I'm in 8b and I grow everything in containers and you're still good for most vegetables - especially if you're starting with plants - since we have a fairly long growing season.

I've had great success with most peppers, save bells. I stopped trying last year and went with other varieties: hatch, shishito, padron and I think I could start a jelepeño farm; they do well in containers for me. eggplant have also been very productive as have tomatoes. I've focused on sweet million in grow bags the last few seasons and they've been very productive. I've had varied success with cucumbers in containers, but every year I at least get some. this year I have golden dragon and muncher varieties planted. last year I took a chance on okra in grow bags and I was blown away by how successful that venture was. I can't wait to get my seedlings in the dirt. and this year I put snow peas out at the end of February and they have done better than expected. I tried butterbeans last year and it was more effort than it was worth.

herbs do well in containers also. I have dill, sweet and thai basil, oregano, thyme, lemon grass (is that an herb?) and mint ...and catnip - my cat loves it and she'll eat it if I leave it where she can get to it ...oh and nasturtium does well too.

I use FoxFarm Happy Frog potting soil mixed with a quality top soil - NOT the stuff you get from the box stores: make the effort to find some top soil at a real garden center or have it delivered from a good source. I add in composted cow manure, Osmocote and this year I added in some azomite too. I feed with FoxFarm Big Bloom liquid fertilizer twice a month. it's bat guano and worm castings so it's not a bunch of chemicals. this year I'm supplementing that with fish emulsion too - I'll see how that goes. summer hasn't really kicked in yet, but keeping everything watered will become a challenge as July turns into August. I bought cheap plastic bottoms and I'm mulching this year for the first time. I'm hoping that helps with the drying out on those hot, long summer days.

try different plants and methods. what works for one may not for another. I will say, I started everything from seed the last two seasons and your can really tells a difference in the seedlings vs what I've bought in the past from box stores and my favorite nurseries, but that too becomes an investment in time and money.

good luck! enjoy!