planting season approaches!: favorite vegetables to grow?!
Sabine_Stroehm
Posts: 19,263 Member
As planting season approaches (sooner for some of us than others), what are some of your home garden favorites?
And, what do you look forward to finding/seeing again at farmers markets and in your CSA baskets? Is there anything new you're going to plant?
For us? We love having lots of basil and tomatoes for weekly caprese salads in summer.
We grow string beans, chile peppers, tomatoes, squash (various kinds) potatoes and herbs (basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, etc). Looking for more ideas for good stuff to grow.
We also have grapes, melons, and figs.
For the CSA box, I'm looking forward to the root vegetables!
What are you favorite home (or CSA) grown vegetables?
And, what do you look forward to finding/seeing again at farmers markets and in your CSA baskets? Is there anything new you're going to plant?
For us? We love having lots of basil and tomatoes for weekly caprese salads in summer.
We grow string beans, chile peppers, tomatoes, squash (various kinds) potatoes and herbs (basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, etc). Looking for more ideas for good stuff to grow.
We also have grapes, melons, and figs.
For the CSA box, I'm looking forward to the root vegetables!
What are you favorite home (or CSA) grown vegetables?
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Replies
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Oh wow, well my thoughts have been running towards seed ordering soon and I can't wait to start my tomatoes etc.
Right now I'm craving zucchini. I love shredding it up and using it in crab cakes. I refuse to buy the sad expensive ones in the grocery store!
I can't wait for the fresh tomatoes and cucumbers and I love love green and yellow beans! I'm even looking forward to the kale!
I grow a huge garden and I'm getting spring fever already, even though nothing gets planted till June!0 -
I just can't wait. We got our order from the New Mexico Chili Institute last week and I am ready to plant! Really looking forward to homegrown potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries.....We enjoy trying different varieties of beans to dry, and we'll probably plant some different kinds this year. Oh - and we always try a different kind of edamame. For me here in the Midwest, it's all about containers to grow the stuff I can't grow year round outside. I've have had really good luck this year with my Kaffir Lime. It is glorious! I also grow cinnamon and bay leaf, and a bunch of other citrus. I am really out of control with my garden. We've converted our lawn to food crops, and I'm never going back!
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We have cherry trees, a dwarf apple, grape vines, gooseberry bushes and a current bush. I grow in pots out front culinary herbs, usually basil, thyme, sage, rosemary and parsley. I dry herbs as my plants get bigger and use them to cook with during the winter. Nothing boosts the flavors of winter stews like home-dried herbs, so much flavor!
Then out front, I have one bed I plant tomatoes and last year a few jalapeno plants. I'll do that again this year.
As for other plants, other then pumpkins out back, we've really tanked at gardening. It doesn't help that when I weed, i break out in hives, every. stupid. time.
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Cucumbers!0
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Kohlrabi and green beans. I am crazy about both and both grow well for me. I also plant tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers with varying levels of success.
Herb-type plants are fun too and seem to be pretty low maintenance. I'd love to grow mint for its lovely scent but I've read about how invasive it can be so if I do it I think I'd put it in a big pot rather than our raised beds.0 -
I love herbs! They're so pricey to buy, but when you grow them you got some to snip off and eat all season long. I recently grew lemongrass, Thai basil, and serrano peppers and made homemade Thai food and it was just awesome. I love eating fresh parsley in stuff in the summer too. I had real good luck with tomatoes (Juliets) and strawberries too.0
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I just got my seed order last week and am ready to go! We're doing lots of herbs, a couple varieties of cherry tomatoes, pickling cucumbers, peas, zucchini, orach, arugula, carrots, chard, kale and radishes. Going to try mini watermelon and cantaloupe this year. We also have grapes, cherries, apples, quince, blackberries (trying to think of them as a blessing not a yard curse!) and random patches of collard greens that grow in the yard.
I am expecting to pull the last of our cauliflower and kale out of the garden this week. We had a sunny day in the PNW today, and so I got a lot of preliminary weeding taken care of. Tomorrows job will be getting our little greenhouse set-up figured out.0 -
Favorite things to grow: basil (so many different kinds that smell sooo good!!), tomatoes, radishes (eating the greens, the radishes, and then letting some go to seed so we can eat the radish pods), chives, beets, carrots, various greens, kohlrabi, banana peppers, okra (surprisingly yummy raw), eggplant, watermelon, other cantaloupe like melons, zucchetta squash, and so very many types of cucumbers. I would love to get some blueberry bushes in this year.0
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My favs are what you've mentioned, plus I LOVE sweet peas. So delicate and sweet. And, I have a blue berry bush. I an't wait. I just wish I had more space to garden.0
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I just bought 2 avocado trees! SO EXCITED! I will be planting onion, cucumber, peppers, blueberry, watermelon, organic corn, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and a ton of herbs. I have more seeds but not sure if I want to plant them. Just got the OK that I can turn our front yard into a garden. Its gonna be hard with Californias drought but i will just take shorter showers and less laundry ha!
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andrealinder10 wrote: »My favs are what you've mentioned, plus I LOVE sweet peas. So delicate and sweet. And, I have a blue berry bush. I an't wait. I just wish I had more space to garden.
Oh my goodness! How could I forget snap peas! Probably because I rarely get any in the house...the kid eats them all right in the garden.
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I'm in CA and just got a kefir lime, orange, grapefruit, and lemon tree to put it.
Also have some greens and snap peas going.
I usually stick with the easy: squash, tomatoes, beans, radishes, chard... and lots of herbs.0 -
I love growing fruit n veg. We have 2 apple trees, a plum tree, gooseberry and back currants, grapes and raspberries. I always grow tomatoes, this year I'm trying Sungold, yellow ones. Courgettes, Swiss chard, carrots, lettuce, cucumber, peas and runner beans are my every year usual too. Hubby just bought me a greenhouse and it's ready for me to start filling up, so I think I'll try some different things this year0
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Have raised beds, and grow very close to the Square Foot method. Just planted shelling peas, sugar snaps and snow peas (Central NC). Will plant radishes, kale, carrots and collards soon. Lots of herbs in containers on our porches, and lots more veggies. I usually post in the "Raised Vegetable Beds" group on FB.0
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We have raised beds in the front yard...2 8x8 beds. Use a square foot concept.
What I wanted to grow most was fresh herbs, as perennials I have thyme, lemon thyme, peppermint, spearmint, mohito mint, French tarragon, oregano, anise hyssop, winter savoury, sorrel, blood sorrel, purple and white lavender, French shallots, spring onions.
As annuals I grow, chervil (favourite herb), parsley, basil, Thai basil, marjoram, dill, purple fennel, perilla/Shiso, stevia, Rosemary (rarely survives winter)...adding summer savoury.
Veggies include: Roma, black Karin, brandy wine, green zebra tomatoes, jalapeño, scotch bonnet, arugula, purple bush beans, Swiss chard Rainbow and green. Will add French sorrel this year.
I put in two dwarf thornless raspberry bushes and two blueberry bushes.
I put a netting around the tree and grow pole or runner beans up the tree. Also two summer squash in front of the yews.
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We have raised beds in the front yard...2 8x8 beds. Use a square foot concept.
What I wanted to grow most was fresh herbs, as perennials I have thyme, lemon thyme, peppermint, spearmint, mohito mint, French tarragon, oregano, anise hyssop, winter savoury, sorrel, blood sorrel, purple and white lavender, French shallots, spring onions.
As annuals I grow, chervil (favourite herb), parsley, basil, Thai basil, marjoram, dill, purple fennel, perilla/Shiso, stevia, Rosemary (rarely survives winter)...adding summer savoury.
Veggies include: Roma, black Karin, brandy wine, green zebra tomatoes, jalapeño, scotch bonnet, arugula, purple bush beans, Swiss chard Rainbow and green. Will add French sorrel this year.
I put in two dwarf thornless raspberry bushes and two blueberry bushes.
I put a netting around the tree and grow pole or runner beans up the tree. Also two summer squash in front of the yews.
Did you grow the stevia from seed? I've wondered about trying it. Is it easy to grow? Also what do you do with it when you harvest it? Sorry for all the questions but it's better to hear from someone who's actually grown it than read general instructions on the net0 -
Such good ideas!
Stevia? who knew!
And avocado, I wish we could grow that well here.
I'd not thought about the California drought. Hope that doesn't keep on.
raspberries!!! I could totally grow those!0 -
This will be my third garden, and the first year I am trying to start some plants from seed myself rather than buying everything from the farmer's market. The last frost date here is in about 6 weeks, and the seeds I planted are just starting to sprout. I grow a lot of the normal garden stuff - tomatoes, peppers, sweet potatoes, cukes and okra. I'm also going to try tomatilloes and peanuts this year. Excited to see how that turns out.
Can't wait for spring!!!!! 0 -
sassysisterjd wrote: »This will be my third garden, and the first year I am trying to start some plants from seed myself rather than buying everything from the farmer's market. The last frost date here is in about 6 weeks, and the seeds I planted are just starting to sprout. I grow a lot of the normal garden stuff - tomatoes, peppers, sweet potatoes, cukes and okra. I'm also going to try tomatilloes and peanuts this year. Excited to see how that turns out.
Can't wait for spring!!!!!
I love tomatillos!0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Such good ideas!
Stevia? who knew!
And avocado, I wish we could grow that well here.
I'd not thought about the California drought. Hope that doesn't keep on.
raspberries!!! I could totally grow those!
Sabine, if you are worried about water shortage, a tip I learned was this.. Stick a load of litle holes in a milk carton or soda bottle and bury it next to your thirsty plant, just leave the top exposed so you can pour water into it and the plant's roots will drink it up as they need it. I'm not organised enough to group my thirsty plants together so I've started doing this and it stops me overwatering the plants nearby that don't like a lot of water. You can recycle washing up bowl or bath water too, in fact the soap residue can help to deter aphids and other naughty garden visitors but doesn't affect the plants0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Such good ideas!
Stevia? who knew!
And avocado, I wish we could grow that well here.
I'd not thought about the California drought. Hope that doesn't keep on.
raspberries!!! I could totally grow those!
Sabine, if you are worried about water shortage, a tip I learned was this.. Stick a load of litle holes in a milk carton or soda bottle and bury it next to your thirsty plant, just leave the top exposed so you can pour water into it and the plant's roots will drink it up as they need it. I'm not organised enough to group my thirsty plants together so I've started doing this and it stops me overwatering the plants nearby that don't like a lot of water. You can recycle washing up bowl or bath water too, in fact the soap residue can help to deter aphids and other naughty garden visitors but doesn't affect the plants
We have those! They're great!
And yes, we keep painters cans in the shower and get a bucket from our showers for the garden.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/The-Home-Depot-5-gal-Homer-Bucket-05GLHD2/1000876130 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Such good ideas!
Stevia? who knew!
And avocado, I wish we could grow that well here.
I'd not thought about the California drought. Hope that doesn't keep on.
raspberries!!! I could totally grow those!
Sabine, if you are worried about water shortage, a tip I learned was this.. Stick a load of litle holes in a milk carton or soda bottle and bury it next to your thirsty plant, just leave the top exposed so you can pour water into it and the plant's roots will drink it up as they need it. I'm not organised enough to group my thirsty plants together so I've started doing this and it stops me overwatering the plants nearby that don't like a lot of water. You can recycle washing up bowl or bath water too, in fact the soap residue can help to deter aphids and other naughty garden visitors but doesn't affect the plants
We have those! They're great!
And yes, we keep painters cans in the shower and get a bucket from our showers for the garden.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/The-Home-Depot-5-gal-Homer-Bucket-05GLHD2/100087613
Lol well you don't need my advice then! I should be asking you for tips by the sounds of it ha ha. Do you struggle with drought a lot in California? In Essex where I live in the uk we have thick heavy clay soil and a lot of rain so often my flower beds are a sticky horrible mess. I add gravel and compost, but it's a never ending battle. When we have a stretch of dry weather it dries like concrete!0 -
I have been looking forward to the growing season since the end of the last one. I am looking forward to sweet corn (yum). This year, I am growing more - raspberry, golden raspberry, blueberry, pink blueberries, strawberries, zucchini, tomatoes, herbs, peas (I will only eat them fresh), cucumbers, spinach, carrots, potatoes...oh the list goes on and on. I started with containers on my porch, but now I am building beds in the yards so we can have more.
Last year, we bought two grape vines since grapes are so expensive where I live. One vine costs the same as 1 pound. It pays to have the ability to grow, but above that, the taste is superior.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Such good ideas!
Stevia? who knew!
And avocado, I wish we could grow that well here.
I'd not thought about the California drought. Hope that doesn't keep on.
raspberries!!! I could totally grow those!
Sabine, if you are worried about water shortage, a tip I learned was this.. Stick a load of litle holes in a milk carton or soda bottle and bury it next to your thirsty plant, just leave the top exposed so you can pour water into it and the plant's roots will drink it up as they need it. I'm not organised enough to group my thirsty plants together so I've started doing this and it stops me overwatering the plants nearby that don't like a lot of water. You can recycle washing up bowl or bath water too, in fact the soap residue can help to deter aphids and other naughty garden visitors but doesn't affect the plants
We have those! They're great!
And yes, we keep painters cans in the shower and get a bucket from our showers for the garden.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/The-Home-Depot-5-gal-Homer-Bucket-05GLHD2/100087613
Lol well you don't need my advice then! I should be asking you for tips by the sounds of it ha ha. Do you struggle with drought a lot in California? In Essex where I live in the uk we have thick heavy clay soil and a lot of rain so often my flower beds are a sticky horrible mess. I add gravel and compost, but it's a never ending battle. When we have a stretch of dry weather it dries like concrete!
I'm not in California (where it's been really bad), but we're always mindful of water as much of the U.S. was in drought the last few years. We had a hard time getting a new tree to take because of our fears of over using water. We managed it though. We have HUGE rain barrels all over, and all of our rain gutters go into the barrels. Those are then connected to hoses which go to the trees, and the garden. So helpful.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Such good ideas!
Stevia? who knew!
And avocado, I wish we could grow that well here.
I'd not thought about the California drought. Hope that doesn't keep on.
raspberries!!! I could totally grow those!
Sabine, if you are worried about water shortage, a tip I learned was this.. Stick a load of litle holes in a milk carton or soda bottle and bury it next to your thirsty plant, just leave the top exposed so you can pour water into it and the plant's roots will drink it up as they need it. I'm not organised enough to group my thirsty plants together so I've started doing this and it stops me overwatering the plants nearby that don't like a lot of water. You can recycle washing up bowl or bath water too, in fact the soap residue can help to deter aphids and other naughty garden visitors but doesn't affect the plants
We have those! They're great!
And yes, we keep painters cans in the shower and get a bucket from our showers for the garden.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/The-Home-Depot-5-gal-Homer-Bucket-05GLHD2/100087613
Lol well you don't need my advice then! I should be asking you for tips by the sounds of it ha ha. Do you struggle with drought a lot in California? In Essex where I live in the uk we have thick heavy clay soil and a lot of rain so often my flower beds are a sticky horrible mess. I add gravel and compost, but it's a never ending battle. When we have a stretch of dry weather it dries like concrete!
Why don't you make some raised beds? You can get fresh soil (investment) and over time turn it over with the lower soil. I would also suggest adding tons of organic material to the soil - kitchen waste, manure, egg shells.0 -
Awesome. My dad has hose pipes going round the back of his beds with holes in to make it easier to water. It's a faff getting it set up but very handy once it's done
Just bought some more courgette seeds this morning as my 6 beautiful seedlings that were looking nice and strong got knocked off the unit by my husband who was wheeling the parrot cage out into the lounge and then spread about the floor by my two very naughty cats. My Labrador then intervened and retrieved them for me in his mouth. Lol this is what happens when you live in a zoo with a clumsy hubby
off to plant phase two!0 -
I also have 2 big rain barrels, I water by hand, and mulch (with straw) - I think this all helps conserve water. I didn't notice any drastic increase with our water bill over last year's very dry summer. My garden is pretty small, though.0
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We have raised beds in the front yard...2 8x8 beds. Use a square foot concept.
What I wanted to grow most was fresh herbs, as perennials I have thyme, lemon thyme, peppermint, spearmint, mohito mint, French tarragon, oregano, anise hyssop, winter savoury, sorrel, blood sorrel, purple and white lavender, French shallots, spring onions.
As annuals I grow, chervil (favourite herb), parsley, basil, Thai basil, marjoram, dill, purple fennel, perilla/Shiso, stevia, Rosemary (rarely survives winter)...adding summer savoury.
Veggies include: Roma, black Karin, brandy wine, green zebra tomatoes, jalapeño, scotch bonnet, arugula, purple bush beans, Swiss chard Rainbow and green. Will add French sorrel this year.
I put in two dwarf thornless raspberry bushes and two blueberry bushes.
I put a netting around the tree and grow pole or runner beans up the tree. Also two summer squash in front of the yews.
Did you grow the stevia from seed? I've wondered about trying it. Is it easy to grow? Also what do you do with it when you harvest it? Sorry for all the questions but it's better to hear from someone who's actually grown it than read general instructions on the net
Did you grow the stevia from seed? I've wondered about trying it. Is it easy to grow? Also what do you do with it when you harvest it? Sorry for all the questions but it's better to hear from someone who's actually grown it than read general instructions on the net[/quote]
I don't grow it from seed....it is very common to find in garden centres around here as a plant...can also find from online producers. My favourite for herbs is richters.ca.. Canadian grower that ships to Canada and the US. Lots of unique herbs.
Through out the growing season, I'll just pick a few sprigs for tea, ice tea and just throw it in the pot. At the end of the season, I pick the entire plant and dry the leaves...you can just hang dry...or use a dehydrator. Ziplock bag and you have it all winter...0 -
To improve moisture retention add things like moisture retainers (I bought mine from moss acres)...essentials the same material that is in diapers...holds extra moisture which is then released back into soil.0
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corn, squash, and beans! Soy beans especially. I wan't a mushroom garden too, but I don't have the funds for it this season.0
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