How to Grow in Containers

Many of the plants we offer can be grown in containers, providing more flexibility for gardeners who may not have much space for growing! Container gardening requires some tweaks to traditional growing but provides the same benefits. The biggest difference is that it requires you to keep a closer eye on your plants to assess their water needs. You can push your finger down into the soil to the second knuckle, and if the soil feels moist to you, no need to water. Peppers especially need to dry out between waterings! Tomatoes can handle more water, but too much can cause their flavor to dilute.

Any cherry tomato is right at home in a container, as long as it has adequate support to climb. You can even put a basil plant in the same pot right at the base of the tomato plant, since tomatoes and basil are companion plants. If you want to grow larger tomatoes like beefsteak varieties, we suggest planting those in at least a 5-gallon container. Smaller fruited varieties like cherries and plums can be planted in 2 or 3 gallon containers.

For peppers or eggplants, most varieties need at least a 5-gallon container. However, some ornamental varieties like our brand-new Candlelight Mutant can thrive in a 1-gallon pot. Herbs can be grown in even smaller containers, though they’ll get bigger if given more space. We’ve seen folks successfully grow beautiful gardens exclusively in containers! For those in climates with colder spring temps, this is an easy way to provide your plants with gentle exposure to the warmer midday temperatures and then bring them to a more protected environment at night if overnight lows are still below 55.

Container Size Considerations

There are a few rules of thumb to follow in regards to container sizing for either peppers, tomatoes, or eggplants.

1. The larger the fruit, the larger the pot you'll need. A multi lb tomato or bell pepper needs a lot of nutrients and water to grow to size, and the only way to deliver these is through a large root system. And you need a large container for a large root system. You can make up for a small container size with more frequent fertilization, but that can only overcome so much, and over fertilization can decrease the plant's health.
2. The same reasoning applies to larger plants. If a pepper plant can grow to 36", it will need a more roots and nutrients to support. A 6" tall ornmental pepper on the other hand can make due with a 1 gallon pot or even smaller.
3. A smaller container will dry out more quickly and need more frequent watering.
4. Do not put a small plant in a large pot! The water and nutrients will flow too far from the roots, and it will take a longer time for the plant roots to branch out deep enough. We recommend up potting our plants into a quart size container before planting in its final location.

Planting Medium

We recommend planting into a soil medium that is 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 perlite. This will seem like a lot of perlite, but drainage is critical as your pepper, tomato, or eggplants do not want wet feet!

Recommended Minimum Sizes

• Pepper plants maturing to less than 12" tall
• Dwarf tomato plants, such as the Micro-Tom

• Pepper plants between 12" and 24" tall and fruits smaller than a banana pepper
• Determinate tomato plants up to a medium size fruit

• Pepper plants greater than 36" tall
• Peppers with fruits as large as a banana pepper or larger
• Tomato plants up to a medium size fruit, determinate, semi, or indeterminate

• Intederminate tomato plants with large or very large fruits

Container Materials

• Low airflow - good for dry climates
• Doesn't break or chip
• Inexpensive
• Light weight
• If material isn't UV resistant, it will break down in the sun
• Not very environmentally friendly

• Note that these are woven plastic, but more breathable for wetter climates
• Doesn't break or chip
• Inexpensive
• Light weight
• Handles can rip when moving
• Not very environmentally friendly if made out of plastic

• Durable, but can chip
• Breathable - allows air to the roots and helpful for wetter climates
• Usually more aesthetially pleasing
• Expensive
• Heavy

• Durable, but can chip
• Less airflow is good for dry climates
• Usually more aesthetially pleasing
• Expensive
• Heavy

Whatever material you choose, make sure that it has adequate drainage! This is done via a hole or holes in the bottom and being raised off the ground.