I know only a little about container gardening but it seems to me that with such large containers (25 gallon), you should be able to grow just about anything and some combinations.

When I plant containers of ornamentals, I go for out, down and up. So, with vegetables, I'd think that a cascading cucumber, a potato, and climbing pole beans would be appropriate. These plants are supposed to be good companions anyway - which means some may benefit from the others and none are seriously inconvenienced. Many herbs would fit into this scheme.

For a large plant like zucchini, it may be a good idea to have only one plant per container.

Steve

I haven't grown them in containers, but I know many people do grow chili peppers in containers. They can be very ornamental as well as useful in the kitchen. Some people winter the container over indoors if they have a well lighted place for them. Consider the black or multi-colored types. They are eye catching. The red ones won't be red until late in the season.

Jim

Strawberries work well in containers. it might be a good place to put mint also because if you plant mint anywhere else it will take over.
Stacey

Could you grow the Three Sisters in it? Corn first, beans to grow up the cornstalks, and squash to grow around the base of the little circle of corn and beans. Google Three Sisters planting and you will find it is an old method of companion and space-saving planting.

Thanks for the great ideas. I hadn't really thought of putting more than one type of plant in each container. Foolish me. I'll definately look up the three sisters, but I know corn likes lots of nutrients and I might be a bit lacking on that in a container.

Potatoes sound good, except that you are supposed to keep piling up on top of them as they grow. That might not fit well. Maybe sweet potatoes? I think the idea of using a cascade, a climber, a burrower and herbs is a great idea though.

I have tried the following veggies in containers, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, lettuce, spinach, assorted herbs, potatoes, & squash (bush). The potatoes & squash were not spectacular performers but the rest were.

If you are going to be using these pots for decoration around your home as well as food think of plants that will last the summer and be pretty: peppers, eggplant, tomatoes.

If you want to succession crop then do peas, lettuce, radish, etc.

One thing to keep in mind you have to WATER. I have over 40 pots around my house most of them are about 10 gal size and I thorouthly water them every 3 days. My pots that are 5 gallon and smaller (I have about 15) get watered EVERY day all summer long. I am so burned out getting up early to do this, but the work pays off in beauty and harvest.

After snap peas are done, follow with something like a bush or semi-bush cucumber. Another combination could be chard and herbs such as basil, parsley, chives or any assortment you like.

Peppers can do nicely in that large a container. I should think 4-5 plants would work in 25 gal. If you like a mild hot pepper, I'd recommend a plant of Mariachi Hybrid - a wonderful producer with yellow fruit at immature stage.

IMHO containerized corn and potatoes aren't practical when you have in-ground space. Not enough yield (and even cheaper to buy at farm market) to make it worth while. If some things are winding down toward Fall, a late seeding of leaf lettuce, radishes, or kohlrabi should carry you into cold weather.

Sweet potato vines are often used as a cascading vine in large decorative planters sold by garden stores in the spring. You may have seen them without realizing what they were. Leaves can be various shades of green or deep purple, depending on the variety. I imagine people who buy them are quite surprised when they empty the container after the season is over.

The sweet potato vines are very attractive and make a nice contrast with plants of upright growth habit and different leaf texture. For an edible planter they would look good with peppers or eggplants and herbs.

Jim

You can also eat sweet potato leaves believe it or not.

I would put soil into the 25 gal container, then put another container on top of that one...either centered in the middle or at the backside of it...

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In the 25 gal one, I'd plant something cascading like strawberries? and inside the top container, I'd do something like herbs or lettuce or green peppers, something that would grow upright.

This is a great way to maximize your planting area. and it looks kinda cool too.

the set up above for me, was mostly because the lip of my bigger pot broke off when trying to move it and it was a way to cosmetically make it more appealing...but it also had a nice look.