You’ve probably heard me sing the praises of tucking flowers into your veggie beds—pollinators love it, and they help keep pests at bay. But what if you turned the tables? What if your garden consists of just a handful of patio pots? Can you sneak veggies in?
Oh, you bet your micro-dwarf tomatoes you can!
This season, give your flowerpots a refreshing twist by mixing in a dash of unexpected color, texture, and shape, with a few vibrant, compact veggie plants. Not only will you add unexpected color, texture, and shape, but you’ll also enjoy the bonus of harvesting homegrown produce while watering the petunias.
It all comes down to selecting the right plants and growing them in the right place. This means selecting vegetable varieties that thrive in containers, choosing the right container for optimal plant growth, and ensuring adequate sunlight. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Pick the Right Partners
When pairing flowers and vegetables, consider their sunlight, water, and soil needs. Check plant tags to ensure plants are compatible and will thrive together before planting. Most vegetables require at least 6 hours of full sun, so avoid combining shade-loving container plants with sun-loving vegetables.
A simple way to find pairing ideas for flowers and vegetables is to borrow from the concept of companion planting in the garden. Tomatoes pair well with flowers such as marigolds, calendula, and nasturtiums.
Another natural pairing for tomatoes is basil; both Cardinal and Thai basil are stunningly beautiful and are often used in floral arrangements. Pollen-rich flowers, such as cosmos and bee balm, attract beneficial insects that can also help keep pesky pests at bay.
Size Matters for Plants
Choose vegetable varieties specifically bred for container gardening. The words “dwarf,” “compact,” or “bush” on the plant tag or description indicate varieties that are of more diminutive stature or require less growing space.
For tomatoes, consider a micro-dwarf or a dwarf variety. Micro-dwarf tomatoes typically grow to a height of less than 18 inches.
My tiny Orange Hat micro-dwarf tomato tops out at about 5 inches tall and is loaded with small cherry-type tomatoes. Micro-dwarf varieties are perfect for smaller containers or can be used as “fillers” for larger ones. They are incredibly prolific and can keep you supplied with cherry-sized tomatoes throughout the summer.
For larger containers such as wine barrels, consider a dwarf tomato, which typically grows to a height of 24 to 30 inches, much smaller than other indeterminate tomatoes. Idaho Gem is just one dwarf variety that produces full-sized fruit.
In addition to tomatoes, you can find many other “small-footprint” vegetables suitable for container growing, such as bush varieties of peas, beans, melons, cucumbers, zucchini, and even corn!
And for Containers
The size of your container will determine which vegetables, and how many, you can plant alongside your flowers.
For optimal root growth, your container should be at least 12 inches deep (or more). Tomatoes, carrots, and other deep-rooted vegetables will thrive better in a deeper 16-inch container. Shallow-rooted vegetables, such as lettuces, most greens, and even radishes, can thrive in containers that are just 6 inches deep.
Ensure the container is wide enough to create space between plants, preventing overcrowding that can lead to disease and poor growth.
Root rot is a common disease that affects container-grown plants, often caused by inadequate drainage. To avoid this, check for sufficient drainage holes, use a well-draining potting mix specifically designed for container gardening, and refrain from allowing the containers to stand in water.
To save space, vining vegetables or flowers can be grown on a trellis within the container or allowed to grow over the edges, creating the “spiller” effect characteristic of container gardening.
Choose Complementary Pairings
Consider your color palette and select vegetables or herbs with foliage that complements the aesthetic and growth habits of your flowering plants.
Vegetables aren’t just green. Look for pepper or tomato varieties that feature variegated leaves of white and yellow; a sure “thriller” in the container.
You can also find various shades of pink, red, and purple from the likes of basil, orach (mountain spinach), and ruffled-leafed kale—the stems of rainbow chard feature various colors, including yellow, orange, red, and white.
Mini romaine-type lettuce comes in shades of deep burgundy or burgundy with green flecks, and it makes an excellent filler plant. Spillers, as mentioned, can be any vining vegetable that you allow to grow over the edge of the container. The small pickling cucumber, Miniature White, is quite unusual with its cream-colored fruit cascading down the container.
Happy Together
Like any garden, your mixed patio container requires regular maintenance, watering, and fertilizing.
Containers tend to dry out much more quickly than ground soil, which means that frequent watering is necessary to keep your plants growing and producing. During prolonged periods of heat, containers may require watering up to three times a day, depending on the size.
Due to the limited availability of soil and nutrients, plants grown in containers also require regular fertilization to produce fruit.
Since you will be consuming produce from your mixed container, an organic all-purpose vegetable fertilizer that is higher in phosphorus is recommended. This mineral supports the flowering and fruiting of all plants.
As the season progresses, watch for pests and diseases, deadhead flowering plants as necessary, and regularly harvest your vegetables to encourage ongoing production.
So, go ahead—reimagine your patio pots as edible works of art. Whether it’s the flash of rainbow chard stems or the cheerful cascade of nasturtiums, your container garden can be both practical and picturesque. With the right pairings and a little care, you’ll have a flourishing display that turns heads and fills plates—now that’s a win-win!
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