Hanging baskets are a practical method to maximize garden space, add beauty, and boost food production. Vegetables that require little space have become so popular that a cottage industry has sprung up around cultivating choices for small gardens.
In this piece, we’ll look at 7 different vegetable plants that you may grow in hanging baskets.
1. Cherry Tomatoes
A delicious, plump, and vibrant tomato is one of the most popular crops to produce in a hanging basket. When compared to large slicing tomatoes, these compact plants are far more stable, and their long, ropey vines give them a charming appearance when hanging from a basket.
Purchase a young plant from a nursery, move seedlings into it, or sow seeds directly in the basket. Instead of garden soil, use potting mix and fertilize with slow-release fertilizer before planting. You can also apply a 1-inch coating of manure. During the growth season, feed your tomato plant with potassium-rich liquid fertilizer for best results later.
Choose a bright spot to hang your basket. Tomatoes require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day to yield fruit. Hanging baskets can quickly dry out and lose their ability to retain water, so keep an eye on them and provide enough water for the plants to thrive. If you live in a hot climate, water your tomato plants twice a day during the summer.
2. Spinach
Spinach is an incredibly healthy leafy green. It contains iron as well as vitamins A and C, thiamin, potassium, folic acid, and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin.
A hanging basket is a great place to grow spinach. When fresh greens grow right in front of you, you are more likely to consume them. Growing spinach off the ground allows you to grab the entire crop of delectable leaves for yourself before a four-legged creature devours it. It will also keep nematodes and other soil-borne pests and illnesses at bay.
Spinach is a cool-season crop that bolts in hot temperatures and is best grown in USDA Zones 5 to 10. If you live in a hotter environment, look for heat-resistant varieties. If the temperature climbs above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, make sure you provide some shade. Spinach grown in containers has the huge benefit of being portable.
Containers and hanging baskets dry out quickly. Water spinach frequently since it needs consistent hydration.
3. Carrots
Planting carrots in hanging baskets is an excellent way to grow food in even the smallest spaces. Because of their fern-like leaves, carrot plants resemble ornamentals rather than food crops. If you practice succession planting, you will have a constant crop from early summer to late October.
When you plant carrots in hanging baskets, you have complete control over the soil and nutrients you provide. Parasites and larger animals like rabbits and deer cannot damage your crop. Choose a short variety because it is suitable for the confines of a pot. Danvers Half Long, Atlas, Yaya, Bolero, Adelaide, Oxheart, and Royals Chantenay are the best cultivars for hanging baskets.
Carrots prefer soil that is moist but not waterlogged. They require at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight every day, so arrange your hanging baskets in a very sunny area.
4. Lettuce
Growing your own lettuce is ideal if you enjoy salads. Growing lettuce in hanging baskets has several advantages, one of which is that pests such as slugs can be avoided. Lettuce has a compact growth type and can thrive in a small space.
All you need for a hanging basket with lettuce is a sunny balcony or window with a southern exposure that receives 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Keep the soil consistently moist. Once the lettuce leaves have reached a usable size, harvest them.
5. Peas
Peas are an excellent plant for hanging baskets since they grow in clusters on long vines. Once mature, the lush, thick leaves of a pea plant can swiftly envelop the edges of a hanging basket. It almost looks like a ball of green leaves on your front porch.
Peas require little maintenance and are straightforward to harvest. Keep the peas nourished and harvest them when fully developed. Hang the basket in an area that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
Planting peas in a hanging basket rather than the ground causes them to grow downward, which eliminates the need for a support structure. Snow peas or dwarf peas are a perfect choice for a hanging basket.
6. Peppers
Peppers, including a variety of sweet and chili peppers, can thrive in baskets. Any small and slightly compact species is an appropriate choice. It is an excellent way to spice up both your outdoor space and your food.
Peppers, like tomatoes and green beans, can be grown in upside-down hanging baskets. Because these plants enjoy the sun, position them in an area where they will receive 6 to 8 hours of direct sunshine per day. Keep the soil consistently moist, but avoid overwatering.
7. Eggplant
Vertical eggplant cultivation is perfectly fine. Doing this has the added benefit of keeping the fruit off the ground and thus out of reach of soil-borne illnesses and pests.
A basket with eggplant should be hung in a location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunshine, preferably 8. Hanging eggplants may produce a stronger plant and more fruit, so make sure you have a sturdy basket and a strong and stable spot from which to hang it.
