• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Home Garden Joy
  • Home
  • How to Garden
    • Garden Pests
    • Plant Diseases
    • Plant Profiles
    • Raised Bed Gardening
    • Seed Starting
    • Tools & Equipment
  • Vegetables
  • Fruit
  • Herbs
  • About
    • Books & Classes
      • Herbalism Classes
      • Books for Christian Herbalists
      • Privacy Policy

Types of Containers for Container Gardening

April 11, 2017 by Jeanne

As you plan for your container vegetable garden this summer, let’s take a few minutes to talk about the types of containers for container gardening. You’ll need pots or containers of a specific size to grow the vegetables and herbs you want for your family.

picture of pots for container gardening

Types of Containers for Container Vegetable Gardening

Next to the light requirements for your new backyard vegetable garden, the types of containers for container vegetable gardening is the second most important requirement.

You don’t need to spend a fortune on new pots and containers, although if you have a few dollars to spend I’ll give you tips on what to buy. It’s more important to find the largest sized container that you can to give your plants plenty of room.

Types of Pots and Containers: Plastic

By far the most commonly used type of pot or container for container vegetable gardens is the plastic pot or container. They are easy to find, inexpensive or free, and work well for many types of plants.

You can buy new containers at your local home and garden center. I save the containers from trees, bushes, and perennials that we purchase for the garden. After cleaning them with a solution of 1 tablespoon of household bleach to one gallon of water and rinsing them well, they are ready for reuse.

You can often find similar containers out at the curb on garbage night if you live in a town or village with trash pickup. When I lived in the suburbs, I found many wonderful pots and containers for my container vegetable garden free and for the taking on trash nights!

pots
The giant black plastic container would be perfect for a full sized tomato plant. The terra cotta pots on top are too small for anything except an herb plant.
recycled container
A recycled container from a plant bought at a nursery. Clean them well before using for vegetables.

Types of Pots and Containers: Whiskey Barrels

As the name implies, whiskey barrels are actually barrels that once housed whiskey (or could have). Garden centers often sell full whiskey barrels or half-sized ones. Both make good containers for vegetable gardens if they have drainage holes drilled into the bottom.

Photo courtesy of SGarton/Morguefile.com license

NOT Recommended: Old Tires

I’ve seen pins on Pinterest recommending stacking old tires and using these as planters for vegetables. While they may be fine for flowers, they should not be used for vegetables.

Tires are made of plastics, rubber, and other materials that when they degrades, can produce harmful chemicals. These chemicals leach into the soil. Plants absorb them through the roots. Then they become part of the fruits or vegetables that you eat.

Oil, road salt, gasoline, and many other chemicals are also absorbed by tires over the years of use. These chemicals can also return to the soil.

Do you really want to eat that?

Some say that unless you shred the tire, it is safe for use. I prefer not to take a chance. My recommendation is to avoid those tire-gardens except for growing flowers. Then, reuse and recycle to your heart’s content!

Importance of Drainage Holes

You can see from my samples that each container has several drainage holes drilled through the bottom. This is very important. Drainage holes allow water to drain away from the container. Without drainage holes, your plant can become waterlogged and rot from too much rain or water trapped in the soil. Always make sure that your containers have at least three drainage holes spaced around the bottom.

If you are worried about water spilling out from the bottom of the container onto your deck or onto a neighbor below, then place a large saucer or tray underneath to catch the drips.

Sizes of Containers for Container Gardens

As you look through your stack of recycled and repurposed containers, or you shop for new containers at your favorite garden center, look for larger containers. You can use small containers (half gallon size) for herb plants or lettuce, but the bigger the container, the more you can grow!

I’ll have a handout for you soon that will give you guidance on the size of containers to use to grow different types of vegetables.

In the meantime, the picture below shows you three containers from my shed. They are identified by size. The largest size is a two-gallon container. This could be used for one cherry tomato plant, a pepper plant, or an eggplant. The one-gallon size would be fine for a pepper, some root vegetables like carrots, or a small lettuce garden. And the smallest size is terrific for growing herbs.

Container Garden How-To

Looking for container garden how-to articles? Learn all about growing a container garden here!

  • Container Garden Tips
  • Why Should You Grow Vegetables in Containers?
  • How to Grow Vegetables in Containers
  • Should You Start Your Container Vegetable Garden with Seeds or Plants?
  • Free Container Gardening Tips to Download
  • Beautiful Container Garden Design

Recommended Products

The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thanks so much for being a part of Home Garden Joy!

Plant Caddy with Wheels – 2 Pack

VIVOSUN 5-Pack 20 Gallon Plant Grow Bags, Premium Series

Book – The Postage Stamp Garden

First Published: April 2017 Last Updated: February 27, 2020

Filed Under: Vegetable Gardening

Previous Post: « Super Easy Blueberry Smoothie Recipe
Next Post: What Size Pots Are Good for Container Gardens? »

Primary Sidebar

Let’s Connect!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

As Seen in Porch

 As Seen in Porch

We were featured in Porch.com and answered reader's questions about indoor plants.

Explore All Gardening Articles

Latest Articles

  • Sunscald on Tomatoes: What It Is and How to Prevent It
  • Herbal Profile: Growing Calendula
  • Battling Anthracnose: A Cucumber Grower’s Guide to a Sneaky Fungal Foe

Herbalism Classes & Supplies

Goods Shop by Herbal Academy – botanically inspired products

Disclosure

Home Garden Joy participates in two affiliate programs: Amazon and The Herbal Academy. Home Garden Joy earns a commission from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate. As an Herbal Academy Associate, HGJ also earns a commission when you sign up for classes or purchase herbs or supplies from The Herbal Academy. Herbal information and recipes on this site are provided for educational purposes only.

Footer

a close up of a cucumber leaf with anthracnose

Battling Anthracnose: A Cucumber Grower’s Guide to a Sneaky Fungal Foe

If you’ve ever stepped into your garden and noticed strange brown spots or sunken blemishes on your cucumbers, you might be facing a common but troublesome fungal disease known as anthracnose. Caused by Colletotrichum orbiculare, anthracnose thrives in warm, humid conditions and can quickly spread across your crop if not addressed early. This year in…

Read More

cucumbers and tomatoes in harvest basket

How to Grow Cucumbers: A Complete Guide

Learn how to grow cucumbers in this complete guide. I’ve grown cucumbers my entire life, and I still marvel at the prices of them at the supermarket. I can only imagine that we’re all paying for the transportation, for cucumbers are some of the easiest vegetables to grow. In fact, you may find yourself muttering,…

Read More

small round eggplant

Growing Eggplant: A Guide for Gardeners

Growing eggplant (a small garden devoted to fresh, seasonal edibles) is relatively easy in zone 7, where I garden, but combating the bugs is another story. Growing epplant in pots, containers, raised beds, or garden soil is all possible if you are willing to go the extra mile to control its nemesis, the Colorado potato…

Read More

cherry tomatoes in various stages of ripeness

Volunteer Plants – Nature’s Unexpected Gifts

Volunteer plants are one of nature’s most delightful surprises. They spring up unbidden, often in places we didn’t expect—cracks in sidewalks, corners of compost piles, or nestled beside a stone foundation, like the vibrant coleus seedlings growing near my deck shown in these pictures. These botanical freeloaders aren’t weeds; they’re plants that have reseeded themselves…

Read More

  • Privacy Policy
  • About
  • Awards

Copyright © 2025 Home Garden Joy on the Foodie Pro Theme