Everyone should taste a just picked fruit or vegetable at least once in their life. Preferably a lot more than once. If you’ve never grown vegetables on your balcony or patio before, or you want to get out of your tomato and basil growing rut, try one of these five edibles.
All of these plants can be planted now or in the near future:
- Arugula – Nearly fail proof to grow yourself, and over priced at the supermarket makes arugula the perfect plant to grow at home. You haven’t lived until you’ve eaten a salad with greens so fresh they melt in your mouth.
- Brussels Sprouts – Two plants will easily provide several meals worth of the sprouts, which are amazing when picked fresh and lightly roasted. Plant them in a pot that is at least 10 inches deep.
- Garlic - There are lots of varieties of garlic, most of which aren’t available at even the most well-stocked grocery stores or farmer’s markets. For example, if you want to taste a garlic described as a “veritable garlic inferno” then you’re most likely going to have to grow it yourself.
- Kale – Is one of those plants that looks beautiful and tastes great. It is somewhat cold tolerant, so it’s perfect for those of you for whom winter comes early.
- Lavender – The plants and perfume are beautiful, bees love them, and there are a number of ways to cook with lavender. What’s not to love? Check out this list of compact lavenders, more suitable for container growing.
What would you add to this list?
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I would definitely add peas, spinach, leaf lettuce and swiss chard – especially the multi colored kind like neon lights.
You’re right, there’s plenty of time to keep growing. And, if there’s a sunny spot indoors, some plants can even survive a bit longer if moved inside when overnight temps are too cold.
I would add spinach, scallions, microgreens (if space is an issue), and a nice variety of lettuces. I grew a dwarf sugar snap pea last year that would work in a container.
Good ones Kristi! I have a red variety of scallions that I’d like to try. I think I’ll sow them when I get home…
Some good, hardy and easy pot plants there Fern. Tomatoes got me addicted to pot gardening in the spring, but for autumn planting broccoli and snow peas kept me addicted (i lose interest fast)! In fact it was such a mild winter here both plants are still going in my garden (and they need to go soon because I need to plant the tomatoes but I an loathe to kill something that is still producing)!!! So definitely add snow peas to the list, even novices can concoct a trellis for them to climb with random objects and twine.
Prue–Heh. An ADD gardener after my own heart. I find I am having the most fun at the change of seasons because that’s when there are the most new things to do and plant.
There are some great snow peas that don’t even need to be staked, they’re perfect for containers. I hate brussels sprouts, but I also ordered a number of dwarf fall vegetable seeds online. Baby carrots, scallions, garlic, and also rainbow chard, and winter cauliflower. I think I got overambitious, as I also wanted some winter squash. We’ll see where I can fit it all. My nursery is having a 20%-40% sale off all containers starting tomorrow, so this will be fun
HI there! I started my first ever container garden late this summer (i.e. I potted some strawberries a month ago and I haven’t kill them). Filled with hope I now have a giant pot filled with herbs (garlic chives, thyme, two kinds of mint, sweet basil, and I’m trying to start some nasturtium seeds in there too!). I Also have seeds for chard, winter kale and short carrots germinating in pots as we speak.
This site inspired me to make my balcony truly productive so I have ordered seeds for tomb thumb peas, dwarf snow peas, dwarf blue corn (for next year), ox heart carrots and even some seed potatoes which I plan to grow in the bag type of container designed for potatoes. What can I say, I got excited!
Thank you so much for this site! It’s been inspiring to know that a small space can be so productive!
P.S. If you don’t like Brussels sprouts try snipping the stem end off to peel apart individual leaves. Blanch the leaves for 40 sec to a minute, then sauté them with a little butter salt and pepper. They are sweet and tasty this way, not dense and cabbagey.
I really really want to grow brussels sprouts. I’m in Kansas, zone 6. Is it too late to plant seeds? Secondly, I do a google search for “buy brussels sprouts seeds online,” and all that comes up is a bunch of gardening companies in the UK! ?? Where can I buy BS seeds online?
Thanks! I love your blog; you inspire me!
Oh, a word about kale. I planted some this last spring, and it grew fast and well in its little window box. Then a nasty band of caterpillars leveled it down in just three days! All that was left were these nubby little pale green stalks sticking sadly out of the ground. I was amazed to see a few weeks later, these demolished stalks starting to make leaves again!! Now my kale, without any intervention from me, is tall and healthy again. Kale is DEFINITELY a hardy plant!