No room for a garden? Think again!
Today’s breeders are fulfilling the demand for more compact vegetable plants to accommodate smaller garden spaces or even no garden area at all.
Vegetables for Small Spaces!
Tomatoes and peppers specifically now come in almost miniature sizes that can be grown in containers as small as 6 inches!
New AAS Edible Container Trial
8 AAS Winners to Grow in Small Spaces
Mighty, strong, hot, and quick!
What more might one want in a hot Thai type pepper? Quickfire peppers produce plenty of hot delicious fruits on a compact, sturdy plant that is perfect for container gardening. No staking is required. This pepper has tremendous ornamental value but was bred for its taste and yield. Culinary gardeners will definitely want to give this gem a try in their Thai and other Southeast Asian dishes where a little heat and kick give the meal some quick fire!
Grow in containers and hanging baskets
Pot-a-peno is a fun new jalapeno pepper with a compact habit perfect for growing in containers and hanging baskets. Plentiful small, green jalapeño fruits have a traditional spicy zip that is great in any dish where you want a little punch of spice. Simply leave the fruit on the vine a few extra weeks and they will ripen to red for a sweet, spicy flavor. A unique trait is how the fruit hangs down beneath the plant making it very easy to harvest without damaging the plant.
Know your growing zone! Planting too early could mean disappointment if a late frost destroys tender young plants. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map is your key to success.
Grow Potatoes Easily From Seed!
The first potato from seed that’s an AAS Winner! The benefits of growing this tasty edible from seed are many. For home gardeners, sterile seed eliminates the potential for introducing disease to the garden. Seeds are also easier to store and can be stored longer than potato tubers. Potato Clancy produces compact and healthy dark green plants with blue flowers. The resulting spuds are a beautiful ornamental mix ranging from red to rose blush skin tones with interiors of creamy white and yellow. Clancy has great texture and flavor, making it especially good for mashing or boiling due to its lighter texture.
Grow Your Own Watermelon!
This personal-sized Asian watermelon is perfect for smaller families and smaller gardens. Shorter vines (3-4 feet) still produce up to six fruits per plant and can be grown in smaller spaces. Several judges commented on the crack and split resistant rinds, important for reducing crop loss. For culinary purposes, this deep red-fleshed watermelon has a thin but strong rind that can be carved into attractive shapes for fruit salad presentations. Mini Love has a high sugar content resulting in sweet and crisp, juicy flesh that will be a true summer delight for watermelon lovers.
Use a good potting mix for your vegetables that holds water well, drains well, and has ample air space.
Grow Lots of Tomatoes
Patio Choice Yellow is a new compact, determinate tomato developed specifically for small spaces and container gardens. This AAS Winner produces very large yields of 1/2 ounce bright yellow cherry tomatoes on short vines that grow only 18 inches tall. This mild-flavored cherry tomato sets over 100 fruit on compact plants that are perfect for small space food gardeners. For even easier picking, plant in a hanging basket.
Grow Pak Choi Longer in the Season
Asian Delight F1 Pak Choi (or Bok Choy) is a Chinese Cabbage that outperformed the comparisons by leaps and bounds. Judge after judge noted how this Pak Choi does not bolt like the comparisons, even weeks after other varieties went to seed. That means the yield from this AAS Winner can be double or even higher than that of other Pak Choi on the market. Asian Delight forms small to mid-size (5-7 inch) heads that have a tasty, tender white rib and dark green, textured leaves.
Vegetables in containers may need more frequent watering and fertilizing because the smaller volume of soil and nutrients can leach out.
Looks like a Green Bean, Tastes like a Snap Pea!
Slender 4″ long pods have the straight and elongated appearance of a succulent green bean but the surprising taste and texture of a snap pea. Snak Hero is so super-sweet and delicious it would be no surprise if they never make it to the kitchen! Stringless, edible pods are perfect for healthy, garden-fresh snacking, stir-frying, or freezing for later. 18-24″ vines can be grown with or without support and are perfect for patio containers or hanging baskets. Frequent harvesting can easily bump up production for a long, substantial harvest window. Peas are a great early-season crop as they can be planted when soil temperatures are above 45 degrees F.
Perfect Cabbage Size for Patios, Decks & In-ground
Coleslaw and summer go hand-in-hand and this year, you will be able to enjoy your own fresh, homemade coleslaw with our AAS Winner Cabbage Katarina F1. This winner has a perfect smaller head size (4”) and shape to be grown successfully in containers on patios, decks, or in-ground beds, possibly as an ornamental/edible border. Judges noted that Katarina matured as much as 1-3 weeks earlier than other cabbage varieties so harvest and enjoy early in the year. Once the main head was removed, the plant continued to grow smaller side heads as well. The taste is less bitter and sweeter than conventional varieties; it might just convert even those who think they are not fond of cabbage.
