As someone who loves growing food indoors, proper container gardening is the key to success. The three most important factors (in my opinion) are sun, space, and water. Each can be a limiting resource so keep that in mind when choosing.
Also not every crop here is worth planting indoors. Some just don’t produce a high enough yield to justify spending resources on it (looking at you corn).
So, with that being said, here are my favorite crops organized by the amount of sun, container, and water amount.
| Plant | Sun Needs | Container Size | Water Needs & Frequency |
| Lettuce | Partial–full sun (4–6 hrs) | Small–medium (15–20 cm deep) | Keep moist; every 1–2 days |
| Onions | Full sun (6–8 hrs) | Medium (20–25 cm deep) | Moderate; 2–3× per week |
| Green Onions | Full sun–partial (4–6 hrs) | Small (15–20 cm) | Moderate; every 2–3 days |
| Potatoes | Full sun (6–8 hrs) | Large (40–50 cm deep) | Moderate; 2–3× per week |
| Carrots | Full sun (6+ hrs) | Deep (30 cm+) | Moderate; every 2–3 days |
| Radishes | Full sun (4–6 hrs) | Shallow (15–20 cm) | Moderate; every 2 days |
| Strawberries | Full sun (6–8 hrs) | Medium (20–30 cm, wide) | Moderate; every 2–3 days |
| Tomatoes | Full sun (8+ hrs) | Large (30–40 cm deep) | High; daily in warm conditions |
| Peppers (hot or sweet) | Full sun (6–8 hrs) | Medium–large (25–35 cm) | Moderate; every 2–3 days |
| Eggplants | Full sun (6–8 hrs) | Large (30–40 cm) | Moderate–high; every 1–2 days |
| Beans (bush) | Full sun (6–8 hrs) | Medium (20–30 cm) | Moderate; 2–3× per week |
| Beans (pole) | Full sun (6–8 hrs) | Large (30+ cm, support) | Moderate–high; every 2 days |
| Cucumbers | Full sun (6–8 hrs) | Large (30+ cm, climbing ideally) | High; daily or every 2 days |
| Zucchini | Full sun (6–8 hrs) | Very large (40+ cm) | High; daily in heat |
| Butternut squash | Full sun (6–8 hrs) | Extra large (50+ cm, trailing) | High; daily or near-daily |
| Acorn squash | Full sun (6–8 hrs) | Extra large (50+ cm) | High; daily or every 1–2 days |
| Corn | Full sun (6–8 hrs) | Very large (40+ cm, grouped) | High; every 1–2 days |
| Kale | Full–partial (4–6 hrs) | Medium–large (25–30 cm) | Moderate; 2–3× per week |
| Spinach | Partial (3–5 hrs) | Medium (20 cm) | Moderate; every 1–2 days |
| Broccoli | Full sun (6 hrs) | Large (30+ cm) | Moderate–high; every 2 days |
| Blueberries | Full sun (6+ hrs) | Large (30–40 cm, acidic soil) | Moderate–high; every 2 days |
| Raspberries | Full sun (6–8 hrs) | Large (40+ cm deep) | Moderate; 2–3× per week |
| Herbs (basil, parsley, etc.) | Full–partial (4–6 hrs) | Small–medium (15–25 cm) | Light–moderate; every 2–3 days |
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