Left in container in small piece of ground (4)
I believe the answer is:
plot
'small piece of ground' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'left in container' is the wordplay.
'left' becomes 'l' (common abbreviation).
'in' indicates putting letters inside.
'container' becomes 'pot' (pot is a kind of container**).
'l' put into 'pot' is 'PLOT'.
'in' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for plot that I've seen before include "Scheme; graph" , "Small area of ground" , "Machination" , "Story line - bit of land" , "Patch of ground" .)