Terrace Vegetable Garden Combinations

Terrace vegetable gardens are patios or balconies designed with an assortment of containers to grow vegetable plants or seeds. Low, upright and trailing vegetables are chosen to take advantage of structures and space to provide a harvest of food throughout the summer planting season.

Cool Season Radishes and Carrots

Radishes and carrots are cool season crops best started by sowing seeds directly outdoors in spring. In a rectangular planter, it is easy to create rows.

Radishes germinate faster, like Cherry Belle that matures in 22 days. Carrots are slow to germinate like Thumbelina, which matures fruit in 70 days. If started early, these root crops can be harvested in time to plant warm season vegetables in their place.

Warm Season Eggplants and Cucumbers

Eggplant and cucumber plants are warm season crops able to replace the radishes and carrots after harvest. Look for small eggplants like Bambino that grows up to 12″ tall. The Hansel and Gretel are purple and white eggplants that grow up to 3′ tall. Follow spacing directions to determine whether one or two plants per planter are appropriate.

Whether transplants are started from seed indoors or purchased, eggplants and cucumbers thrive after danger of light early morning frosts are gone. If plants are placed outside too early, the cool soil will inhibit their development. Gardeners plant warm season transplants outside at the same approximate time as flowering annuals.

Low Growing Leafy Greens in Shallow Planters

Low growing leafy greens are more cool season vegetables. Asian greens, microgreens and lettuces grow well in shallow planters or small flower boxes. Railing flower boxes are excellent for using vertical space usually reserved for trailing flowers. Start growing leafy greens early and there will be enough time after harvest to replant with flowers for the remainder of summer.

Leafy crops, radishes and carrots are also crops planted a second time in late summer and early fall. Replace the fading summer flowers and add seeds for more fresh veggies before outdoor temperatures turn cold. The dark red outer and green inner leaves of Ruebens Baby Romaine Lettuce can be harvested when the plant reaches 8″ tall.

Bushel Baskets for Peppers and Tomatoes

Although pepper plants will fit in containers 18″ wide, a planter as wide as a bushel basket leaves room for herbs, annuals or other small plants. Gardeners who want only one large pot can decide exactly what combination of vegetables will work for them.

Spicy and sweet pepper varieties are available in dwarf size plants. Tomato plants have been developed to grow in smaller gardens going beyond the cherry and grape tomatoes. But large tomato plants still require vertical staking; a whiskey barrel or large plastic tub is logical container choices for plants that produce sandwich size tomatoes.

Hanging Baskets for Tomatoes and Chives

Center a wrought iron hook in a large tub or hang a hook from a beam and gardeners have a vertical structure for a tomato plant or chives. Upside down tomato planters are popular planters, but a large plastic hanging basket can also be planted with a cherry tomato plant that will trail off the edge.

The chive plant is a versatile herb. Harvested, it can be chopped for adding a bit of onion flavor to cooking. Left to grow, it will flower and be a host plant for pollinators. Although chives are hardy perennials, the plant can be grown indoors in a sunny window, too.

The terrace vegetable garden is capable of producing fresh food throughout the summer planting season. Like any vegetable garden, container gardens are designed to grow favorite vegetables, using a combination of plant types and vertical garden structures to extend the growing season.

Other warm season vegetables, gardeners may wish to consider, include melon, squash and pumpkin.