Photo Credit: Thomas J. Story

Top Crops for Pots...   No ground to garden? Grow summer veggies on the patio Growing vegetables can bring out the farmer in you. You till the soil and tend the plants, then reap the rewards when the plants bear fruit. Even if you don't have much gardening space or sunny ground, you can still experience the pleasure of harvesting your own vine-ripened tomatoes and other crops. All you need is a generous-size container, good potting soil, and a patio, deck, or corner that gets at least six hours of full sun a day. Here are the top crops for pots, and how to grow them.

Beans Pot depth: 14–16 in. Soil temperature (at planting time): At least 60°. Spacing: Direct-sow seeds 2–3 in. apart. Pole beans are more productive over the long run than bush beans (which produce their crop all at once). Train the 6- to 8-ft.-tall vines on a trellis or tepee made from bamboo poles. Try 'Blue Lake Pole', 'Helda' romano, or heirloom 'Kentucky Wonder'.

Carrots Pot depth: 9–14 in. Soil temperature: At least 55°. Spacing: Direct-sow seeds 1/2–1 in. apart; thin seedlings 1–2 in. apart. Choose a deep pot for carrots with long roots, such as 'Nantes' half-long type (7 in. long). Shallower pots are adequate for shorter carrots such as 'Short 'n Sweet' or round ones like 'Thumbelina' (shown). Don't let the soil dry out.

Cucumbers Pot depth: 18 in. Soil temperature: At least 70°. Spacing: One plant per pot. Bush types like 'Bush Champion' and disease-resistant 'Salad Bush' take up half the space of trailing types. 'Lemon' cuke (shown) also bears well on a trellis.

Eggplants Pot depth: 14–16 in. Soil temperature: At least 70°. Spacing: One or two plants per pot. With their colorful fruits and attractive foliage, eggplants have outstanding ornamental value. Try 'Black Beauty', an American heirloom with bulbous, purple-black fruits, or 'Little Fingers' (shown), an Asian type with slim fruits.

Peppers Pot depth: 14–16 in. Soil temperature: At least 60°. Spacing: One or two plants per pot. Choose from an amazing array of colors, shapes, and heat levels, from mildly spicy 'Anaheim' to searing hot 'Thai Dragon'. Among sweet peppers, try 'Ariane' (shown), an orange bell, or 'Giant Marconi', a long, red one that's great for grilling

Potatoes Pot depth: 18 in. Soil temperature: At least 45°. Spacing: Plant tubers 6 in. apart. Potatoes are productive if there's ample room for tubers to develop. Bury seed potatoes in an 8-in. layer of soil at the bottom of the pot. As plants grow, pile more soil up to the top set of leaves. Try small- to medium-size 'All Blue', 'Red Pontiac', or 'Yukon Gold'.

Squash Pot depth: 18 in. Soil temperature: At least 60°. Spacing: One plant per pot. Summer squash is more productive than winter squash. Grow compact varieties like 'Gold Rush' yellow zucchini, 'Spacemiser' green zucchini, or 'Sunburst' scallopini (shown).

Tomatoes Pot depth: 18 in. Soil temperature: At least 60°. Spacing: One plant per pot. Use small wire cages or stakes to support determinate types (2- to 3-ft.-tall varieties that produce their crop all at once); try 'Bush Celebrity'. Use sturdy 5-ft.-tall cages for indeterminate types (tall kinds that produce fruits all season) such as 'Early Girl' (shown).

Choose the right container Vegetables will grow in any container that provides drainage, but choosing the right size is critical. The larger the plant's root system, the deeper and wider the container should be. Pots made of thick plastic or glazed terra-cotta retain moisture well, as do wood tubs. In hot climates, choose light-colored pots. Avoid small, unglazed terra-cotta pots; they dry out too quickly.

Sources Most nurseries and garden centers sell seeds and seedlings of common summer vegetables. For unusual varieties and potato tubers, try these specialists. The Natural Gardening Company (707/766-9303) sells certified organic seeds, potato tubers, and seedlings of eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes. Seeds of Change (888/762-7333) sells certified organic seeds, potato tubers, and seedlings of peppers and tomatoes.

Fresh salads, vegetables, herbs and fruits look just as attractive when grown in pots as their ornamental counterparts, as well as providing a source of food.

Grow them in tubs on your patio, hanging baskets or window-boxes. Include a few varieties of edible flower, such as nasturtium, calendula or viola to pick for decorating summer salads.

Growing dwarf runner beans

	1 Save time and effort by sowing crops directly into your pots from late April or early May. Outside sowings in pots can start from mid- to late May and continue into June, depending on the variety being grown. Choose a large container. Drill extra drainage holes in the base if necessary.
	2 Add a layer of coarse material and fill it with compost. You can use any multi-purpose potting compost, but mix in some water-retaining gel as well as slow-release fertiliser granules.
	3 Space the bean seeds about 10cm (4in) apart over the area, pushing them down into the compost to a depth of about 5cm (2in). We chose the new dwarf runner bean variety 'Hestia'.
	4 Water well and the seeds will germinate within a couple of weeks. Continue watering each day to ensure compost never dries out.
	5 By mid-summer the dwarf shoots will be supporting a glorious display of bi-coloured blooms, which soon set to form delicious beans.

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