Dwarf or miniature varieties often mature and bear fruit early, but most do not produce as well overall as standard varieties. The amount of sunlight that your container garden spot receives may determine which crops can be grown. Generally, root crops and leaf crops can tolerate partial shade. Vegetables grown for their fruits generally need at least five hours of full, direct sunlight each day, but perform better with eight to 10 hours. Available light can be increased somewhat by providing reflective materials around the plants, such as aluminum foil, white-painted surfaces or marble chips.
Container gardening lends itself to attractive plantscaping.
A dull patio area can be brightened by the addition of baskets of cascading tomatoes or a colorful herb mix. Planter boxes with trellises can be used to create a cool shady place on an apartment balcony. There are many possible containers for gardening. Clay, wood, plastic and metal are some of the suitable materials. If you are building a planting box out of wood, you can use rot-resistant redwood, cedar or cypress.