Leafy Vegetables

• Leafy vegetables grow well in medium-size containers with good drainage. They also take little space in the garden. Choices include broccoli, leafy lettuce, spinach, collards and cabbage. These vegetables are a storehouse of nutrients and fiber. Leafy vegetables are grown early in the spring or in late fall when temperatures are cool. They are shade-tolerant plants so they can thrive in areas of shade. Alternate your cool-season vegetables and your warm-season vegetables. Plant lettuce and other leafy greens after the last of the fruiting vegetables are harvested.
  
  

Fruiting Vegetables

• Fruiting vegetables include tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and squash. These vegetables are excellent choices for containers or in limited spaces. According to the Ohio State University Extension Office, these vegetables will produce the same quantities of vegetables in containers as they will in the ground. They need at least six to eight hours of full sunlight per day and at least 1 inch of water every day, especially in dry climates. Fruiting vegetables grow staked in 12-inch pots to prevent the vines from bending and breaking when the vegetables begin to grow.
  
  

Roots

• Root plants require a deeper pot than other container vegetables. Choose a 2- to 5-gallon pot that is as deep as it is wide. Root plant varieties include potatoes, carrots, turnips, onions, garlic and radishes. They are hardy plants that can tolerate a wide variety of conditions. They are usually planted in the spring and left until late fall. They prefer to grow in rich, loose compost and can tolerate shade. Root vegetables can be planted together in the same area because they all grow quickly, which is a space saver in the garden.
  
  

Perennials

• Perennial vegetables save both time and money because they will return the following year. Choices include asparagus, horseradish and rhubarb. Because perennials come back year after year, you must provide them with fertilizer each spring to ensure good vegetable production. The disadvantage to perennials is the space cannot be used for other vegetables when the plants are not producing. This can be a space waster unless you have a dedicated place for your perennials.