By Jaymi Heimbuch
San Francisco, CA, USA | Thu Mar 12 12:30:00 GMT 2009
We've been talking lately about growing container gardens. They save money, get you closer to living the 100 Mile Diet and green up your living space. If you've taken a liking to the idea of creating your own kitchen garden in containers, the next difficult part is choosing what you're going to grow. Here are some suggestions for crops that do well in containers. We're also suggesting some themed containers so you can whip up a tasty meal and put a new spin on "one pot meals."
Most any herb is happy in a pot. Some of the best choices are mints, rosemary, basil, sage, thyme, oregano, cilantro, chives, tarragon, lavender...you name the herb, it's will probably do well in a pot. The important thing to pay attention to when choosing herbs is how much sun exposure it likes to get. If you plant more than one herb in a pot, you'll want to make sure they all like the same amount of sunshine.
Photo courtesy of Getty
Lettuces also grow well in pots. You can plant quite a salad bowl by combining different types of lettuce. Throw in some butter leaf, arugula, spinach, or any other of your favorite leafy greens. Add to that beets, radish, and carrots and you're set to have a tasty side dish in just a matter of weeks.
Photo courtesy of Getty
Most squashes are very content in large containers like wine barrels. And, whether or not you think of them them as fruits of vegetables, strawberries and tomatoes also do well in various sized containers as long as you get smaller varieties of the plants. Same goes for dwarf beans. Bell peppers also make a great container veggie crop. You might need to experiment with your choices, and see which veggies are happiest growing in your containers.
Photo courtesy of Getty
Get serious about one pot meals by combining plants that make great dishes together. The varieties of plants will create both an attractive container and special meal. Here are a few ideas to get your imagination started.
Photo courtesy of Getty
Combine cilantro, garlic, onion, jalapeño, and cherry tomatoes together for a spicy salsa harvest.
Photo courtesy of iStock
If you like pastas, pizzas and other Italian meals, go for all the main ingredients. Put a tomato plant in the center and surround it with favorite Italian spices like thyme, sage, oregano, parsley, and rosemary. If your container is on the small side, stick with just the herbs since tomatoes need larger pots.
Photo courtesy of Getty
Decorate your dishes with edible flowers. Nastursium, pansies, and marigolds will look like a flower garden by day, and make your meal extra special by night.
Photo courtesy of Getty
Your container garden could be just what the doctor ordered if you choose to grow medicinal plants. Peppermint, echinacea, calendula, feverfew, st. johns wort, valerian, dandelion chamomile are all beautiful and healthful choices.
Photo courtesy of Getty
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