Limited space doesn’t stop Maryland gardeners, especially when buckets are involved. With the right plants, you can keep fresh vegetables going in every season.
I’ve found bucket gardening to be surprisingly rewarding, even with just a few pots on the patio. Here are the top vegetables you can enjoy all year this way.
1. Kale
Cold-hardy and nutrient-packed, kale thrives in Maryland’s changing seasons. The plant actually tastes sweeter after a light frost, making it perfect for winter harvests.
Many Maryland gardeners keep kale growing from fall through spring in 5-gallon buckets with drainage holes. Just place in a sunny spot and water when the top inch of soil feels dry.
2. Lettuce
Quick to mature and perfect for succession planting, lettuce loves Maryland’s mild spring and fall temperatures. You’ll get multiple harvests by picking outer leaves while letting inner ones continue growing.
For year-round Maryland salads, try cold-tolerant varieties like ‘Winter Density’ in cooler months. A 10-inch deep bucket provides plenty of space for several plants to thrive side by side.
3. Spinach
Super easy to grow and incredibly nutritious, spinach handles Maryland’s cooler months beautifully. The leaves develop faster in partial shade during hot spells, preventing the bitter taste that comes with bolting.
Many Maryland gardeners start spinach seeds in late summer for fall harvests and again in early spring. With a bucket near your kitchen door, fresh spinach becomes an everyday luxury rather than an occasional store-bought treat.
4. Carrots
Sweet and crunchy, carrots grow wonderfully in deep buckets where their roots can stretch downward. The sandy soil mixes favored by Maryland gardeners create perfectly shaped roots without the forking often seen in clay ground.
Choose shorter varieties like ‘Paris Market’ or ‘Thumbelina’ for container growing. Maryland’s relatively mild winters mean you can sow carrots in early fall and harvest through winter with minimal protection.
5. Green Onions
Ready for harvest in just weeks, green onions are the instant gratification of bucket gardening. Their shallow roots make them perfect for even the smallest containers around your Maryland home.
The mild climate of Maryland lets you grow these year-round with minimal protection. Simply snip what you need and leave the roots to regrow, providing multiple harvests from a single planting.
6. Radishes
From seed to table in just 30 days, radishes are the speedsters of the bucket garden. Their crisp texture and peppery flavor add zing to Maryland winter salads when other garden harvests slow down.
The moderate climate zones across Maryland allow for multiple radish plantings throughout the year. Even apartment dwellers can enjoy these quick-growing roots in shallow buckets on sunny windowsills.
7. Swiss Chard
With its rainbow stems and nutritious leaves, Swiss chard brings both beauty and bounty to bucket gardens. The plant handles Maryland’s occasional summer heat waves better than most leafy greens.
Many Maryland gardeners appreciate how chard continues producing for months with regular harvesting. A single 5-gallon bucket can support 2-3 plants that provide fresh leaves from spring through fall and often beyond.
8. Bush Beans
Compact and productive, bush beans don’t require trellising like their pole cousins. The plants produce tender pods for weeks when given consistent moisture in their Maryland bucket homes.
Unlike some vegetables, beans prefer Maryland’s warmer months. A 5-gallon bucket can support 4-5 plants that will reward you with handfuls of fresh beans throughout summer and early fall.
9. Cherry Tomatoes
Sweeter and more productive than their larger cousins, cherry tomatoes thrive in buckets during Maryland’s warm season. Varieties like ‘Tiny Tim’ and ‘Micro Tom’ stay naturally compact without sacrificing flavor.
Though not strictly year-round in Maryland’s climate, these plants produce heavily for months. With a 5-gallon bucket in a sunny spot, you’ll harvest dozens of sweet little fruits from a single determined plant.
10. Peppers
Surprisingly adaptable to container life, peppers love the heat that builds up in buckets placed in sunny Maryland spots. Both sweet and hot varieties flourish with minimal care once established.
Many Maryland gardeners find that bucket-grown peppers actually outperform garden-planted ones. The controlled environment allows for perfect drainage and targeted feeding for maximum fruit production during summer and early fall.
11. Garlic
Patient gardeners love growing this aromatic treasure in buckets around Maryland homes. Plant cloves in fall, watch green shoots emerge through winter, and harvest full heads by early summer.
The well-drained soil in containers prevents the rot that sometimes affects Maryland garden-grown garlic during wet periods. A single wide bucket can accommodate 8-10 cloves planted 4 inches apart for a surprisingly abundant harvest.