Lettuce and other greens can be grown very easily in containers. I'd opt for larger pots as opposed to smaller, simply for ease of watering requirements - they will not be happy at all if allowed to dry out. I grow a salad garden of mixed greens in a large, somewhat flat container. I harvest only by cutting back as I need them - they regrow rapidly and this treatment seems to prevent any heat bolting as well. Loose greens work better with this method than those that form heads.

I don't have any advice about onions. I can't imagine any reason why they wouldn't do well in zone 5. Have you tried early planting of sets? These can be harvested early as spring or green onions and some allowed to mature for a larger sized bulb later in the season.

I think both can be grown easily in large(r) pots. I'm assuming you mean green onions?

I've grown green onions in pot a lot of times. They seem to like deeper pots.

I've also grown something called multiplier onions with much success in pots or raised beds.

There are a zillion different kinds---and some sold as multiplier but really aren't :(

Good luck.

Last year I grew some romaine in half of a styrofoam cooler. It was about 5" deep. Worked out great! Also grew spinach in one of those long windowbox plastic pots. Great stuff!

In the summer green onions are cheap, about 4 bunches/$1. I put the ones I don't use in a pot and leave them outside. Next time I need it I just pull some out. They don't multiply but they can last a really long time if you don't use it a lot.

I like your green onion idea. but nothing costs only 4 for a dollar anymore. haha.

Mostly I want to do lettuce. I am thinking of trying something like the Little Gem lettuce. but the idea on leaf lettuce is well taken. I will have to include some leaf lettuce. good to know it can be cut and it will come back again.

I lived in North Central Mass, right on the NH border for many year and never had any trouble with onions. While I'm sure they will do fine in a container, they are easy as can be when grown from onion sets. I can't imagine anthing easier really. They were perfectly hardy and I was still pulling out onions well into the late fall. I'd save the container and container soil for other things.

Patty

I have done onion sets and the onions come out small. I want to grow a big onion. so I am thinking maybe a container. but the onions are really not that important. I really want to do a lot of lettuce in containers.

I am thinking something like a little gem or a leaf lettuce and want to have an idea of what size container is ok to use. Obviously 5 gallons is much larger than needed and a 4 inch pot is too small. I am guessing about a quart might do it. but maybe a gallon is needed.

I think what I have to do is to take some used pots and see how it comes out. I dont have little gem seeds but do have other kinds of lettuce. I think I will have to try some leaf lettuce in different sized containers and see what works for me.

I am not so sure the onions are worth the effort in pots except with some bunching onions.

I have grown lettuce in bowl containers and also windowbox/trough containers. I'm thinking of doing a fall crop this year. I think for "big" onions, you need to go more than a season and let them winter over and continue growing them the following year. Since they are bulbs, they need time to increase in size just like any other bulb.

yes the overwinter will kill the onions so if I put them in a pot then I can move them maybe indoors.

how can I keep the onions alive and growing through the winter so I can get a big onion the next year.

thanks for any help

I grow lettuce every year in an old wheelbarrow. Lettuces are shallow rooted and you can grow them darn near in anything. I've never grown 'regular' onions but grow green onions. I often just pop the seeds into other planters with flowering plants as I never seem to have room anywhere else out in the gardens.

Jenna