Patio food crops

Container Vegetables and Herbs

This is the crawlable companion to the Container Calculator: a shortlist of edible plants that can make sense in pots, grow bags, and patio containers.

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Container edible profiles
263
Timing data
263
Sourced yield rows
206

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Supplies that fit this planning path

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Containers / Before planting

Right-size container with drainage

Use a container large enough for mature roots, with open drainage holes to prevent root rot.

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Containers / Before planting

Expanding container potting mix

Use a lighter container medium instead of dense garden soil in pots and grow bags.

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Watering / Planting day

Watering wand or can

Water new transplants gently without washing soil away from the crown or roots.

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Nutrition / During growth

Balanced garden fertilizer

Feed annual vegetables, herbs, flowers, and hungry container crops according to soil or label guidance.

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How this page is built

The filter behind Container vegetables

The list below is generated from structured plant records, then sorted by sourced metrics, site fit, and planning usefulness.

Pot-size signal

Favors edible records with good or workable container guidance or a sourced small-container minimum.

Calculator handoff

Use the container calculator to test a specific plant against the pot size you already have.

Yield reality

Cards keep timing and output visible because patio crops should earn their watering time.

Browse profiles

Sorted by sourced planning data, site fit, and practical usefulness. Use a ZIP lookup before buying, especially near a plant's zone edge.

Perennial vegetable

Sunchoke

nutty tubers in fall and winter

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
2-5 lb/plant/year
First output
0-1 yrs
Spacing
1.5-2 ft in-row x 2-3 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsPollinators & wildlifenative sunflower tubervery vigorous
Annual vegetable

Scarlet Runner bean

pods and edible flowers all summer

Container
2+ gal (good)
Yield
0.7-1.2 lb/plant/season
First output
60-75 days
Spacing
0.3-1 ft in-row x 3 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsPollinators & wildlifepollinator-friendly climbing beanscarlet flowers
Perennial vegetable

Sea kale

blanched shoots and leaves in spring

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
0.5-1.5 lb/plant/season
First output
1-2 yrs
Spacing
0.5-1.5 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorcoastal perennial vegetableedible shoots
Annual fruit vine

Hyacinth bean

purple pods and flowers in summer

Container
2+ gal (good)
Yield
0.4-1.5 lb/plant/season
First output
60-100 days
Spacing
0.5-1.5 ft in-row x 2-4 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorornamental edible vinepurple pods
Perennial vegetable

Lotus root

rhizomes in late season

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
1-4 lb/plant/season
First output
1-2 yrs
Spacing
1.5-3 ft in-row x 2-4 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & coloredible water-garden cropshowy flowers
Perennial vegetable

Green Globe artichoke

buds form in spring to summer

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
0.9-4.2 lb/plant/year
First output
0-1 yrs
Spacing
3-4 ft in-row x 4-5 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorarchitectural foliageedible flower buds
Annual vegetable

Roselle hibiscus

red calyces in late summer to fall

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
1-3 lb calyces/plant/season
First output
90-120 days
Spacing
2-3 ft in-row x 3-4 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorhibiscus tea plantedible leaves
Citrus

Makrut lime

aromatic leaves and bumpy limes

Container
15+ gal (good)
Yield
40-100 lb/plant/year
First output
2-4 yrs
Spacing
8-15 ft apart
FruitVegetables & herbsculinary leavesexcellent patio citrus
Annual vegetable

Bloomsdale spinach

cool-season leaves

Container
1+ gal (good)
Yield
0.5-1.5 lb/plant/season
First output
35-70 days
Spacing
0.5-1.5 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorsavoyed leavescold-tolerant
Annual vegetable

Bright Lights Swiss chard

spring through fall leaves

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
0.5-1.5 lb/plant/season
First output
35-70 days
Spacing
0.5-1.5 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorcolorful stemshandles partial shade
Annual vegetable

Chioggia beet

candy-striped roots in cool seasons

Container
2+ gal (good)
Yield
0.3-0.4 lb/plant/season
First output
55-65 days
Spacing
0.2-0.3 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorItalian heirloom beetpink-and-white interior
Annual vegetable

Green Zebra tomato

striped green tomatoes in midsummer

Container
5+ gal (good)
Yield
8-20 lb/plant/season
First output
70-90 days
Spacing
2-3 ft in-row x 2-4 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colortart-sweet green-when-ripe tomatostriking fruit
Annual vegetable

Hon Tsai Tai

purple flower shoots in cool weather

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
0.8-2 lb/plant/season
First output
35-80 days
Spacing
0.8-1.5 ft in-row x 1-2.5 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & coloredible flower shootspurple stems
Annual vegetable

Lacinato kale

cool-season leaves

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
0.5-1.5 lb/plant/season
First output
35-70 days
Spacing
0.5-1.5 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorcold-tolerant greensdark textured leaves
Annual vegetable

Miner's lettuce

cool-season heart-shaped greens

Container
1+ gal (good)
Yield
0.5-1 lb/plant/season
First output
45-85 days
Spacing
0.5-1 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsNative plantsshade-tolerant native greenmild flavor
Annual vegetable

Napa cabbage

cool-season heads in spring or fall

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
0.8-2 lb/plant/season
First output
35-80 days
Spacing
0.8-1.5 ft in-row x 1-2.5 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsAsian greensheading brassica
Annual vegetable

Osaka Purple mustard

purple leaves in cool weather

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
0.5-1.5 lb/plant/season
First output
35-70 days
Spacing
0.5-1.5 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorornamental edible mustardpurple foliage
Annual vegetable

Purple Haze carrot

purple roots with orange interior in 70 days

Container
2+ gal (good)
Yield
0.1-0.2 lb/plant/season
First output
60-80 days
Spacing
0.2-0.3 ft in-row x 1-1.5 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorimperator-type purple carrotstriking color
Annual vegetable

Purple Majesty potato

purple-fleshed potatoes in late summer

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
2-3 lb/plant/season
First output
70-120 days
Spacing
1-1.5 ft in-row x 3 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorantioxidant-rich purple potatostriking color
Annual vegetable

Red Burgundy onion

red onions in summer

Container
2+ gal (good)
Yield
0.3-0.5 lb/plant/season
First output
90-120 days
Spacing
0.3-0.5 ft in-row x 1-1.5 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorred bulb onionfresh eating and storage
Annual vegetable

Red Giant mustard

purple-red mustard leaves

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
0.5-1.5 lb/plant/season
First output
35-70 days
Spacing
0.5-1.5 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorspicy greensornamental leaf color
Annual vegetable

Red Russian kale

tender leaves in cool seasons

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
0.5-1.5 lb/plant/season
First output
35-70 days
Spacing
0.5-1.5 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorflat-leaf kalepretty purple veins
Annual vegetable

Redbor kale

curly purple leaves in cool weather

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
0.5-1.5 lb/plant/season
First output
35-70 days
Spacing
0.5-1.5 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorornamental edible kalecold sweetened leaves
Annual vegetable

Rosso di Chioggia radicchio

red bitter heads in cool weather

Container
5+ gal (workable)
Yield
0.5-1 lb/plant/season
First output
45-85 days
Spacing
0.5-1 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorred-white heading chicoryexcellent fall color

Source trail

References used by this shortlist

Container volume, spacing, timing, and yield references are prioritized because patio crops are constrained by pot size.

610 matching records NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox Reference basis for ornamental plant size, function, and right-plant-right-place screening. 438 matching records Penn State Extension - Landscaping and Gardening Around Walnuts and Other Juglone Producing Plants Black walnut and juglone sensitivity/tolerance cue for garden placement screening. 263 matching records University of Maryland Extension - Types of Containers for Growing Vegetables Container volume guidance, including large vegetables and 25-30 gallon dwarf fruit tree containers. 257 matching records Illinois Extension - Growing Vegetables in Containers Container vegetable guidance for matching container size, rooting depth, and plant density. 256 matching records Rutgers NJAES - Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance Deer browsing categories used as planning cues; no plant is deer proof under heavy pressure. 216 matching records UGA Extension - Growing Vegetables Organically Vegetable hardiness, days to maturity, and row-by-plant spacing tables.

Individual plant profiles show their own source links and caveats; this page shows the common references behind the current collection.

More planning paths

These pages turn the matcher database into crawlable collections without creating thin ZIP-code pages.

Planting calendar Use ZIP-based hardiness and frost context to plan seed-starting, direct-sow, transplanting, and nursery planting windows. Native plants Browse native-flagged plants that can support habitat, pollinators, edible landscapes, and lower-maintenance planting plans. Fruit trees Compare fruit trees and tree-like edible plants by hardiness range, water needs, spacing, first output, and sourced yield data. Privacy shrubs Find plants for screening, edible hedges, visual buffers, and wildlife-friendly privacy by zone, water, soil, and mature size. Low-water plants Browse drought-tolerant and lower-water plant options for edible, native, ornamental, and screening goals. Vegetables & herbs Browse vegetable and herb profiles by hardiness range, light, soil, water, timing, spacing, container fit, and output data. Zone 7 vegetables Browse vegetable and herb profiles whose hardiness ranges fit USDA zone 7, with timing, spacing, container, and yield data. 4x8 raised bed crops Compare compact vegetables, herbs, and small-space crops that can make sense in a 4x8 raised bed. Deer-resistant plants Browse plants with better deer-resistance cues, based on the Plant by ZIP screening data and extension-style browsing categories. Black walnut tolerant plants Find plants with black walnut or juglone tolerance cues in the Plant by ZIP database. Full sun clay soil plants Browse plants marked for both full sun and clay soil, including vegetables, perennials, shrubs, and practical landscape plants. Pollinator plants Compare flowers, herbs, shrubs, natives, and habitat plants that support pollinators and wildlife while fitting real garden conditions. Container plants Find edible, ornamental, and habitat plants that can work in containers, patio beds, raised beds, and smaller spaces. Shade plants Browse plants that tolerate shade or part sun, including edible, native, ornamental, and ground-layer options for lower-light gardens. Clay soil plants Compare plants marked suitable for clay soils, including native perennials, shrubs, fruiting plants, and practical garden crops. Sandy soil plants Find plants that can work in sandy, fast-draining, or lower-moisture sites when water and mulch are managed well. Edible hedges Compare fruiting shrubs, cane fruit, vines, small trees, and screening plants that can add harvest value and structure. Deer-resistant shade plants Browse shade and part-sun plants with better deer-resistance cues for yards where browse pressure and lower light overlap. Deer-resistant pollinators Find pollinator and wildlife plants with better deer-resistance cues for sunny or mixed-light habitat beds. Walnut-tolerant shade plants Browse plants with black-walnut tolerance cues that also tolerate shade or part sun. Zone 7 sun clay plants Browse Zone 7 plant profiles that combine full-sun tolerance with clay-soil fit. Low-water pollinators Find pollinator-friendly plants marked for lower water needs, with site fit, spacing, and deer/walnut cues visible. Clay-soil privacy plants Compare screening shrubs, trees, vines, and hedging plants that are marked as suitable for clay soil. Sandy-soil vegetables Browse vegetables and herbs marked for sandy or fast-draining soil, with water and spacing data in view.
Zone 7a calendar Browse database-backed planting windows, frost-aware timing notes, and useful plants for USDA zone 7a gardens. Zone 7b calendar Browse database-backed planting windows, frost-aware timing notes, and useful plants for USDA zone 7b gardens. Zone 8a calendar Browse database-backed planting windows, frost-aware timing notes, and useful plants for USDA zone 8a gardens. Plant now in 7a See practical, database-backed planting ideas for zone 7a based on the current season, hardiness fit, and Plant by ZIP profile data. Plant now in 7b See practical, database-backed planting ideas for zone 7b based on the current season, hardiness fit, and Plant by ZIP profile data. Fruit trees 7b Compare fruit trees, berries, nut trees, and woody edibles for USDA zone 7b using Plant by ZIP hardiness, water, spacing, and output data. Fruit trees 8a Compare fruit trees, nut trees, citrus-adjacent plants, and woody edibles for USDA zone 8a using Plant by ZIP data. Native plants 7 Browse native-flagged and habitat-friendly plants for USDA zone 7 gardens using Plant by ZIP hardiness, water, and profile data. Native plants 7b Browse native-flagged and habitat-friendly plants for USDA zone 7b gardens using Plant by ZIP hardiness, water, and profile data.