If you start mid-May with small plantings (rather than seeds), by August you can skip the supermarket and enjoy homegrown eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes, says Max Apton, who also runs Sweet Clover Design, a landscape and garden design firm. With the right attention and care, plus lots of sunshine, gardeners of all skill levels can successfully harvest vegetables.
Best type of pot: Use a minimum 10-gallon pot that has some degree of drainage and is deep enough to keep the moisture in. If you need to move the plant around to get sun, consider a pot with wheels.
Best soil: A mixture of potting soil and compost is optimal. A 70:30 blend works well, Apton says. Fertilize (with a liquid fish fertilizer for example) in a weekly root drenching—a technique of applying a liquid solution to the soil around the roots for direct absorption—after the plant becomes well established.
Container Plants to Try
Tomatoes
Determinate tomatoes (those that grow to a fixed, compact size, typically 3-4 feet) are a good choice. Try “Tidy Treats” for bitesize cherry tomatoes that bloom in grape-like clusters.
Eggplant
The “Fairytale” variety is recommended for its tear drop-shaped eggplants which are relatively small at maturity, as well as a variety called “Patio Baby,” which is also container-friendly.
Peppers
“Lunchbox” peppers—the small, snacking variety—do well in containers, as do jalapeños, serranos, and shishitos.
“Keep in mind that these three plants are derived from parts of the world that are pretty arid, so they are drought tolerant,” Apton adds. “You want to give them enough water without overwatering.”
Pro tip: Buy a moisture meter (about $8) at any garden supply store; this handy gadget is a small probe you insert in the soil to detect if it’s moist or dry.
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