Salad Plants Grow Well in Small Containers

Salad plants are easy to grow in containers. The plants are small in size, their roots are relatively compact, and they have simple growing habits that all make it possible to grow loads of salad greens in small spaces by using containers. 

Our Favorite Containers for Growing a Salad Garden in a Small Space

Here are four different containers that you can use for your salad garden:

-Stainless Steel Containers

-DIY Cedar Fence Plank Planters

-Fabric Grow Bags

-Terra Cotta Pots

Use Larger Containers for More Success with Growing a Salad Garden

Now, we're gonna talk about a couple of different types of containers and materials that you can use.

Keep in mind as you select a container that size really does matter. Salad, as you know, is small and can fit in the smallest of containers, but I will tell you that you're gonna see the most success when you grow in a bigger space.

This is because the plants will rely less on you and more on nature when they have more room to spread out and to reach for nutrients and water when they need it.

While you can certainly use a small container, I promise you'll actually see more success if you use a bigger container.

Use a Steel Container to Grow a Salad Garden

The first container I love using for salad gardening is a stainless steel tub because it's a really durable material. Steel, in general, is rust proof and will hold up under lots of different weather. It's nice and firm and creates a sturdy place for your salad plants to grow. So steel containers are a great way to go.

You can typically get these from a hardware store, like big box stores (Lowe's, Home Depot, etc.), and there are all different kinds of brands. Generally, I look for a food-grade stainless steel tub.

When some people see me growing in steel, they'll send me notes asking: “Are you sure? Is it food safe?”

Steel is considered a safe material to grow edible food in. 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, and steel is a super simple and easy container to grow in.

Pros and Cons of Using a Steel Container to Grow a Salad Garden

The pro of using a steel tub to grow a salad garden is that it's super durable. The container you select is gonna last a really long time. Another pro of steel containers is that they're easy to find at hardware stores or somewhere local to you.

The cons of growing salad in a steel tub is that you might worry about the growing environment not being hundred percent natural.

The other con of growing salad in steel container is that the drainage holes have to be added by you. For the most part, these containers are not made to be planters. It’s rare to find one that already has drainage holes. I’ve spent many days with safety goggles on and a drill putting drainage holes into these containers.

Those are the pros and cons of growing a salad garden in a steel container.

Find the steps here to add wheels to a large steel tub like the one below to have a rolling salad garden.

Use a Natural Wooden Container to Grow a Salad Garden

The next option is a wood planter for growing a salad garden. I love growing in wood planters, mostly in a much bigger cedar raised bed. But you can do it even in the smallest little container like one built from a fence plank. 

To make this salad garden planter, I bought an untreated cedar fence plank from the hardware store and put this together for a workshop that I did for my company in Houston. This small cedar fence planter works great if you wanted to just have a little deck or windowsill planter, but if you can create a larger one, it will better ensure your success.

Pros and Cons of Using a Wooden Container to Grow a Salad Garden

The pros of growing a salad garden in wood is that the container will be durable and natural and the material is easy to find at a local hardware store. Another pro is that it's natural. Make sure that you're buying a type of wood that's going to be durable. I almost always use untreated cedar. You can use whatever durable wood is available in your area.

I would not use untreated pine or another kind of wood that will be softer and tend to give way to the elements.

The cons of growing salad in a wooden container is that it can get a little bit pricey. Wood has definitely gone up over the last few years in terms of price.

Also another con of using wood for your salad garden is that you need to have a few carpentry tools to put things together because it's going to be rare that you can find a cedar pot or container that is already constructed for you unless you order an online kit. But even then, you'll likely need a couple of tools to put things together.

Also, if you're using a closed bottom container, just like with the steel container, you’ll need to add drainage holes (but this is not nearly as hard with wood as it is with steel).

As you know, wood is pretty much my preferred way of growing almost anything, salad included.

Use a Fabric Grow Bag Container to Grow a Salad Garden

The next container for salad gardening to consider is a fabric container.

This is the simplest thing to get, and these pots are already put together. If you follow any gardening accounts, you've probably been hit by ads for smart pots and wool pots. These grow bags are almost always just one piece. You can purchase very large grow bags. 

To start, you could begin with a five-gallon grow bag. 

Pros and Cons of Using a Fabric Grow Bag to Grow a Salad Garden

The pros of grow bags is that they are really inexpensive. In fact, this type of container is probably the least expensive option of all these. You can get a bundle of these for not much money.

The second pro of a grow bag is that they are already put together, so you don't need to do any work to start growing in them. 

One con of grow bags is a challenge with proper drainage. The breathability and root growth in bags is sometimes in question. Another con, for myself, is I have a hard time maintaining the moisture and keeping plants growing well in bags. I'm not sure what it is, but I think the evaporation is a little bit higher. I’ve personally struggled a little bit more to keep my salad greens healthy in grow bags.

So those are the pros and cons of growing a salad garden in grow bags. Plus, to dip into opinion territory, I don't love the beauty of grow bags. I would much prefer a steel, terra cotta, or wood container. But grow bags are a great simple and inexpensive way to get started. 

Use a Terra Cotta Pot to Grow a Salad Garden

Finally, we have terra cotta pots for growing a salad garden. Terra cotta pots are just simple clay pots that you could get from any kind of hardware store or plant nursery.

Terracotta, as you know, is easy to find. You're often going to be able to find a container with a hole in it, so it's going to already have drainage, which is so nice.

And they'll basically be ready to go as they are.

Pros and Cons of Using a Terra Cotta Pot to Grow a Salad Garden

In general, the pro is that terra cotta pots are affordable. They'll be probably in line with steel tubs in terms of price or maybe even a little bit less.

You do wanna make sure that you're buying a natural pot. I recommend not getting one that's glazed or that's got a lot of chemicals or things that have been added to the exterior. In general, they don't add a glaze to the interior of the pot, so you're probably okay. You never know when those things leech in. I generally buy just a plain terracotta pot and then buy a little draining tray for it as well.

The cons of using a terra cotta pot is that they evaporate pretty quickly. When I've tried to grow salad greens in terra cotta, I often have to baby them and water them daily, sometimes twice a day, especially when it warms up or if we don't get rain. I just find that salad plants in terra cotta are a little bit testier than they are, say, in a wood planter.

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

Key Things to Consider When Selecting a Container for Growing a Salad Garden in a Small Space

So these are the four general materials that I recommend growing in for your salad garden. We've got steel, wood, fabric, and terra cotta (or clay). I'm sure there are lots of other creative ways that you can grow your own salad greens.

I do recommend growing lettuces in a container, and these are my four favorites.

As you make your own decision for a container for salad gardening, rank them in terms of what's important to you. Make sure the material is natural, durable, beautiful, and within your budget. And then finally, always make sure that it's also drainable. We want to make sure all of our containers have good drainage holes and aren't going to hold water because our lettuce plants definitely love to get watered—but they don't like to sit in water.

And now you can make your decision on which container you'd like to start with in your own salad garden. I can't wait to see which container you select!