas you can adapt to your own space—big or small.

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You don’t need a plot. Just a pot.
And maybe some potatoes. 😄

Happy planting!
— Food-Landscaping