14 Patio Plants That Die Instantly In Pots And Containers

People often think of decks and containers as great places to add lush plants and bright flowers, but not all plants do well in these small areas. Many popular yard plants don’t do well in pots because the roots can’t grow as far, the soil doesn’t drain well, or the plants don’t get enough water. This can cause plants to die early or not do well at all, which can be upsetting for even the most careful farmers.

Whether you have a green thumb for years or are just starting to garden outside, you need to know which plants don’t do well in pots before you spend your time and money on them. Some plants just need more room, more depth, or a different environment than what they can get in a pot. Knowing these limits can keep you from being disappointed and help you make better decisions. This guide shows you 14 patio plants that don’t do well in pots and will help you make better choices for your patio garden. Don’t make these common mistakes, and your container garden will always have plants that do well.

1. Asparagus Fern

Asparagus ferns are known to be very hard to take care of in outdoor pots, even though they look pretty and have feathery leaves. This plant isn’t very stable in small or medium pots, even though it looks like a cute addition to any planted garden. It has strong, spreading roots that need a lot more room than most pots can offer. Asparagus ferns also need dirt that stays wet but drains quickly, which can be hard to provide when they are outside in pots that get direct sun or wind.

If it doesn’t get enough water, its fine leaves turn brown and break easily. Eventually, they fall off, leaving behind a thin and sad-looking plant. Also, the roots can get root-bound very quickly, which stops them from absorbing nutrients and stops them from growing. Also, this fern might not come back if it gets dried out even once, which makes it a bad choice for porches where watering isn’t always done or is forgotten.

2. Butterfly Bush

People love the butterfly bush as a yard plant because it has beautiful, fragrant flowers that butterflies and bees love to visit. Even though it looks great in flower beds and yard settings, it doesn’t do well in patio pots. This shrub grows quickly and needs a lot of room for its roots to grow properly. Small spaces like pots greatly restrict its growth. Without space to spread out, the plant’s roots get twisted up and stressed, which kills the plant in the end.

Also, butterfly bushes need dirt that drains well and a lot of sun. However, patios and pots that get too hot can cause them to overheat, dry out, and not grow well. They lose their leafy base when they are under so much stress, which causes dieback that usually means the plant dies. Even big pots don’t usually have enough cover or root depth for this shrub to keep growing quickly. Put a butterfly bush in a pot, and it will often die quickly instead of blooming brightly.

3. Mint

People usually think of mint as an easy flower to grow, but if the conditions aren’t right, growing it in pots on a porch can kill it quickly. Mint may be strong at first, but its aggressive roots quickly fill up containers, even big ones. This root-bound state makes it harder for the plant to take in water and nutrients, which stops growth and causes leaves to wilt or turn yellow.

Also, mint in a pot tends to dry out quickly in the sun, and it will start to suffer right away if you don’t water it regularly. When it’s hot outside, the dirt in pots can heat up faster, which can cause roots to burn and leaves to droop. Also, mint likes some shade and constant moisture, which can be hard to provide on sunny decks. Pests like aphids and spider mites also like to feed on mint that is in pots and is stressed. This makes the problem even worse. Even though mint is thought to be easy to grow, it is actually very fragile when grown in backyard pots and might not make it for long if you don’t take extra care of it.

4. Bamboo

Bamboo might look like a strong, quickly growing plant that would do well in a pot, but it is actually one of the worst plants for patio pots. This plant’s roots are very strong and tend to spread out very quickly, needing a lot of room underground. When plants are in a pot, their roots circle around tightly, which stops them from absorbing nutrients as well as they could.

Bamboo also needs to be watered regularly, but if you water it too much or too little, which can happen a lot in containers, the plant will turn yellow and die. Its tall stalks are heavy at the top and easily fall over in pots, especially when left out in the wind on patios. Also, bamboo doesn’t handle big changes in temperature well, and containers don’t keep heat or cold out very well. When the plant is worried, it loses its leaves quickly and might not get better. Because of these problems, bamboo is not a good choice for outdoor pots and often falls apart quickly.

5. Rhubarb

Rhubarb grows best in the ground where it has a lot of room and cool, rich soil. It almost never grows in outdoor pots when you try to grow it that way. The roots of this plant get very deep, so it can’t grow in regular pots. Because of this, the roots get squished and stressed, which causes the plant to grow slowly, have leaves that wilt, and eventually die.

Additionally, rhubarb is a heavy eater and drinker that needs constant access to water and nutrients, which can be hard to provide in backyard pots. The plant is very sensitive to heat, and decks, especially the tops of pots, tend to make temperatures rise. This causes leaves to get burned and roots to get hurt. Rhubarb in pots dries out quickly because it doesn’t have the protection of ground dirt. If it gets too wet, the roots can rot. Because it needs so much care to grow, rhubarb doesn’t do well in planters, even if it is given big pots and regular attention.

6. Sweet Corn

It is impossible for sweet corn to grow in containers on decks because it needs a lot of space to grow. Each stalk of corn grows a big root system that goes deep into the ground to stay stable and get nutrients. This can’t happen in even the deepest containers. When corn is grown in pots against its will, it often doesn’t grow properly, its roots get weak, and it can’t make full ears.

Because it is tall and heavy, the plant can also fall over in the wind or rain if it is grown in pots. In order to grow well, sweet corn needs rich soil and constant wetness, which can be hard to manage in backyard pots. To make sure it gets enough pollen, it needs to be put in blocks instead of rows, which can’t be done in pots. Because of all of these needs, growing sweet corn on porches in small pots or tubs makes it hard for the plants to do well and quickly goes bad.

7. Wisteria

Wisteria is a beautiful vine with purple flowers that fall over each other, but it doesn’t do well in backyard pots or tubs. This bold climber does best when put in open ground because its roots spread out and take over other plants. When wisteria is in a pot, its roots get crowded together, which can cause it to lack nutrients and water. Because the plant grows so quickly, it quickly outgrows its pots.

Its roots become crowded, and it starts to die back. Also, wisteria needs a strong base to grow, and most patio pots don’t have the anchoring or room it needs. It also needs a steady, long-term feeding and watering schedule that is hard to keep up when the soil is small. If wisteria is under a lot of stress, it might not grow or drop its leaves, which are clear signs that it is in pain. All of this leads to a slow fall and death in the end. Wisteria looks beautiful in fields, but it doesn’t do well in the small, unstable space of a backyard container.

8. Zucchini

Due to its fast growth and high yield, zucchini might seem like a good choice for container gardening, but it doesn’t do well in outdoor pots very often. This plant needs rich, well-drained soil and a lot of room for its big leaves and spreading vines, which a pot rarely gives. When a plant is in a pot, its roots are limited, and it quickly uses up all the nutrients it can get. This makes the plant grow slowly and produce few fruits.

Also, zucchini can get fungal problems like powdery mildew, which spreads quickly in backyard pots where it is usually damp. Also, the plant needs a lot of water, and if you forget to water it once in a while during hot weather, the leaves will wilt and die. Cross-pollination is important for the plant to produce well, and patios with limited room can make returns even lower. All of these problems make zucchini a difficult and short-lived choice for pot gardening. Leaves often turn yellow, fruit grows slowly, and the plant dies early.

9. Peonies

Peonies are beautiful plants that do best in open garden beds instead of outdoor pots that are too small for them. For these plants to grow well and bloom, they need deep, loose soil and years of root growth that isn’t interrupted. When plants are put in pots, their roots are quickly squished, which stops them from growing properly and causes flowers to bloom poorly or not at all. Peonies are very sensitive to changes in temperature, and pots don’t protect the roots from extremely hot or cold temperatures.

They also don’t like being moved or repotted, and moving them around a lot on a patio can make them stressed, which can cause leaves to turn yellow and buds to fall off. For them to grow, their root crowns need to be placed at the right depth, which is hard to do in pots. Peonies rarely get better after being stressed, and by the end of the season, they often look completely dead. Because of these reasons, peonies don’t do well in containers and aren’t a good choice for outdoor gardening.

10. Artichokes

Artichokes are beautiful to look at and have flower buds that can be eaten, but they are very hard to grow in backyard pots. These plants grow big, deep roots that need a lot of room to grow, which can’t be provided by pots. Even in big pots, artichokes’ roots tend to get crowded out quickly, which stops them from growing and makes it hard for them to make buds. They also need a lot of food and need rich soil that gets new nutrients often, which is hard to do with small amounts of soil.

Artichokes are very sensitive to changes in temperature and moisture, and porches can make both of those changes very big. When a plant is worried, its leaves droop and turn a different color, and it becomes more likely to get pests like aphids. Their long-term health is very important because they need up to two years to create safe harvests, and container life rarely gives them the security they need. Because of these factors, it is very hard for artichokes to grow well in pots on porches.

11. Delphiniums

Delphiniums, which are famous for their tall spikes of bright blue or purple flowers, have a very hard time growing in backyard pots. The roots of these plants are very fragile and need deep, cool soil that stays wet all the time. These are conditions that are rarely found in pots. The dirt in containers warms up and dries out too quickly, and it doesn’t have the constant structure that delphinium roots need to grow in a healthy way.

The plants also lean toward the top and often fall over, especially when tall flower spikes appear. Sometimes plants wilt and lose their flowers because they are just a little too dry. Root rot and fungal diseases can happen to delphiniums when the draining is bad, which is a problem that many attractive pots have. Because they are easily hurt by external factors, they don’t do well in containers for long. The leaves turn yellow and the blooms don’t fully open. When placed in outdoor pots, delphiniums usually wither and die before they should because they need specific growing conditions and deep dirt.

12. Horseradish

Horseradish is a tough root veggie that doesn’t do well in pots because it has a deep taproot and spreads quickly underground. For it to do well, the dirt needs to be loose and drain well so that the plant’s roots can grow down freely. This is nearly impossible to do in a pot. When horseradish is grown in outdoor pots, its roots get crowded, which stops it from growing and lowers the quality of its roots.

The plant also needs full sun and regular watering. However, patios that are too hot can dry out the soil too fast, which kills the leaves. Roots that don’t have enough room to grow get woody and can’t be used. It probably won’t produce the spicy, tasty root that makes horseradish worth growing, even if you can keep it alive for a season. Overall, horseradish doesn’t do well in containers because the dirt is small, the water levels aren’t stable, and the roots don’t have enough room. The results are usually disappointing and short-lived.

13. Hollyhocks

Hollyhocks have the standard look of a country garden with their tall, colorful flower spikes, but they don’t do well in patio pots. These plants grow a long taproot that needs deep soil, which can’t be provided by pots. When a plant is in a pot, the roots get squished together, which slows growth and makes the plant battle right away. Hollyhocks can also get rust, which is caused by a fungus and spreads quickly in the small, damp spaces of backyard pots.

The plants need to be able to get air flow, but containers that are close to walls or in shady spots tend to trap water and make diseases more likely. Also, their tall flower stalks make them top-heavy and unsteady, which makes them easy to break when it’s windy. Hollyhocks quickly lose their strength, their leaves turn yellow, and their blooms get smaller when they are worried. Hollyhocks look beautiful in flower beds, but they don’t do well in pots and often die before their second season starts.

14. Asparagus

Asparagus is a long-term perennial plant that needs room and care, which are two things that patio pots don’t usually offer. This plant grows what are called “crowns,” which are deep and wide roots that take a few years to fully form in open ground. Because there isn’t much soil depth and room in pots, roots get crowded. This stops the plant from growing properly and shortens its life. For the tender buds that asparagus is famous for, it also needs to be watered regularly and grown in dirt that is full of nutrients.

Patios often subject pots to too much dry heat and heat, which stresses the plant and lowers the quality of the shoots. Even if asparagus makes it through the first growing season, it probably won’t become a useful plant in the years that follow. Moving or splitting asparagus plants in pots is very upsetting and hurts their chances of long-term success even more. If you want to grow asparagus, the only safe way is in a dedicated yard bed. Patio pots almost always fail early on.

Last Thought

For a successful outdoor garden, it’s important to pick the right plants for patio pots. Containers are useful and flexible, but they can’t give many plants the deep soil, constant wetness, and warmth they need to live. The 14 plants on this list usually die quickly in pots, which means they are not good choices for container gardening. To avoid being let down, choose species that do well in pots, like succulents, herbs that are small, or annuals that were bred to do well in pots. If you make the right choices, your backyard can still look beautiful without losing plants all the time.

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