First consideration:

Sunlight: Vegetables need six to eight hours of full sun daily to be most productive. Observe the sun exposure in your landscape throughout the year. You may determine that it is more productive to grow a winter garden rather than a summer garden. Place pots on wheeled plant caddies before filling with soil. This makes it easier to move them to areas that receive maximum sunlight. Or, better yet try our Pot Lifter. It makes moving pots that are already planted in easier than ever.

Choosing containers: Porosity refers to the ability of water and air to pass through a container's sides. A hot, dry, windy condition makes it difficult to maintain cool, moist soil, especially in summer. Select pots that retain moisture, including those constructed of , concrete, or glazed. Try to avoid dark colored pots, which absorb sunlight and heat, creating a hot environment that "cooks" roots. All pots should have drain holes.

The larger the plant and root system, the larger the container required. A rule of thumb is to provide a 10 to 12 inches of soil depth for annual veggies. Use a 5 gallon container or one that is 18 to 22 inches in diameter for one cucumber, eggplant, squash, pepper or tomato plant. Use a 15 gallon pot for two to three plants. Smaller pots like a 1 gallon or 8 to 10 inches in diameter are good for limited quantities like beets, green onion, lettuce, radishes or spinach.

Potting Mix: Use good quality lightweight mixes that combine organic matter with pumice, perlite or vermiculite.
Water: Water frequently but it all depends on season, weather, soil, pot type etc. Automatic drips come in handy in this type of situation.