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For those without the outdoor space necessary for a traditional garden, growing plants—including vegetables—in containers is a great option. Unfortunately, not all vegetables can grow and flourish in containers. Instead of setting yourself up for failure, avoid planting these vegetables in containers.
Don’t plant these vegetables in containers
While it may be possible to start off growing these vegetables in containers, at a certain point, they’ll need more space to reach maturity and thrive. If your garden space is limited to what you can grow in containers, it’s probably best to skip these veggies:
Potatoes
Although it’s technically possible to grow some varieties of spuds in large containers, they are better off planted in the ground.
Pumpkins and winter squash
Because these vegetables grow on vines along the ground—and can really spread out—they’re not suited for containers. But all isn’t lost: Summer squashes like zucchini and yellow crookneck can be grown successfully in containers.
Fruit trees
According to organic gardener Ann Marie Hendry, apples and other types of tree fruits need a lot of space for their roots: A half-barrel at the absolute minimum. That’s probably not an option for those working with limited space, like a balcony or small patio.
Sweet corn
There’s a reason you see sweet corn growing in huge fields: It’s a wind-pollinated plant, and needs to be in the ground next to other corn. Plus, it can get really tall. If you do attempt to plant sweet corn in a container, know that it’ll require a lot more work to produce a smaller yield than those in the ground.
Carrots
Ideally, you want to be able to grow carrots that are long and straight: Something Hendry says is difficult to do in containers. That said, it is possible to plant some smaller types of carrots, like the Paris Market variety, in containers, she notes.
