Can Leaf Lettuce Be Grown in a Container?

Growing lettuce in small containers is not only possible, it makes perfect sense. Lettuce plants are small, their roots are relatively compact, and they have simple growing habits that make it possible to grow loads of salad greens in small spaces by using containers. These plants do not need a whole raised bed to be happy.

When I was first getting started with my kitchen garden business, I created small salad planters and sold them as teacher and friend gifts for the holidays. What I realized was that a lot of people aren't ready to commit to a full raised bed kitchen garden. The little containers of lettuce plants I made were the perfect introduction to growing your own delicious food.

And the best news is that anyone can set up their own salad planter like I did. Let's look at the best types of containers to use, and then I'll walk you through how to set up a cut-and-come-again salad planter.

How Deep Should a Container Be for Salad Greens?

Lettuce plants are small little gals with shallow roots. Your container needs to be at least 6 inches (15.24 cm) deep, but I recommend going for one that's 12 inches deep (30.48 cm) and at least a foot wide so that you can grow several different types of lettuce in one container.

Overall, you'll see more success if you select a larger container. This is because the plants have more room to spread out and to reach for the nutrients and water they need. They can rely less on you and more on nature.

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Our Favorite Containers for Growing Salad Greens

I've gathered a few of my favorite containers to turn into easy salad planters here. If you're shopping around on your own, look for words like "food grade" and "untreated" to ensure you're using the most natural of materials for your organic salad greens. Here are four different container materials I recommend using for your salad garden:

• Steel containers
• Natural wood planters
• Fabric grow bags
• Terra cotta pots

Let's look quickly at the pros and cons of each.

Steel Tubs & Containers for Growing Salad Greens

Steel, in general, is durable, rust proof, and will hold up under lots of different weather.

Stainless steel and galvanized steel are also considered food-safe materials, meaning you can grow edible food in them. Some zinc from the steel may leach into the soil, but zinc is a naturally occurring mineral already found in soil—and it's actually a plant micronutrient. So there's nothing to worry about!

Overall, steel is a super simple and easy container to grow in. You can typically get these from a hardware store like Lowe's or Home Depot. I've used the brand Behrens a lot for making little container gardens. Their tubs are wide, so you can fit a variety of salad greens in one container. You can find my step by step for turning a Behrens tub into a salad planter here.

If you have more room, you can always turn a large steel tub into a rolling salad garden, like the one below. All you have to do is add casters. Find the steps here to set up a salad garden on wheels.

Pros of Steel Containers

Steel is super durable, so the container you select will last a long time. These containers are also easy to find in all different sizes at hardware stores.

Cons of Steel Containers

The steel tubs you do find are typically not intended to be used as planters, so you'll have to add drainage holes in the bottom (more on that in a bit!). Our herb container garden is the rare exception because it comes with drainage holes and a draining tray (and yes, it makes an excellent salad planter!).

Natural Wood Planters for Growing Salad Greens

I love growing in wood planters, mostly in a much bigger cedar raised bed. But you can easily grow small leafy greens in a much smaller wood container, like one built from a fence plank. 

You can make a DIY fence planter by grabbing an untreated cedar fence plank from the hardware store. I put dozens of these together for a little salad garden workshop I did once. They work great as windowsill planters.

Pros of Wooden Containers

Wood can be a durable and natural material that's easy to find at your local hardware store. I almost always use untreated cedar, but there may be other naturally durable lumber types in your area. (Learn more about the best types of wood to use in your garden.)

Cons of Wooden Containers

Keep in mind that if you use a softer wood like pine, your container won't last very long before giving way to the elements. Pine is often the cheapest option because, unfortunately, the price of wood just keeps going up. You'll end up needing to replace it every couple of years though.

You'll also need a few tools to help you put your little container together. If you're constructing a container with a closed bottom, then you'll need to add drainage holes (though this is much easier than adding drainage holes to steel).

Grow Bags for Growing Salad Greens

Fabric provides you with one of the simplest and most affordable ways to start a salad garden, and there are many canvas and wool products to choose from on the market now. I've even seen someone turn a canvas shoe hanger into a salad garden!

Grow bags are much less attractive to me than steel planters or clay pots, but they're still a great option for someone looking to try something new.

I'd recommend starting with a 5-gallon grow bag. 

Pros of Grow Bags

Grow bags are inexpensive and already put together for you. You just fill them with soil and get growing.

Cons of Grow Bags

Some grow bags breathe better than others. I've sometimes had a hard time maintaining moisture in the soil for my leafy greens in grow bags.

Clay Pots for Growing Salad Greens

Lettuce plants are the perfect fit for those larger terra cotta pots of yours you've had lying around. If you don't have a couple (dozen) already, you can grab terra cotta pots from any garden center or hardware store.

Again, make sure your pot is at least 6 inches deep. Know that the shallower your pot is, the more frequently you might need to water your lettuce plants so that they don't dry out.

While the outside can be painted or coated in something, make sure that the inside is untreated and chemical-free.

Pros of Clay Pots

Clay pots are an affordable option, and you can grab a matching draining tray to keep your container garden nice and neat. Most ceramic and terra cotta pots already have drainage holes, which is so nice. They're basically ready to go as they are.

Cons of Clay Pots

Clay is a breathable material, so the water in your soil will evaporate pretty quickly. Whenever I've grown salad greens in terra cotta, I typically have to water them daily, sometimes twice a day, especially in warmer weather.

Again, size matters, so making sure that you get the biggest pot possible will help you find more success.

Raised Garden Beds for Growing Salad Greens

There's one more option that's worth mentioning if you have the space for it, and that's a small raised bed. When the weather cools, I look forward to turning my little 4x4x1 cedar planter over to salad plants. I also have several standing cedar planters on my back patio that I use for growing leafy greens.

The one disadvantage of raised beds compared to containers is that I can't easily move my raised beds around to get just the right soft light for my salad greens—my beds are, to say the least, pretty attached to their location.

Raised beds are great to offer more space for larger leafy greens like mustard plants, kale, and Swiss chard, which have deeper roots than other salad greens, or root crops like radishes and carrots that you want to toss into your delicious organic salads. Also, I don't have to worry about my salad greens being over- and under-watered quite as much in my raised beds. The extra root space in a raised bed tends to make plants more forgiving of conditions.

Here's how you can create a super simple salad box in a small area of your backyard.

How to Grow Lettuce in Pots or Containers

Once you've grabbed your container, here are the steps to set it up for success and get started growing.

1 - Add Drainage Holes if Needed

Make sure whichever pots or containers you select have good drainage holes. If not, add some with a drill. A wider container means more drainage holes will be needed. Aim for at least one drainage hole for every square foot of your planter.

Salad plants like to be well-watered, but they don't like sitting in water. By creating drainage holes, you'll ensure that your plants get the water they need but don't drown.

2 - Cover the Drainage Holes with Breathable Material

Cover the drainage holes with weed barrier cloth, a piece of burlap, or a coffee filter to keep the soil from leaving the container every time you water. If your container will be set on a table or windowsill, make sure to grab some kind of draining tray, as well.

3 - Add Soil

Fill your pot with organic compost for the easiest and most nutrient-dense growing medium your salad plants will love. Another option would be compost mixed with potting soil.

4 - Plant It Up

You can start from seed (much cheaper) or buy plants from a local nursery. My favorite small leafy greens to grow as cut-and-come-again plants are romaine, buttercrunch, spinach, and Rocky Top Lettuce Mix. If you're in a warmer climate, try arugula, which doesn't mind the heat as much as other salad plants.

You can plant one seed or starter plant every couple of inches. These plants don't need much space to grow, especially if you plan on harvesting from them frequently.

Make sure to give your seeds or new transfers a good watering in to welcome them.

5 - Tend

Keep your salad pot or planter in a spot that receives at least four hours of sunlight, and check the water moisture level every day to be sure the soil isn't dry (or too wet). During the colder months, you can let your salad garden get more hours of light because the sun is further away and the temperatures are lower. (Remember, salad plants love cooler weather.)

Now that you know all of the different places you can grow your lettuce plants, check out my top ten salad greens to grow in the garden to help you get started.

Salad greens make great starter plants for those new to gardening. Plus, every single time you grow a little of your own salad, you're making a huge difference in the world. Each piece of lettuce you harvest from your porch, patio, or salad box means less fuel, less packaging, and less waste for our country's food system.

Here's to your gardening success this season with these easy setups for your salad garden!