August 1996
For something unusual on your patio or deck, there are several unique vegetable varieties suited to containers. For example, 'Sweet Chocolate' peppers ripen to a rich, chocolate brown and are sweet tasting. Their unusual color and high productivity make them an excellent choice for the container garden. Often, prize-winning vegetables can be grown in containers. The 'Thumbelina' carrot, a 1992 All-America Selections winner, has an unusual, round root. This sweet-tasting carrot can be used for canning, freezing, or eating fresh. Almost any beet can be grown in a container, and with the many varieties available, you will have your choice of colors and root shapes. The following vegetable varieties are well worth trying in your container garden this spring and summer.
| VARIETY | COMMENTS |
|---|---|
| BUSH BEAN | |
| Frenchie (C,1) | Early |
| Provider (C,2) | Early, stringless |
| E-Z Pick (R,2) | Early, stringless |
| Marbel (C,2) | Early |
| LIMA BEAN | |
| Geneva (C,2) | Baby bush lima |
| BEET | |
| Formanova (R,1,2) | Carrot-like |
| Little Mini Ball (C,1) | Short top |
| Little Egypt (C,1) | Early, short top |
| Dwergina (C,2) | Short top |
| BROCCOLI | |
| Green Valiant (C,3) | Widely adaptable |
| CABBAGE | |
| Primax (R,2) | Early, 2 to 4 pounds |
| Early Jersey Wakefield (R,2,3) | Early, 2 to 3 pounds |
| Lasso (R,2) | Red, 2 to 4 pounds |
| CARROT | |
| Minicor (R,1,2) | 6 to 7 inch roots |
| Thumbelina (C,2) | Early, round root |
| Planet (C,1) | Round root |
| Little Finger (C,3) | 4 inch roots |
| Royal Nantes (C,3) | 6 inch roots, sweet |
| CAULIFLOWER | |
| Snow Crown (C,2) | Early, medium-size head |
| SWISS CHARD | |
| Silverado (C,1) | Dwarf, upright |
| CUCUMBER | |
| Bush Pickle (R,1) | 4 to 5 inch fruits |
| EGGPLANT | |
| Pirouette (R,2) | 2 1/2 to 4 inch fruits |
| LETTUCE (LEAF) | |
| Anuenue (R,2) | Heat tolerant |
| Red Salad Bowl (R,2) | Red |
| Baby Oak (R,2) | Early |
| ONION | |
| White Lisbon (C,1) | Early, bunching |
| Tokyo Long White (C,1) | Fall or spring, bunching |
| PEA | |
| Snowflake (C,2) | Snowpea, short-vined |
| Sugar Ann (C,2) | Sugar snap, 2 foot vines |
| Knight (C,2) | 2 foot vines |
| PEPPER | |
| Ace (R,2) | Green, bell |
| Lipstick (R,2) | Green, top-shaped, sweet |
| Cherrytime (R,2) | 1 1/2 to 2 inch fruit |
| Sweet Chocolate (R,2) | Early bell, ripens to brown |
| PUMPKIN | |
| Jack Be Little (C,2) | 3 inch fruits, good for trellis |
| New England Pie (C,2) | 5 to 7 pound fruits |
| SUMMER SQUASH | |
| Gold Rush (C,2) | Yellow zucchini |
| WINTER SQUASH | |
| Gold Nugget (R,2) | Early, bush, orange, round |
| Cream of the Crop (C,2) | Acorn type, bush, ivory skin |
| TOMATO | |
| Gem State (R,2) | Extra early, bush type |
| Burpees Pixie Hybrid (R,4) | 14 to 18 inches tall, 1 3/4 inch fruit |
| Stokesalaska (R,4) | 2 ounce fruit |
| Super Bush VFN Hybrid (R,4) | No staking required |
| Basket King Hybrid (R,4) | Suitable for hanging baskets |
| Florida Petite (R,4) | 8 to 9 inches tall, 1 1/4 inch fruits |
| Patio Prize VFN Hybrid (R,4) | 5 ounce fruits |
| Red Robin (R,4) | 8 to 12 inches tall, 1 1/4 inch fruits |
| Small Fry VFN Hybrid (R,4) | 1 inch fruits |
| Tiny Tim (R,4) | 18 inches tall, 3/4 inch fruits |
| Toy Boy (R,4) | 1 1/2 inch fruits |
(R) Recommended for containers by seed companies
(C) Compact growth habit
(1) Stokes Seeds, Inc., P.O. Box 548, Buffalo, NY 14240
(2) Johnny's Selected Seeds, Foss Hill Road, Albion, ME
04910-9731
(3) Northrup King Co., P.O. Box 1827, Gilroy, CA 95021
(4) Tomato Growers Supply Co., P.O. Box 2237, Fort Myers,
FL 33902
(Originally published as "Small Space and Container Gardening," by Ellen S. Bennett, Horticulture Extension Technician, Department of Horticulture, Virginia Tech, in The Virginia Gardener Newsletter, Volume 11, Number 5.)