6 Best Vegetables To Plant In Pots In July (Fast-Growing Picks)

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Whether your container garden is getting a late start or you're simply practicing succession planting, there are still tasty veggies you can start growing in July. From radish to spinach to lettuce, we've picked six fast-growing vegetables that not only work well in pots, but grow fast enough that you'll most likely be able to harvest before your first frost sets in.

Container gardening is, of course, a great way to maximize garden space when you're limited in places to grow, but that doesn't mean it's as easy as you think. Remember that you'll need to set your plants up for success in their confined spaces as best you can, so let's get everything ready now. First, make sure you're using a pot that's big enough to hold a mature batch of crops and that it has good drainage. Next, you're going to want to use a soil blend designed for container gardening because it will have stuff added to it that helps keep water moving through the pot and prevents the soil from getting compacted and potentially ruining your harvest. 

Finally, consider automating your watering routine, as water demands for container plants are a little more high-maintenance than for vegetables that can stretch out a bit and look for moisture around them. We like JIYANG's Solar Automatic Drip Irrigation Kit System because it takes the guesswork out of watering, but you can also just set yourself a reminder to water your containers in the morning so excess water has time to evaporate.

Okay, technically they're legumes and not vegetables, but they're still veggies and worth planting if only for their awesome productivity. Bush beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are a type of bean that grow — you guessed it — bushier instead of climbing, so they're great for containers. Green, kidney, and navy are common types of bush beans you'll see and each plant will need a container that's 12 inches wide. They'll need full sun and well-draining soil. Bush beans take around 60 to 70 days to mature and expect each plant to produce around four ounces of beans.

Radishes (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus) are one of the fastest-growing plants, taking only 25 to 35 days to mature. Despite being a root crop, radishes are surprisingly content to grow in containers that are deep enough. Mature sizes vary by cultivar so you may need a pot anywhere from one to three-and-a-half feet deep to accommodate the taproot. They like full sun but can grow in partial shade if that's all you've got. Give each plant around three inches of space to grow in your pot and each seed you plant will result in one radish.

Lettuces (Lactuca sativa) are considered cool season vegetables, but can still work in July. Look for heat-tolerant varieties, like butterhead or romaine, but even head lettuces can do fine if you protect them from the afternoon summer sun. You'll need a pot that's around eight inches deep and each lettuce will need around six inches of space. Each seed can produce one lettuce plant and you can expect to harvest them anywhere from 65 to 80 days. However, trimming leaves instead of harvesting the full plant is a great way to keep lettuces growing even longer. 

Like lettuce, spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is typically considered a cool season plant, but it can still grow from seed in July if you're able to shelter it from the harsh afternoon sun. Spinaches prefer their soil to stay moist, but not wet, so watering regularly and having a well-draining pot is key. Your pot will need to be about six inches deep and each plant will need four inches of space. Expect to harvest your spinach between 40 and 50 days after planting and each plant should yield around two ounces of leaves.

Broccoli plants (Brassica oleracea Cauliflower & Broccoli Group) are versatile plants that work well in containers. However, some varieties can be as big as four feet wide, so look for more compact broccolis that would do well in pots, like 'Fiesta,' 'Minaret,' or 'Blue Wind.' Give each plant around 12 to 20 inches of space and use a nitrogen-rich fertilizer, like Down To Earth All Natural Fertilizer 7-7-2. Expect your broccoli plant to mature within 55 to 90 days.

Starting peppers (Capsicum annuum) from seeds typically requires a long growing season, but there are ways to hack it so that you can start in July and have a good harvest. First, start with fast-maturing varieties that mature in 50 to 70 days, like 'Ace,' 'New Ace,' 'Super Chile,' 'Italian Frying,' or miniature red or yellow bell pepper types. Since the growing season is shorter, we recommend buying transplants. Pepper plants need 12 inches of space, and give them full sun and moist, well-draining soil for best results.