8 Cute Container Salad Gardens So You Can Grow Greens Anywhere

Updated on November 2, 2022

Wagon Planter

wagon blue flowers purple — Peter Krumhardt

Grow a movable feast! Try creating a container salad garden in an old wagon. Top plants for homegrown salads, such as leaf lettuce, Romaine, butterhead, and baby greens, thrive in a sunny spot while the weather is cool in spring or fall. The wagon can easily move to shady spots as summer heats up, allowing you to extend your lettuce season. Drill a few holes in the bottom of the wagon so excess water can drain away. Otherwise, too much moisture could build up and cause root rot.

02 of 08

Colorful Bucket Containers

plants pots summer clothes pins — William Hopkins

A single lettuce plant can be beautiful on its own but downright stunning when grown in a bright container. If you don't want to invest in new pots, try revamping your existing pots with fresh paint or stamped designs. Here, plastic pots of lettuce are nestled inside simple painted buckets and hung in a cool, sunny window for an extra-early start to the season. After watering, the buckets can be unclipped and emptied, so the plants don't sit in a pool of moisture.

03 of 08

Wooden Box Planter

lettuce garden container — Westend61/Getty Images

Be creative when choosing container salad gardens. For example, reuse an old fruit crate or purchase a wooden crate to plant a few lettuces. If you're up for a DIY project, you can make your crate planter. When building wooden containers, start with cedar or another weather-resistant lumber. And always add drainage holes to allow excess water to drain out.

04 of 08

Galvanized Bucket Planter

flowers planter outside garden — Bill Holt

Fill a galvanized bucket with fresh spring greens and edible flowers for a simple but tasty work of art. Here, purple violas contrast beautifully with the bucket's patina while accentuating the purple flecks on the lettuce growing with it. Plus, those pretty petals will add a splash of color to your salad bowl.

05 of 08

Galvanized Tub Planter

tin flowers plants garden — Kim Cornelison

Though they're called greens, spring salad plants can be anything but. A galvanized tub ($70, Lehman's) is the perfect size for a container salad garden and experimenting with a variety of beautiful lettuces, such as eye-catching ones with red or bronze leaves. The tub will also give your landscape a little vintage charm.

06 of 08

Basket Planters

red planter plants indoor — William Hopkins

A simple wire basket ($37, Wayfair) lined with burlap and a colorful bandana makes it easy to grow a whole salad bowl container garden in one tight spot. You could even turn it into a hanging basket to add vertical interest and maximize your growing space.

07 of 08

Coffee Mug Planter

mug planter plant coffee cup — Maura McEvoy

Make a salad bowl planter using an old coffee mug or soup bowl to grow an extra lettuce plant or two. Set it in a cool, bright spot indoors to start the salad season early. It's best to drill a hole in the container's bottom first or use a cracked bowl or mug so excess water can escape. Then, fill it with potting soil and either sow seeds directly in your mug or bowl or transplant already growing lettuce into it.

08 of 08

Kitchen Containers

plant green pot planter — William Hopkins

Use copper gelatin molds to make dazzling containers for various lettuces for a fun spring hostess gift or a unique tabletop garden. You can either drill drainage holes in the bottom of the containers or keep the lettuces in smaller plastic pots that fit into the molds so they can still be used for their original purpose.

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