The 15 Best Seeds to Grow in Pots for Small Space Gardening

Gardening in pots is a great way to grow plants even if you don’t have a large yard or any yard at all. With container gardening, you can cultivate fresh herbs, veggies, and flowers on a balcony, patio, deck, or windowsill. Growing plants in pots enables gardeners short on space to still reap the rewards of gardening.

When selecting seeds to plant in containers, it’s important to choose compact dwarf plant varieties that grow well confined to a pot. Tall sprawling vegetables and vines don’t thrive in containers. The secret is picking seeds for plants that naturally stay short and bushy or climbing plants that can be trellised vertically.

Here are the 15 best seeds to grow in pots for small space gardening

Vegetables

1. Tomatoes

Tomato plants can flourish in pots as long as you pick a dwarf, bush variety. Compact tomato cultivars like Bush Early Girl and BushSteak stay under 2 feet tall and don’t require staking. They bear a heavy crop of full-sized tomatoes perfect for containers. Determinate tomatoes that stay bushy are better suited for pots than vining indeterminate types.

2. Peppers

Grow bell peppers and other sweet or hot pepper cultivars in pots on a sunny patio or balcony. Compact pepper plants like California Wonder bell pepper stay around 1 foot tall, so they don’t need a lot of root space. Select smaller pepper varieties like thumbelina rather than big blocky bell types.

3. Eggplant

Standard huge eggplant varieties won’t work well in containers, but container-friendly dwarf or baby eggplant cultivars are ideal. Little Fingers, Little Italian, and Fairy Tale types only grow 12-18 inches tall and produce petite, finger-sized fruits with great flavor.

4. Bush Beans

Bush beans stay compact and upright, making them a smart choice for container growing. Opt for bush bean varieties like Provider green beans that reach just 16 inches tall at maturity. You can grow beans in a pot tall enough to trellis them vertically on a support.

5. Lettuce

Looseleaf lettuce varieties do well in pots and window boxes since they form petite heads. Good compact lettuce cultivars for containers include Tom Thumb, Red Sails, and Little Gem. You can also grow cut-and-come-again lettuce mixes.

6. Carrots

Short carrot varieties in the Chantenay or round carrot groups fit well in containers. Good compact options include Thumbelina and Parmex carrots at 3-4 inches long. Use at least a 12 inch deep pot for carrot roots to form properly.

7. Radishes

Quick-growing radishes mature in just 25-30 days, making them a satisfying early season crop for container gardens. Cherry Belle, Champion, and Easter Egg radishes produce crisp roots in little space. Plant radishes in wide, shallow pots.

8. Green Onions

Green onions and chives are easy-to-grow container crops that reach just 6-12 inches tall. Flavors range from mild green onions to zesty chives. Harvest green onion tops as you need them and cut chives close to the base so they regrow.

9. Leafy Greens

Mesclun salad mix, spinach, kale, arugula, and Swiss chard produce a bountiful harvest of nutritious greens from compact plants. Succession plant for continued container crops.

10. Cucumbers

Bush cucumber varieties stay compact for container growing versus vining types. Good bets are Bush Champion, Bush Pickle, and Spacemaster cucumbers topping out under 2 feet tall. Train vining cucumbers vertically on a trellis in a large pot.

Herbs

11. Basil

This essential culinary herb thrives planted in pots. Columnar basils like Italian Samsung stay upright and neat for compact growth. Pinch off flower buds to keep plants bushy and productive. Move container-grown basil plants indoors in cold weather.

12. Parsley

Both curly and Italian flat-leaf parsley cultivars are great compact herbs for containers. Parsley is a biennial that regrows each spring. Plants reach 10-12 inches tall and provide abundant harvests all season.

13. Oregano & Thyme

These Mediterranean herbs grow slowly, so their roots don’t mind being confined to a pot. Compact oregano and thyme plants reach just 6-12 inches tall. Flavors intensify when they are grown in containers.

14. Chives

Grass-like chive plants reach 10-12 inches tall and provide flavorful onion chives. Chives are perennial, surviving the winter in zones 3-9. Trim plants regularly to promote regrowth.

Flowers

15. Petunias

Cascading and multiflora petunias are perfect for hanging baskets and containers. Multiflora types like Dreams spread 24-36 inches across but stay just 6 inches tall. Wave petunias cascade gracefully over pot edges.

Tips for Growing Seeds in Pots

• Pick containers at least 6-12 inches deep for adequate root room. Drainage holes are essential.
• Use a quality potting mix, not garden soil which compacts over time.
• Fertilize plants regularly to replenish nutrients that leach from containers.
• Consistent watering is key for container plants. Check soil daily.
• Move pots to follow the sun as it shifts during the growing season.
• Group pots together for added insulation on cold nights.

The benefit of gardening in containers is the ability to grow plants anywhere, even without an actual yard. On an apartment balcony, these compact seed varieties allow you to cultivate tomatoes, peppers, herbs, greens, and flowers in pots tailored to your space. With the right seeds and a bit of care, container gardening success is within your reach!