container garden – Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Durham County

by Martha Keehner Engelke, NC State Extension Master Gardener ^SM

For several years I have tried to grow vegetables. My previous vegetable garden was on the side of my house and I didn’t see it unless I had a reason to visit that side of the house. There was only one small window that looked over the garden and most of the time, the shades were closed. When the heat of summer became intense, I “forgot” to water my vegetables. With irregular watering, my veggies often looked parched and burned. They withered and then they became diseased. By the end of July, I was sad and frustrated by vegetable gardening.

This year I tried something different, after reading about compact vegetables on this blog, I bought some at the 2026 Durham County Extension Master Gardener Plant Sale. I put them on my deck where I could see them every day from my living room window. This year, my plants have been healthy, I have watered them consistently and I have enjoyed the fruits of my labor.

What are Compact Vegetables and how do you grow them?

Compact vegetables are specific cultivars that bear smaller fruit than their larger counterparts. Compact or patio tomatoes are usually determinate. They don’t give you tomatoes all summer and the fruit is smaller ranging in size from a cherry tomato to a tomato that is about 2-4 inches in diameter. Cucumbers, peppers and eggplant are usually a bush variety. They grow to a fixed size and need very little in the way of staking or trimming.

But there are some problems. Plants grown in pots don’t have a large earth buffer so they are susceptible to: rapid loss of moisture (They need to be watered daily and sometimes twice a day); nutrient depletion (this is related to the frequent watering); and root restriction (it’s important to use a pot that is big enough for the plant when it is mature and bearing fruit) not just when you plant it.

I planted each of my veggies in a container that was an appropriate size for the plant (8-12 inches in diameter and 6-10 inches deep). I washed the pots and disinfected them. I used a commercially available organic, moisture control mix that included compost. After planting, I sprinkled Osmocote® on the top and for 6 weeks I fertilized them with a liquid fertilizer every two weeks. I have read that it might be better to continue to fertilize with liquid fertilizer during the entire growing season because nutrients can be depleted easily. But, since we were in a drought, I thought that fertilizing the plants might damage the roots.¹. I watered them daily and about two months after planting, I noticed that some of the plants (tomatoes and cucumbers especially) had lost some of their soil so I added soil and a bit of compost. The pots are on my deck which gets sun from about noon to 6 pm.

How did it turn out?

Quick Snack Cucumbers-This plant was the first to bear fruit. I have harvested about 20 mini (2-4 inches) cucumbers. They are delicious. There are virtually no seeds and because they are so small and the skin is thin, I didn’t peel them. I enjoyed them in salads and as a readily available snack.

Quick snack cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is known for its compact, patio-friendly growth and ability to produce crisp, bite-sized fruit without needing a pollinator (parthenocarpic). (Image credit: Martha Engelke)

Fairy Tale Eggplant– My plant has yielded about 40 eggplants so far and there are more on the bush. However, they are very small, 2-3 inches when ripe. For a while, I thought they would get bigger so I let them grow to about 5 inches and they became pale with a bitter taste. When they are ripe they are delicious with no seeds. They can be baked grilled or roasted. I sauteed them in olive oil with some tomatoes, onion and basil, and topped everything with parmesan cheese. Yum!

Fairy Tale Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is very small and the plant at its peak is covered in the fruit. However, in the second photo the eggplants at the top were over ripe and bitter. While I didn’t have enough eggplant to make a full meal, I did use them several time to make a tasty side dish. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)

Sweet Confetti Peppers-My plant is loaded with these but only a few have ripened. When they are growing they are green then yellow. They look ready to eat but they have little taste and they are hard until they are fully ripe. They are ripe when they turn red or they are red striped. At that point they taste like a sweet bell pepper.

Sweet Confetti Pepper (Capsicum annuum) is a lovely plant with variegated leaves. The photo on the right shows the maturation of the fruit from green to red. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)

Purple Tiger Peppers-This plant is very ornamental. The leaves are variegated and range from green to purple. The plant is covered with 1 inch peppers that turn from green, to purple to red. They are rated at 5,000-10,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). In comparison, a jalapeno pepper is 2,000-8,000 SHUs. I like this as an ornamental plant but it is too hot for me to eat (I know many people will disagree). I tried to reduce the heat by removing the seeds and membranes (the Capsaicin, the chemical that makes peppers spicy is in the membrane but this is attached to the seed). This was difficult and tedious because the peppers are so small.

Purple Tiger Peppers (Capsicum annuum) are an heirloom variety and can be used as an addition to salsa or other spicy dishes but if you don’t like the heat, they are a beautiful ornamental plant. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)

Orange Hat Tomatoes -This is a Russian heirloom variety. It is considered to be a micro-dwarf determinate tomato and it only grows to 6-9 inches tall. I got about 10 small tomatoes and then I noticed that that they seemed to stop ripening. These tomatoes really don’t like a lot of heat. This was the time period when Durham was experiencing temperatures near or above 100 degrees every day.

Red Hat Tomatoes (Oranzhevaja Shapochka) are self-pollinating and you can encourage pollination by shaking the main stem. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)

Bush Early Girl-This determinate tomato grew to about two feet tall. At first, it was loaded with green/yellow tomatoes in clumps of 4-6. A few of the tomatoes fused. I worried that I needed to trim off some of the tomatoes but I consulted an experienced vegetable grower and was encouraged to leave them alone. I have harvested 6 small tomatoes and they were quite good. There are several more tomatoes on the vine but they are not ripening as fast as the earlier ones. A few have developed the beginning of blossom end rot. I consulted with our excellent Extension Agent Ashley Troth who is an expert on growing tomatoes. She said:

“in general tomatoes really suffer with the heat and struggle to set fruit. Even with fruit forming, extreme heat can prevent them from ripening properly (and so the fruit stays green longer). The blossom end rot could be from lack of water, not because you didn’t water enough, but because things just dry out so quickly in pots in extreme heat you can still have problems.”

Bush Early Girl tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are known for their early fruit that tastes like the fresh tomato you ate as a child (at least it does to me). The last picture shows how beautiful they are when they ripen properly. (Image credit: Martha Engelke)

What did I Learn?

This was a very positive experience for me and I think that I am hooked on these tiny vegetables with great flavor. I had to adjust my expectations on the size and amount of harvest but for me and my husband, this was very manageable and fun. Heading out to the deck and cutting off enough eggplant to combine with my tomatoes and eating my own cucumbers in my salad gave me a sense of accomplishment with not too much work. I will be buying more at the 2027 Durham County Extension Plant Sale and I hope you will join me. The sale will be held on April 10, 2027. Be sure to save the date and look for more details in the future.

Note: 1. According to NC State Extension, you should avoid fertilizing plants during a drought because it encourages new growth, which increases the plant’s demand for water and makes it more vulnerable to heat stress.

Additional Reading and Resources

NC State Extension provides excellent advice on how to care for plants grown in pots.

The University of Minnesota Extension Office gives step by step instruction on how to start your vegetable garden in a container.

Shortlink: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-7MQ

by Andrea Laine, EMGV

Containers enable practically anyone to cultivate a garden. Containers can be placed inside or outdoors. Annuals or perennials, flowers or vegetables can be grown in containers. Herbs are especially well-suited for containers, and even trees and shrubs can be contained. Success lies in matching a plant’s growth requirements and growing conditions (Right Plant, Right Place) to the appropriate container and following good planting practices. Here is a primer on best practices for container gardening outdoors.

Plants
Choose plants with a confined or compact growth habit. Most annuals fit this description as well as nearly all leafy green vegetables and some fruit trees – apples, peaches and figs. If perennials are your choice, look for ones labeled “bush,” “dwarf,” “miniature,” or “specifically bred for containers.”

Container Depth and Diameter
Match the size of the container to the plant’s growth requirements. You want to give the roots room to spread and take hold.

Annuals have shallow roots so a 6- to 8-inch depth container will do.
Perennials or plants with a taproot (carrots) require greater depth — 10 to 12 inches.
Herbs can thrive in 4- to 6-inch depth.
Shrubs and trees need a depth and diameter of 12 inches each.

The number of plants you intend to include in one container and their size at maturity are factors to consider when choosing the diameter of a container. In general, larger containers do not dry out as quickly and are less likely to restrict growth, flowering and fruiting.

Container Material
Be mindful of the porosity of the container you choose.

Nonporous: plastic, metal, fiberglass, glazed
Semi-porous: wood, pressed fiber
Porous: clay, unglazed ceramic, terracotta

semiporus container kathleen_moore ccby20 — Containers made from wood are semi-porous. *credit: Kathleen Moore cc by-2.0*

Porous containers like terracotta lose moisture more readily. They are ideal for growing plants that prefer drier conditions like cacti or succulents. Nonporous materials will hold moisture in, thus require less frequent watering. Unglazed ceramic is not recommended for a winter garden it is capable of absorbing water which under freezing conditions may cause the pot to crack.

Container Drainage
Holes are necessary in ALL containers! This is a conundrum for those of us who are drawn to the many attractive containers on the market that do not offer drainage. Once upon a time, people would add stone or gravel to the bottom of the container to create drainage. The experts now recommend against doing that because it causes water to collect in the potting mix just above the gravel. Only when no air space is left in the potting mix will the water drain into the gravel below. In the meantime, plant roots are standing in water and developing root rot. Double-potting is the solution. Put the plant in a pot with drainage holes and place it inside the pot without holes. Remove the pot to water and drain.

Container Color
The color of the container also comes with consequences. Dark-colored containers will absorb heat. This is a plus in winter, but could be a drawback in summer as the potting mix will heat up and dry out. Avoid placing dark- colored containers in full sun. Metal containers also get very hot in the sun as do blacktop driveways. Containers placed on black-top surfaces may need extra care.

Potting Mix
Do not use soil from your yard! Purchase a quality potting mix or medium made especially for the type of gardening you will do. There are commercial mixes that are customized for indoor gardening, outdoor gardening, vegetables, cacti, African violets, orchids, etc. These mixes will have the right balance of fine and coarse textured components for what you want to grow. Plus there will be no weed seeds, disease or insects.

5-Steps to Planting Success
You’ve chosen a container, plant(s) and potting mix; Now it’s time to pull it all together and assemble your container garden. Aim for the soil line to be a quarter- to 3-inches from the top of the container. Plant the crown at the soil line.

Fill container one-third with lightly damp potting mix.
Remove plant(s) from its nursery container. Gently splay roots. Center plant in pot.
Fill potting mix around the roots and up to the crown. Spread potting mix evenly. Do not tamp down the potting mix.
Water well – until water drips from the container’s bottom. This initial watering will settle the potting mix. Add more potting mix if a water well forms.
Top dress with mulch to reduce moisture loss. Be sure to keep mulch a few inches clear of the plant stem so air can circulate. Scatter pine cones or the spiky fruit of a sweetgum tree on top to discourage critters from digging.

Now sit back and watch your garden grow. Don’t forget to water regularly, fertilize periodically, and always site the container according to the plant’s light and temperature needs.