Growing vegetables in buckets offers a perfect solution for Missouri gardeners with limited space or challenging soil conditions. Bucket gardening lets you control soil quality, moisture levels, and even move plants to protect them from extreme weather.
With Missouri’s varying climate, these 12 vegetables can flourish in containers throughout the seasons with proper care.
1. Leafy Kale For Winter Harvests
Kale transforms into a sweeter version of itself after the first frost hits. This hardy green powerhouse continues producing through Missouri winters with minimal protection.
For best results, choose a 5-gallon bucket with drainage holes and use a potting mix enriched with compost. Harvest outer leaves regularly while leaving the center intact to encourage continuous growth throughout the cold months.
2. Versatile Swiss Chard
Rainbow-stemmed Swiss chard brings a splash of color to winter bucket gardens while delivering nutritional benefits similar to spinach. The vibrant stems come in shades of red, yellow, and pink against deep green leaves.
Plant seeds directly in a 3-gallon bucket filled with rich potting soil. During summer heat, position your chard buckets where they receive afternoon shade to prevent bolting and extend your harvest window.
3. Space-Saving Bush Beans
Bush beans offer impressive yields without the climbing support pole varieties require. Their compact growth habit makes them perfect candidates for 5-gallon bucket cultivation.
Sow seeds directly after danger of frost passes, placing 6-8 seeds per bucket. The beauty of bucket-grown beans lies in succession planting – start a new bucket every few weeks for continuous harvests from spring through fall.
4. Cold-Loving Spinach
Morning smoothie enthusiasts rejoice! Spinach thrives during Missouri’s cooler seasons and can be grown year-round with strategic timing and minimal protection.
Plant seeds in shallow 3-gallon buckets during early spring and fall. During winter months, simply move buckets to a sheltered location or cover during extreme cold snaps. For summer growing, position buckets where they receive morning sun only.
5. Cherry Tomatoes For Endless Summer
Sun-warmed cherry tomatoes deliver sweet bursts of flavor from portable bucket gardens. Unlike their larger cousins, these compact varieties produce abundantly in confined spaces.
Select determinate varieties for manageable growth in 5-gallon buckets. Add a tomato cage at planting time to support future growth. During Missouri’s hottest days, move buckets to locations receiving morning sun only to prevent blossom drop and extend production.
6. Crisp Radishes For Quick Rewards
Impatient gardeners appreciate radishes for their rapid growth cycle – from seed to harvest in just 25 days! Their shallow root systems make them perfect candidates for even the most modest bucket gardens.
Use wide, shallow containers at least 6 inches deep. Sow seeds directly every two weeks from February through April, then again from September through November for continuous harvests. During summer, move buckets to cooler, partially shaded locations.
7. Aromatic Green Onions
Green onions practically grow themselves while adding zippy flavor to everyday meals. The magic of these kitchen staples? You can regrow them indefinitely from grocery store purchases.
Simply place onion bottoms with roots intact in a bucket of moist potting soil. Harvest by snipping the green tops as needed, leaving the white base to regenerate. During Missouri winters, bring buckets indoors near a sunny window for uninterrupted growth.
8. Compact Bell Peppers
Miniature bell pepper varieties deliver full-sized flavor from space-saving plants. These colorful fruits transition from green to vibrant red, yellow, or orange as they ripen in their bucket homes.
Choose varieties specifically bred for containers, like ‘Redskin’ or ‘Mohawk.’ Plant in 5-gallon buckets using well-draining potting mix. During Missouri’s humid summers, space buckets for good air circulation to prevent fungal issues while maximizing production.
9. Year-Round Lettuce Varieties
Crisp lettuce varieties can grace Missouri tables through most seasons with strategic planting and bucket mobility. Heat-tolerant varieties extend summer harvests, while cold-hardy types continue producing through winter.
Use shallow, wide containers at least 6 inches deep. Plant seeds every two weeks for continuous harvests. During summer heat, move buckets to locations receiving morning sun only. For winter growing, bring containers to a protected porch or use row cover.
10. Prolific Hot Peppers
Fiery jalapeños and cayennes produce abundantly in bucket gardens, often yielding more peppers than a family can use! Their compact growth habit makes them ideal candidates for container cultivation.
Plant seedlings in 3-gallon buckets after danger of frost. The restricted root zone actually encourages pepper plants to focus energy on fruit production rather than excessive foliage. Move buckets indoors before first fall frost to extend harvests.
11. Perpetual Carrots
Short carrot varieties like ‘Paris Market’ and ‘Thumbelina’ grow beautifully in buckets at least 12 inches deep. Their round, tennis ball-shaped roots develop quickly and taste exceptionally sweet.
Use deeper 5-gallon buckets for best results. Sow seeds directly from March through June, then again in August through September. During summer heat, move buckets to partially shaded locations. For winter harvests, insulate buckets with straw or move to protected areas.
12. Productive Dwarf Peas
Compact pea varieties bring sweet spring and fall harvests to bucket gardens without requiring elaborate trellising. ‘Tom Thumb’ and other dwarf varieties grow just 8-12 inches tall while producing full-sized pods.
Plant in 3-gallon buckets during early spring and again in late summer for fall crops. Provide minimal support using small twigs or short bamboo stakes. During summer’s peak heat, move buckets to cooler locations or wait until temperatures moderate before planting fall crops.