Growing Food and Kids

Starting today, “the Wednesday List” will appear here on Wednesdays. Each week, watch for a different list of helpful tips or ideas related to gardening, cooking fresh food, or enjoying nature with kids.

This week, it’s five foods that grow great in container gardens: 

1. Herbs. Almost any type of herb will grow well in a container, and it’s great fun to season your food with fresh herbs from your own pots. Good choices for starting out include basil, chives, mint, dill, parsley, oregano and rosemary.

2. Tomatoes. Most types of tomatoes grow well in containers, and miniature varieties do especially well. Just remember to keep your soil moist at all times, rather than letting it dry out and then watering again.

3. Strawberries. I haven’t done it myself, but I’ve been told that strawberries grow well in containers — there’s even a pot named for them! And there’s nothing like picking your own strawberries and eating them fresh.

4. Lettuces. A friend of a friend grew a yummy “salad garden” in a giant container, full of different types of lettuce. She said the lettuces yielded for months, and she loved going out to the patio each afternoon to pull some lettuce for her supper salad.

5. Peppers. From jalapenos to regular old bells, peppers can thrive in a container garden. And they offer plenty of health benefits too.

What other foods do you like to grow in containers?