cherry tomatoes work well used clay pots. Put a cone made from wire fencing for the tomatoes to grow on.
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Usually tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, and peppers work the best growing in containers....depending on the size container you have.
And of course herbs.
If you have room, get a clean, used car/truck tire.
If its in a yard, put it in a spot that will get sun at least half the day, but out of harsh weather.
If its on a patio or concrete slab of some sort, then cut a piece of 1 inch thick plywood board to fit over the "hole" on the bottom of the tire (when its laying flat).
Fill the tire 3/4 of the way with clean soil. Put your spud pieces in there, with "eyes up".
Cover about 3 inches over the top of the pieces, with soil.
Once the potatoes have grown and matured....you can pick up the tire to pull out the potatoes from the bottom.
Or move the board pieces out to get to the potatoes.
Some people have used very large coffee cans for growing potatoes in "city" situations.
Cut out the bottom of the can and place can in clay pot or plastic pot tray.
Fill half way with soil, put in two spud pieces and then cover with 3 inches of soil.
Tilt can over when ready to pick potatoes.
***If you use 1 inch cut plywood piece for bottom of tire, make sure to cut that in half first.
And make sure the wood piece is at least 1 inch wider than the tire opening...you dont want dirt leaking out.
And make sure the wood pieces are fit next to each other on bottom before filling with dirt.
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Any non-root crop does well in a container, unless you have a deep container that can handle the carrot/parsnip/large onion. Root crops need root room.
I have found that containers with 2-4 inch deep trays work best, and adding water to the tray to water than pouring water at the top tends to result in happier plants.
It also helps to water from the top every week with a compost tea, especially for fruit bearing plants like beans, tomatoes, peppers.
A compost tea is taking a shovelful of dirt and soaking it at least overnight in a 5 gallon bucket of water (stir and let settle) then use the water to water. You get all the nutrients without adding solids to your pot.
I have an old 8 gallon pool filter which I use a a pot, its about 23 inches deep and 14 inches across at the top. I use that to raise 'salad' - a few leaf lettuces, chives, couple spinach plants and sometimes radish or other small plant. I keep it on the south-side of the house on the patio during winter days, pull it inside during frost/freeze nights. I get fresh salad fixings through the winter.
I do not have the whole thing full of soil. 2/3rd of the 'pot' is filled with packing peanuts (those foam packing thingies), I laid a nylon screen across that, then about ten sheets of unfolded newspaper with soil on top of that.
I water with compost tea and change the soil yearly.
I make my own potting soil consisting of a ratio of about 2 parts garden soil, two parts compost which I lay on a black plastic sheet, water until wet, then cover with a second black plastic sheet and roll the ends and weight it down. Leave in full sun for a bout a month in mid summer. That 'bakes' the soil, killing critters, weed seeds and most diseases. I take off the top sheet and let it dry out for a few days, and store in a bag.
When I go to use it I add one part shredded paper to loosen and lighten the soil and add a bit of slow rotting organic matter.
Its cheaper than buying vermiculite or store bought potting soils.
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I tried to use this seed packet thing that let you grow the plant in the little package it came in.
The chives survived, because I transferred them to a normal pot, but the flowering plant that was growing got all yuck and invaded by fungi.
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You could try strawberries, but you have to watch out for birds and bugs.....birds will attack them when they start turning red.
They do sell netting tents for plants....so you might try it to see if you can do it.
FYI - my granny used to cut the top part off of plastic milk jugs and grow tomatoes, peppers, and beans in those things.
She also used to use the same kind of plastic milk jugs to cover small plants in the winter, put a large rock or brick on top to keep it on...so the plants wouldnt freeze.
Oh, and if you plan to grow some stuff where you DO have bug or small critter problems, you can get some powdered organic sulphur powder. Light dust the area and plants, and it will keep the critters away. And sulphur is good for plants....but not too much!!! Maybe one dusting if you see any bugs or have critters attacking your plants, otherwise just dust the area around them.
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how do slugs look for they "prey"? :biggrin: Do they sniff? LOL Would they know there is something yummy above their heads during their exploring the terrace? 
mile:
