Grow Berries in Containers – 5 Easy Fruits for Small Spaces

Ripe red strawberries growing in terracotta pots on a balcony — (Image credit: Getty Images/Westend61)

Jump to category:

1. Strawberries
2. Blueberries
3. Gooseberries
4. Raspberries
5. Blackberries

You can grow berries in containers for juicy, flavorful homegrown pickings on a deck, patio, or balcony – how idyllic does that sound?. New cultivars mean gardeners can now choose compact plants perfectly suited for small spaces. If you want to grow berries in containers, here are five of the best plants to start with.

I have enjoyed great success growing raspberries, blueberries, gooseberries, and strawberries in containers at home over the years. There is a real joy in picking fresh fruit from outside your own home, and it is impressive how much of a bumper crop you can get in a confined space. I found growing berries in containers simple and satisfying, and I am sure you will too.

1. Strawberries

A classic summer fruit and undoubtedly one of the most popular fruits overall. If you grow strawberries in a container, you can pick fresh, sun-kissed fruits all summer long.

There are different types of strawberries to grow, including summer-fruiting types that give one crop a year and everbearing ones that produce two, one in spring and another in the fall.

The easiest berries to grow in containers are summer-fruiting types, as they can give you strawberries to pick for around four years before they run out of steam. The drawback of everbearing strawberries in pots is that they need replacing annually, as two fruiting periods take a lot of energy from the plants. For something smaller but with intensely flavorful fruits, you can also grow alpine strawberries in pots.

To grow strawberries in pots successfully, give them a container or hanging basket at least 12 inches wide and deep filled with a quality potting soil for container gardening, like this organic potting mix available at Burpee. Place the container in a sunny and sheltered spot, and keep the plants watered and fed regularly through the growing season.

You can get a four-pack of live strawberry plants at Amazon to grow in containers.

2. Blueberries

A row of blueberries bushes growing in pots on a deck

Blueberries are one of the easiest superfoods to grow at home. The fruit contains a high level of vitamins and antioxidants, and the plant’s compact habit makes it an ideal choice for any gardener who aspires to grow berries in containers on a balcony or deck.

Many types of blueberries are self-fertile. This is perfect for smaller spaces, as you can get a crop with just one bush, but not all are. Check the particular variety you are buying, but any blueberry will fruit better if there is more than one plant.

However, that doesn't mean you need multiple plants. I have had a solo blueberry in a container for three years now and get a lovely crop from it each year.

One quirk you must remember when growing blueberries in pots is their preference for acidic soil.

Plant blueberries in pots filled with ericaceous compost, such as this potting mix for acid-loving plants at Amazon, and water them with harvested rainwater. The plants also need fertilizing every two weeks with an ericaceous feed, like this all-natural acid mix at Amazon, to get a blueberry bush to fruit.

You can get a Patriot blueberry bush at Nature Hills that is more compact than other types. Alternatively, for a unique pink fruit, consider this Pink Lemonade blueberry bush at Fast Growing Trees.

An alternative option for growers in cold US hardiness zones is to grow honeyberry plants. These are more unusual fruits to grow and are native to Siberia, hence their ability to withstand cold down to the US hardiness zone 2.

3. Gooseberries

gooseberries ripening on healthy shrub that has been well pruned

If you grow berries in containers at home, they taste far better than those you get in stores. Nowhere is that truer than when growing gooseberries, as the fruits taste sweeter than store-bought.

You can grow gooseberries in shades of red, yellow, green, and purple on compact bushes that reach up to three feet in height. However, gooseberry bushes do have sharp spines, so they may not be suitable for balconies or patios if you have inquisitive children or pets.

Plant the bushes in at least 18-inch pots filled with a quality potting mix and place the container in sun or part-shade. I also grew a gooseberry bush in a grow bag successfully while I was in between plots, and it stayed happy, so grow bags can be a lightweight option for a balcony.

Watering plants is critically important with gooseberries, especially during hot weather. A lack of moisture is a gooseberry growing mistake that can cause fruits to split, so keep a close eye to ensure the water remains consistently moist.

Check the moisture levels a few inches under the surface when watering plants in containers, or use a soil moisture meter (available at Amazon), and water deeply each time.

You can get a live gooseberry bush at Amazon to plant in a container for summer harvests.

4. Raspberries

I first grew a Ruby Beauty raspberry in a container almost a decade ago, not long after it was the first dwarf variety released. As someone who loved growing raspberries but who only had a small courtyard garden at the time, it was a game-changer. That plant lasted me for many years, giving me delicious harvests each season.

You may imagine raspberries requiring lots of space; however, modern compact varieties have opened up many more opportunities to grow raspberries in pots.

Traditional canes are not a long-term option for pots. They can thrive for four or five years in a container, given the right care and attention, but modern dwarf varieties are more suited to growing in pots for many years.

Plant raspberries into containers at least 12 inches in diameter, which is large enough for three canes. Place the pot in a sunny position and fertilize the raspberries well. This includes using a balanced fertilizer in spring, like this granular plant food at Burpee, followed by feeding plants at least once a month during the growing season with a liquid fertilizer, such as this all-purpose plant food at Amazon.

You can get a Bushel and Berry Raspberry Shortcake Bush at Fast Growing Trees. This plant is compact, self-pollinating, and perfect if you want to grow berries in containers.

5. Blackberries

Like other fruits on this list, modern cultivars of blackberries and loganberries (a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry) now make it possible to enjoy these best brambles in small spaces. This is perfect news if you want to grow berries in containers and get a late-summer treat of sweet and tart berries.

Blackberries want at least six hours of sunlight a day, but will benefit from afternoon shade in hotter US hardiness zones. They do need a large container filled with well-draining potting mix.

Indeed, drainage is key when growing blackberries, as they dislike wet soil. A container must have drainage holes, and raising containers on pot feet (you can get pot feet at Walmart) will further help excess water drain away.

You will need to stake the stems and regularly water and feed the plants. Along with other fruits mentioned on this list, it is recommended to cover plants with netting (use a product like this garden netting at Amazon) as the berries develop. This stops birds from stealing the fruit before you get to enjoy them.

This Baby Cakes blackberry plant at Burpee is a dwarf, thornless variety with a compact growth habit, making it an ideal choice for pots.

Yes, you can grow berries in containers, but there is also a great range of citrus trees that can bring glorious beauty, fragrant foliage, and delicious fruit to small spaces. If you like the idea of growing citrus trees in pots on a patio, deck, or balcony, then lemons, oranges, limes, and kumquats are all fantastic options.

When you grow and care for citrus trees in pots in milder climates, they can spend the summer outside basking in the sun, but will need to be brought indoors for winter. Mobility is an advantage of pots because you can grow a lemon tree indoors (or any other citrus) during winter.

Shop Containers for Berries:

15" Round Planters

The lightweight pots are made from 85% recycled premium plastic and come in a classic terracotta color. They come with pre-drilled drainage holes.

Rattan Design Planter Box

This polypropylene planter box features an attractive rattan design and can serve as an elegant holder for any container of berry plants. It has an open bottom for drainage.

Adjustable Railing Planter

This planter can fit any size of deck or balcony railing and can work as a container for strawberry plants. It has a reservoir to hold water and keep plants hydrated.

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Drew has worked as a writer since 2008 and was also a professional gardener for many years. As a trained horticulturist, he worked in prestigious historic gardens, including Hanbury Hall and the world-famous Hidcote Manor Garden. He also spent time as a specialist kitchen gardener at Soho Farmhouse and Netherby Hall, where he grew vegetables, fruit, herbs, and cut flowers for restaurants. Drew has written for numerous print and online publications and is an allotment holder and garden blogger. He is shortlisted for the Digital Gardening Writer of the Year at the 2025 Garden Media Guild Awards.