Pot sizes for growing vegetables in containers

Garlic and carrots grow well together. Potatoes you can just grow more of in one bag. Look at companion plants that will do well with what you want to grow. Depending on the depth and width of your pots you can plant multiples of one thing in the same pot
Thank you! My local agricultural ext agent told me I can do 3-4 peppers in each pot, similar to another poster here. I’m going to try it, curious to see how that will look though, has usually one large plant fills a single large cage for me. I’m having trouble picturing how 3 would have any room to grow!
 
Wow! Thank you. Do you use one cage for each plant, or a cage for all 3? May sound like a silly question. Maybe I’ll take a pic of the pots tonight to share with you all for reference.

I use one cage per jalapeno.

It's a bad picture but I think you can see how they "fit" into the pots.

IMG_20200416_070504.jpg
 
Hi all,

This year I have set up a container garden on my back deck.

It currently consists of 5 seven gallon fabric containers, and 5 twenty gallon fabric containers.

I'm beginning to think that I might have overdone it on the 20 gallon containers and will just be wasting soil and space.... What do you all think? What vegetables would be good to grow in a 20 gallon, getting the best utilization of the space? The research that I have done has mostly leaned towards using 5-10 gallon containers for tomatoes, peppers and eggplants - the larger veggie plants. However, what I am seeing about 20 gallon containers is growing multiple plants in one container.

Which plants could I grow multiple of in a container?

I really want to grow potatoes, jalapenos, okra, tomatoes and possibly squash in the 20 gallon containers. In the 7 gallon containers i'm growing green onions, carrots (and seeking suggestions for the others)

Thank you all in advance. I have a drip irrigation system, running 1 dripper to each 7gal pot, and 2 drippers to each 20gal pots, if that helps.
I lean towards 5 gallon buckets regardless.. Plenty available and a couple bucks if you have to buy some.. don't forget drain holes.. Unless you live in a desert.. 20gal is OMG! Anything you grow in a garden, and how you grow them in the garden, I would think. Wouldn't even need a garden.. just my deck. Injun knew witty.. This year I'll be trying my hand a yams again. The survivors from last years attempt growing some large twisted carrot like things. Will use what's on hand.. They say the vines get ten feet long and to use a bamboo stick.. I'll just tie a string to the side of the house and let them curl up that.. don't really care for yams, but love the challenge. Squash yeah, they take so much room.. one at a time. The remainder can grow singular to as much as three per 5gal bucket. I've done it..
 
I am hoping for a great gardening year.
Oh, me too! For everybody! :)
The Vegetable Gardener's Container Bible by Edward C. Smith.
I have another one of his books. He's very knowledgeable!

OP, I just had a thought... a 20 gallon planter will be extremely heavy when filled. Will you have a way to move it if you need to? (I know someone who does container gardening just so that she CAN move things around.)

I think a 20 gallon would be big enough to grow potatoes or a squash plant or 3-4 peppers, no problem. Good luck! :)
 
I have a bunch of the 20 gallon grow bags, they're great for companion planting (tomatoes & marigolds/basil/nasturtiums) or I'll put multiples of peppers or basil since they tend to bush out. I've also done runner beans, cucumbers, calendula, and eggplants with great success.

Five is a good number to have because you can do a variety across those five and save your smaller bags for tomatoes. I would recommend filling the bottom half with mulch or something similar (I use pine shavings from the coop) because worms will find their way in and help break that stuff down.
 
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I'm happy with 5 gallon buckets.. It's up to you how crowded it becomes.. Too much is to much.. As in companion planting, it's more than likely too crowded. I've never been successful with such things. Maybe my green thumb has turned brown.. When in doubt, one bucket one plant. Buckets are $2.50, fancy pots are sawbucks plural. That's more than ten bucks each.. You can buy a lot of seed for ten bucks. The dirt.
 
I too am trying container gardening using wicking containers I saw on YuTube "gardening with Leon"
. I have some 5 gallon buckets and plan on getting some mineral tubs from neighbors to grow 3 peppers/ 3 cukes / 2 tomatoes in. We shall see how they do with such regular water . It gets in triple digits in summer a lot here. I have a plan to plant same plants in ground also as a comparison. It's a test in garden this year.
 
I love the" grow bags" and use them in all sizes (also std. pots) for growing just about anything over the years. 20 gallons is huge and requires a lot of materials, but are great for growing large plants or mini gardens. I usually grow full season indeterminate tomatoes/eggplants in 10 to 15 gallon bags/pots, herbs, chives, lettuces, radishes, green onions, flowers, peppers, pea pods, etc., etc. in 2 gallon to 7 gallon containers. The 20 gallon bags easily handle three jalapenos, with cilantro at their feet, when we have cool weather, around the edges! I usually use a concrete wire cage around large bags rather than stakes inside the container, so that heavy foliage is supported in higher winds. In hot dry conditions, mulch around the bags and supply water daily, if needed. A tall Indeterminate tomato in the center or one side or supported cucumber, surrounded by whatever else, is typical for me, as is one 20 gallon wide style bag filled with everbearing strawberries right now that is full of berries this year. A squash or melon may be planted on the side of a well established taller plant or vine and allowed to tumble down the side and across the ground. A variety of peppers have done well ,also zucchini and lettuces , carrots, etc.. I do the containers despite having several large raised beds and 3 garden plots from 30 x 30 , 35 x 40 and 60 x 160 ft., that I currently am working(more is now fallow or abandoned by me). The bags are available from commercial suppliers online at decent prices in bundles of 10, 25, 50 usually, at a much lower price, rather than buying them individually from seed companies and garden centers. I have used the bags commercially, starting about 30 plus years ago, for growing certain shrubs/trees in the nursery. Field grown tomatoes still produce better and resist heat better on the average, but the bagged ones are not far behind and they can be located just about anywhere, with a tray and a little attention, inside a sunny room or under a grow light, as I do with tropical plants. The soilless mix, homemade compost, worm castings/compost, carefully mixed to include trace elements, fungi and ph balanced is critical to success. The perlite and vermiculite are important for best long term results in container garden mixes as well. Besides being lighter, the air and drainage provide healthier conditions, when done at the proper rates for your intended crops likes. Improved yields and flavor follow the attention you give the growing media. Gardeners love nurturing life and witnessing the wonders of plants. We all may have different circumstances or finances, but gardeners will find a way to grow things, if at all possible!
 
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Hi all,

This year I have set up a container garden on my back deck.

It currently consists of 5 seven gallon fabric containers, and 5 twenty gallon fabric containers.

I'm beginning to think that I might have overdone it on the 20 gallon containers and will just be wasting soil and space.... What do you all think? What vegetables would be good to grow in a 20 gallon, getting the best utilization of the space? The research that I have done has mostly leaned towards using 5-10 gallon containers for tomatoes, peppers and eggplants - the larger veggie plants. However, what I am seeing about 20 gallon containers is growing multiple plants in one container.

Which plants could I grow multiple of in a container?

I really want to grow potatoes, jalapenos, okra, tomatoes and possibly squash in the 20 gallon containers. In the 7 gallon containers i'm growing green onions, carrots (and seeking suggestions for the others)

Thank you all in advance. I have a drip irrigation system, running 1 dripper to each 7gal pot, and 2 drippers to each 20gal pots, if that helps.
The bigger the container, the better for everything! Remember that they will have to be fertilized at least once a month ( depending on the plant and fertilizer of course.).
Water everything DAILY! I’ve tried growing tomatoes in the two x two foot containers from Home Depot, and they’ve never done well in containers. I’ve grown radishes and lettuce on the patio before and have had success. But bigger plants like zucchini and squash need to be in the ground.
Experiment around with whatever you have! You never know until you try it out! 😊
 

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