Small-space growing

Container Garden Plants by Size and Yield

These records favor compact forms, annual crops, herbs, berries, and plants with practical container notes in the profile data.

Container gardening is constrained by root volume, water swings, and heat around the pot. A plant that fits a garden bed may still be a poor patio choice.

This page favors compact plants and records with workable pot-size signals, then keeps spacing and output visible so containers are chosen by function.

Find container matches Open plant screener
Container-friendly profiles
440
Visible shortlist
24
Timing data
440

Useful setup tools

Useful supplies

Containers / Before planting

Right-size container with drainage

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

View
Containers / Before planting

Expanding container potting mix

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

View
Watering / Planting day

Watering wand or can

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

View
Planning / Planting day

Plant labels

Track cultivar, planting date, and variety when comparing harvests or pollination partners.

View

How this page is built

Selection notes

Container signal

Favors compact crops, herbs, berries, patio forms, and records with workable container guidance.

Volume check

Container minimums are surfaced because pot size often matters more than the plant label.

Small-space yield

Output, timing, and spacing help compare patio plants by return and effort.

Browse profiles

Annual vegetable

Scarlet Runner bean

pods and edible flowers all summer

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

Hyacinth bean

purple pods and flowers in summer

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

Chilean guava

small fragrant berries in fall

Container
2+ gal (good)
Spacing
1-1.5 ft in-row x 3-4 ft rows
Yield
0.8-2 lb/plant/year
First output
0-1 yrs
FruitCurb appeal & colorevergreen edible shrubstrawberry-spice flavor
Citrus

Makrut lime

aromatic leaves and bumpy limes

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

Strawberry guava

red guava fruit in summer to fall

Container
2+ gal (good)
Spacing
1-1.5 ft in-row x 3-4 ft rows
Yield
0.8-2 lb/plant/year
First output
0-1 yrs
FruitCurb appeal & colortropical evergreen fruitcontainer candidate
Berry perennial

Alpine strawberry

tiny aromatic berries all summer

Container
2+ gal (good)
Spacing
1-1.5 ft in-row x 3-4 ft rows
Yield
0.8-2 lb/plant/year
First output
0-1 yrs
FruitCurb appeal & colorrunnerless small-fruited strawberryedible edging
Annual vegetable

Bloomsdale spinach

cool-season leaves

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

Chioggia beet

candy-striped roots in cool seasons

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

Green Zebra tomato

striped green tomatoes in midsummer

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

Miner's lettuce

cool-season heart-shaped greens

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

Purple Haze carrot

purple roots with orange interior in 70 days

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

Red Burgundy onion

red onions in summer

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

Black Krim tomato

dark beefsteak tomatoes in summer

Container
5+ gal (good)
Spacing
2-3 ft in-row x 2-4 ft rows
Yield
8-20 lb/plant/season
First output
70-90 days
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorrich heirloom flavordark red-brown shoulders
Annual vegetable

Chinese multicolor spinach

summer leaves

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

Dragon Tongue bean

yellow-purple snap beans in summer

Container
2+ gal (good)
Spacing
0.2-0.3 ft in-row x 2-3 ft rows
Yield
0.3-0.5 lb/plant/season
First output
50-60 days
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorstriking podsdual snap or shell bean
Annual vegetable

Red amaranth greens

summer greens

Container
1+ gal (good)
Spacing
0.5-1 ft in-row x 1-3 ft rows
Yield
0.5-1 lb/plant/season
First output
45-85 days
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorheat-tolerant greensred leaves
Annual vegetable

Yellow Pear tomato

yellow pear-shaped cherry tomatoes until frost

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

Fairy Tale eggplant

small striped eggplants in summer

Container
5+ gal (good)
Spacing
2 ft in-row x 3 ft rows
Yield
4-7 lb/plant/season
First output
75-90 days
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorcompact All-America selectionornamental striped fruit
Annual vegetable

Patio Baby eggplant

small purple eggplants in summer

Container
5+ gal (good)
Spacing
2 ft in-row x 3 ft rows
Yield
4-7 lb/plant/season
First output
75-90 days
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorcompact container habitthornless calyx
Annual vegetable

Red Burgundy okra

red pods in hot weather

Container
5+ gal (good)
Spacing
1-1.3 ft in-row x 3 ft rows
Yield
2-4 lb/plant/season
First output
55-65 days
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorornamental red podsheat-loving crop
Annual vegetable

Red Noodle yardlong bean

long red pods in summer

Container
2+ gal (good)
Spacing
0.3-1 ft in-row x 3 ft rows
Yield
0.7-1.2 lb/plant/season
First output
60-75 days
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & coloryardlong beanheat-loving vine
Annual vegetable

Yardlong bean

long pods in hot weather

Container
2+ gal (good)
Spacing
0.3-1 ft in-row x 3 ft rows
Yield
0.7-1.2 lb/plant/season
First output
60-75 days
Vegetables & herbsPrivacy & screeningheat-loving climbing beanexcellent summer production
Fruit tree

Chicago Hardy fig

ripens in late summer

Container
25+ gal (good)
Spacing
8-15 ft apart
Yield
20-60 lb/plant/year
First output
1-3 yrs
FruitCurb appeal & colorreliably resprouts after cold wintersgood container candidate
Annual vegetable

Clemson Spineless okra

summer pods

Container
5+ gal (good)
Spacing
1-1.3 ft in-row x 3 ft rows
Yield
2-4 lb/plant/season
First output
55-65 days
Vegetables & herbsCurb appeal & colorheat-loving croptolerates heavy soil

Showing 24 of 440 matches. Open the plant screener for the full list.

Source trail

References used by this shortlist

These are the most common planning references behind the visible records on this page.

1016 matching records NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox Reference basis for ornamental plant size, function, and right-plant-right-place screening. 770 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. 439 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. 395 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. 300 matching records Illinois Extension - Growing Vegetables in Containers Container vegetable guidance for matching container size, rooting depth, and plant density. 243 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

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. 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. Container vegetables Compare vegetables and herbs with good or workable container cues, including pot size, timing, spacing, and output data. 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.