Plastic storage bins make inexpensive containers for both tall and root vegetables. These potatoes are almost ready to harvest.

Monica Milla | Contributor

Whether you have limited space, beds overflowing with flowers, or limited sunny spots, you can still grow vegetables — just plant them in containers. This doesn't have to be expensive, and now is a great time to gather large containers.

You can use containers on balconies and patios, or tuck them into your garden beds in sunny spots between perennials and shrubs.

Drill holes into the container bottoms for drainage.

Monica Milla | Contributor

Of course you can buy traditional pots to use as containers. There is a huge variety of colors, sizes, and materials to choose from. However, these pots can be fairly expensive, especially in the large sizes you will need for most vegetables.

Fortunately, there's always a cheaper alternative. You can buy inexpensive plastic storage tubs, reuse household containers or upcycle old dresser drawers.

Note: You will just have to drill holes into the bottoms of these containers to allow for drainage.

Plastic storage bins

Plastic storage bins make great containers for root crops such as beets, turnips, carrots and potatoes. (Yes, potatoes!) They can also be used for almost any other large, upright vegetables (even corn or beans!) Darker color bins (like green and navy) are great for holding in heat, but a clear plastic bin will allow you to see the roots and crops grow in the soil.

Many stores have the these plastic totes at great prices now due to back-to-school sales. The end-of-year, after-holiday sales are another opportunity to get bins on clearance.

More: For step-by-step instructions on growing potatoes in plastic storage bins, see this blog entry.

Recycled plastic containers

Large used plastic containers also make great containers for plants like tomatoes, peppers, zucchinis, eggplants, and squash. (Yes, you really can grow all of these in pots.) Five-gallon buckets that used to hold bulk food work well, and these are also sold inexpensively as paint-mixing buckets.

The larger kitty litter containers are also the perfect size. If the print on the containers bothers you, a quick coat of spray paint or a fabric wrap (hot glued in place) should help.

You can rinse out used containers with a solution of nine parts water to one part bleach to disinfect them.

Old drawers are great for growing lettuce.

Monica Milla | Contributor

If you're growing veggies with more shallow roots, like lettuce, spinach, or chard, old drawers make great containers. You can get these through Freecycle groups, Craigslist, the Recycle Center, etc.

Monica Milla, the Garden Faerie, is a master gardener volunteer, instructor, speaker, garden coach, and author of "Fun with Winter Seed Sowing."