15 Plants That Grow In Shallow Soil [ #No 5 Is My Favorite ] (2024)

Gardening has always been a passion for many people. Who would not like to make his house more green and lively with a small garden? However, if you do not have that much space to make your garden beside your home, do not worry. Several plants grow quickly in shallow pots and soil.

Generally, plants need at least 12 inches of soil layer to spread their roots.

However, you can create your garden with window pots or baskets with little soil and not much maintenance.

Several plants grow well in only 6 to 8 inches of soil. You can easily keep these plants in your home with little care and nurturance.

Plants that grow in shallow soil

Keeping flowers and green leafy plants at the office and room is always good. It uplifts one’s mind and saves the environment fresh.

Generally, people think that only succulents and cactus are ideal for growing in shallow soils as they are conditioned to face environmental challenges.

But do you know, there are several green leafy vegetables, fruits, and flower plants that can be grown quickly in your home environment in a small flower pot and some potting soil.

Potting soil has only the correct blend of water observance and nutrition that helps you grow plants in your window pots without any inconvenience.

1. Petunia

Bright and colorful Petunias are always a gardener’s delight.

The white, pink, and purple flowers of the tree are always exceptional for gardeners.

These petunias come with a varied need for deep soil, and they vary from 6 to 18 inches.

If you are passionate about bringing home the splash of color with Petunias and keep them as a houseplant, choose those variants that thrive in shallow soil.

The bright and lively colorful flowers come to bloom in spring, and you can plan for one for your window pot.

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2. Lavender

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Lavender is a herb with beautiful and eye-catchy flowers and with a sweet and attractive smell.

There are almost 45 variants of lavender, some of them are suitable for your house pot, and some are not.

Generally, Lavenders grow in large pots of 12 to 18 inches and take a small shrub figure.

But if you are keeping it in a small pot, make sure you shift it once the plant grows big.

Planting Lavender needs some special care. If you are going to keep it in the pot, make sure the water drainage is proper and the soil has enough alkaline properties.

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Also read:

What should you plant under pine trees?

3. Zinnias

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If you choose the bright and profound zinnias that bloom and smile in full sun, you can plant them in your home plant.

These flowers are big and colorful and look attractive when kept in a small pot. Zinnias can be grown in small pots of 6 inches and need less care.

Only make sure it gets enough light to bloom as it needs full sunlight.

Try to keep them near your window. If your room does not have much exposure to light, try to use LED grow lights for your Zinnias.

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4. Swiss Chard

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This one is a salad vegetable, but if you are planning to plant some green leafy plants in your home, Swiss Chard is the perfect choice for you.

It is delicious and nutritious. You can plant this vegetable in your house pot.

Their roots are not very deep, and you can grow them in the shadow soil of pots.

Just plant the seeds 3 inches apart and half an inch deep.

The number of swiss chard plants depends on the size of the pot you are keeping them into. You can plant a maximum of 1 to 2 seeds per pot.

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5. Rhododendron

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Among the thousands of variants, you will find some short-growing Rhododendrons with lush evergreen foliage and blooming flowers of pink, purple, white, and yellow.

The heavenly beauty makes it perfect for all gardening lovers who are looking for plants to keep in shallow soil.

The variants of Rhododendrons grow from 40 inches to 100 feet.

However, Rhododendron needs proper drainage and acetic soil to survive.

So, if you are planning to grow Rhododendrons in your house pot, make sure you are using pots with adequate drainage and acid soil or potting soil for proper water retention and nutrition of the plant.

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6. Pansies

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Pansies are another flowering plant with colorful and textured flowers that will make your home all the more beautiful if you are planning to keep it in house pots.

These plants can be grown in pots of 6 to 8 inches depth and 12 inches wide and come out to be a bushy plant with extraordinarily-looking small flowers.

You will see your plants full of blooms from summer to spring. The varying hues and patterns are the perfect choice for many gardening lovers.

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7. Lettuce

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Another leafy plant that you can also add to your Salads.

The green lettuce can be grown in shallow soil also, but only the leafy variants. The process of nurturing is straightforward.

If you plant lettuce in spring, you will get a year full of harvest in 10 to 14 days intervals.

As the roots are not so deep, you need just a 6 inches deep pot to plant your lettuce tree.

Make sure that you provide that.

8. Mint

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Mint is a popular herb that can be grown in your home, even in shallow pots.

Although mint needs at least 10 to 12 inches of depth of the pot to spread its root, you can still plan for keeping a mint tree at your home.

The mixture of peppermint and spearmint gives a cool and refreshing feeling to your mouth.

The smell of the plant is also very pacifying. So, if you are interested in planting an excellent herb just at your home, mint might be a good option for you.

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9. Spinach

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Spinach is another leafy vegetable that can be grown easily in house pots.

They are very beginner-friendly for brown hand gardeners.

These plants can be grown in even 6 to 8 inches deep pots. You just need to buy the seeds and spread them in layers of soil.

In almost no time, the new spinach plants will sprout, and you can start harvesting them. The number of spinach in each pot depends on the width of the pot.

Try to plant spinach 5 to 6 inches apart in the pot and use the cut-and-come-again harvesting method. Your spinach gardening will not need much nurturance.

Just use some slow-releasing fertilizer and water the plants regularly. Spinach plants need sunlight. So, if your room is not very open to sunlight, try to keep it on the balcony or simply use LED grow lights instead.

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10. Kale

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Kale is another vegetable filled with vitamins and minerals.

You can grow Kales in shallow pots in your home environment. Kale is especially appropriate for cold weather.

It can be grown in shallow pots of 6 to 8 inches deep soil. Kale needs nitrogen full fertilizers to grow well. It also needs proper sunlight and watering.

Planting and growing Kale is not very tough. You can start with planting the seeds and then transplant the new plants once they sprout.

Little Kales can be planted at half-inch depth and 4 inches apart from one another.

On the other hand, larger Kales can be planted with more gaps. Within a little time, you will see the lash of greenery in your house corner if you plant Kales at home.

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11. Green Onion

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Green onions can be planted and grown in shallow soil, and they grow very quickly.

Only you need to keep in mind that young green onions need damp soil and proper watering at the initial stages. It generally grows well at 25 to 30 degrees Celsius.

You can provide the plants with compost for better growth and plant them at least half an inch deep to get good results.

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12. Radishes

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Although it grows underground, it does not necessarily need much deep soil to grow.

You just need to water it daily and keep the plants in a wide container to get more space for the plants to grow. You can even grow radishes in a 6 to 8 inches deep pot and get a good harvest in 40 to 50 days if you take proper care of the plant.

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13. Rosemary

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Rosemary is a fragrant herb used in perfume making and aromatherapy.

If you are planning to bring home some aromatic plants, Rosemary could be a good choice.

It needs only a 6 to 8 inches deep pot and soil to grow.

You can bring rosemary seeds, seedlings, or cuttings to grow new plants. It needs soil with less acidic properties and a pot with proper drainage. So, if you are putting rosemary at home, take care of these things.

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14. Chives

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If your home lacks proper sunlight, chives can be a good option for you to grow in a small pot.

This herb can be grown once and then reproduced every year. You need really little care to grow. These plants are good to grow indoors as they need partial shade and light to thrive.

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15. Watercress

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Another dark-green leafy vegetable that is like a shady place.

This makes indoor pots the right place for their growth.

This plant also does not need much care. Just keep attention that the soil remains moist. You can also grow watercress under growing lights. Timely pruning is also very important for growing it perfectly.

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In closing:

All the plants that can be grown in shallow soil need proper drainage and water and nutrition supplies from the soil.

Most of these plants can be grown with little nurturance which makes them a favorite for most gardeners.

You can also make your home a more green and refreshing place with colorful and fragrant plants that grow in shallow pots with proper care.