The tried and true — or something new? Which veggies are you planning to grow this summer?
Ah, summer. I hope it doesn’t resemble our usual Hudson Valley spring. Last year at this time (mid-March), snow swirled outside my kitchen window.
A true fact: In the Northeast, March snow is known as “frickin’ snow.” April snow is called…something far worse.
Anyway, here are three “new” veggies I’m introducing to the kitchen garden this year:
Romanesco Broccoli. This Brassica oleracea was on my agenda last summer, but I never got around to planting the seeds. Romanesco has an edible, nutty-flavored, groovy-looking flower bud. I can’t wait to cook with it. Photo credit: Glen Detwiler, Flickr
Chioggia Beets. These I’ll grow for their psychedelic — and photogenic — flesh. For summer dinner parties, I often serve warm sliced beets topped with goat cheese and pine nuts for the first course. Delicious and easy. Photo credit: Phillymag.com.
Watermelon Radish. Like all radishes, this heirloom variety is easy to grow. It looks like a turnip on the outside, but with rosy, watermelon-colored flesh on the inside. How does it taste? Well, I’ll have to let you know. But even the common, all-red radish is welcome in my garden. I like to toss the little globes with honey and thyme, and then roast them. Photo credit: Tarte du Jour
And by the way, even common, all-red radishes are welcome in my garden. I like to toss them with honey, lemon, and thyme, and then roast them in a hot oven. Roasted radishes are terrific for crostini! Click here for my easy-peasy recipe.
Of course I’ll also grow leeks (click here to see how I plant and grow them)…
And French fillet green beans, since Lily the Beagle loves them…
And heirloom tomatoes, which always seem happy on my Joan Crawford-Approved trellis.
Now it’s your turn. In the comments field below, tell me what’s on your to-grow list of veggies. And if you’ve ever grown Romanesco broccoli or Watermelon radishes, mind telling me how they performed for you?
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Elke Richard says
3 kinds of kale, cauliflower, green cabbage, onions, lettuces, heirloom tomatoes, amaranth, peas, winter and summer squash, rat tail radishes, radishes, mustard, mache, claytonia, cucumbers. I can’t wait!!!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Elke Richard – Sounds great! Happy planting!
Beverly, zone 6, eastern PA says
Snap peas, shell peas, pole beans, bush beans, 10 different tomatoes mostly heirlooms, onions from seed (already going strong), garlic, lettuces in succession until late fall, round cucumbers and rainbow carrots. All will be started from seed except the garlic planted from cloves last fall. Today was an excellent gardening day. Very little wind, not too hot like last week, half sun in the high 50’s but comfortable enough to work without a hat on. I am filling yet another compost bin with rakings off the beds. I am blessed to have a productive, 100% organic garden.
Happy Spring to you Kevin!
Vicki S says
Kale, spinach, beets (I plan to try the chigger beets this time around!), lots of herbs. No tomatoes or peppers or potatoes as I have a black walnut tree that drops its “gifts” into my walled garden. The tree is too beautiful to take down, but my garden is thus off limits for anything effected by junglone.
Vicki S says
I typed “chiogga” (as in beets) twice, and darned autocorrect turned it to “chigger”! I am NOT planting chiggers! (LOL)
Julie says
Lots of herbs, beans, kale, beets, cucumber, squash, a little bit of everything, since I moved to North Carolina and want to see what grows well, and what the deer don’t eat.
PaulaK says
Vicki S – that;s hysterical. . First day cleaning up the garden and.discovered the chicken wire rotted off at ground level so our veg garden will start with some digging….have to decide– a run of hardware mesh as a “patch” or a total re-do. Ugh. It does explain the bunny in the beans last year.
Tomatoes, eggplant, cukes (Burpee Burpless Beauty), summer squash (Johnny’s Slick Pik!!), bush limas, bush beans (Eureka yellow!) And PEAS, have the pea fence ready and peas pre sprouting in damp paper towels. Early Perfection shell peas grow best for us in SE PA, have issues with root rot. The veg garden is my happy place.
Cathy says
Whatever hubby plants…we usually have beans, okra, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers and he sometimes tries other things, too. We have fresh fruit year round from the various trees
Terri says
I only grow heirloom crops. I will be growing peas, beans of several different kinds white potatoes and sweet potatoes, pumpkins, cabbage, onions, carrots, lettuce, watermelons,corn,
broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers for salad and for pickles and of course tomatoes. I am going to try celery and maybe a few other new crops but haven’t decided on what yet.
My sweet potatoes where very successful last year. Can’t wait to make your sweet potato pie again, My 4 year old granddaughter keeps asking for me to make it.
Also grow herbs in a tractor tire.
Tracey San says
So excited just thinking about it…I tried Romanesco one year, i didnt get any buds that were sizable for cooking or photographing. However, the leaves made tasty oven baked chips which, to this day, I prefer over kale chips. This year’s garden will have snap and pole peas, rainbows of beans, cucs, toms, lettuces, cabbages (try it one more time, those tricky loopers), herbs and flowers for teas, so much more….oh! I am planting a three sisters garden this year. Can’t wait to see how it does, I love companion planting. Time to get to work, loving this Hudson Valley March so far…
Marcia says
Patty pan scallop squash, colorful stemmed Swiss Chard as well as white stemmed, sugar snap peas, okra, zucchini, orange tomato (one) and lots of beets. Fertilized with worm castings.
Ediacaran says
I live in a small apartment facing west in the east coast and I will be planting ginger, turmeric and beans. 🙂
Joanne Toft says
I am still growing the basics – carrots, beans, lettuce,spinach, beets, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers hot and sweet, garlic, horseradish, kale is new this year, always my herbs and starting more perennials for the flower beds this year.
I had trouble with potatoes last year but would love to try again but am running out of sunny spots. Blueberries and raspberries will be in large pots on the back deck.
Karen Fremerman says
I am growing only perennial vegetables so far. Asparagus, jerusalem artichokes. walking onions, horseradish and some others I can’t remember right now. 🙂
Dean says
I grow 3 main veggies in Florida, because our heat is too intense for some crops – okra, tomatoes, and eggplant.
Christina M. Giordano says
What I grow now is herbs in pots on my windowsill. I used to have a nice, small garden but moved to a lovely senior apartment. The morning sun comes in my living room beautifully so that’s where my “herb garden” is. I do enjoy puttering in my daughter’s garden on the weekends and even helping with the spring spruce up around their yards. Good to be outside!
Lisa H says
Tomatoes, red peppers, onions, cauliflower, broccoli, snap peas, beets, kale, swiss chard. I’m hoping to have a good start to the growing season with my winter sowing veggies. I’m trying it for the first time this year 🙂
bill says
rosemary, oregano, mint, blueberries (two types – regular and pink lemonade), thorn less blackberry, strawberries, basil, garlic, white onions, asparagus, tomatoes (yellow cherry size). have 31 fruit trees, various denominations. my favorites are a bears lime and a mexicola avocado.
Elizabeth says
I plant the usual–tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas, melons, potatoes, radish, beets, a lot of lettuce, herbs, summer squash (3 types including paddy pan) and the less common-turnips, parsnips, okra, swisschard, New Zealand spinach, garlic, onion and yard-long beans. All but a very few are heirloom seeds that I start myself—most from Seedsaver’s Exchange. I have a 15 year old girl that I hire to help with it all. It will be her third year as my “garden girl.” She can’t wait to get out in the sun and fresh air (so she told me just last Friday). Getting it all in the ground is always so hopeful!
Matt Levin says
Hi! Our first (and a second planting later) crop will be sugar snap peas. This year I think we’ll also try spinach, a new (as yet unselected) tomatoes, radishes, scallions. And as usual, lots of different spices!
Monty says
Am growing lots of garlic: California Late White, Nokia Rose,Silver Rose and Elephant Garlic. Also have three kinds of intermediate day onions growing along with Multiplier Onions for the first time. Broccolini plants have taken off. Just planted a Cherokee Purple Tomato yesterday. Quinault strawberries have a few fruits turning pink! My Garden Tower 2 has green onions, curly kale, mustard greens and flat leaf parsley, and moved my cutting celery from the top to a separate pot. Need to cut back my lemon thyme. Oregano and sage are doing fine in the herb bed. Hubby is buying soil for his Earth Box tomatoes. Am making another 4′ x 8′ bed for my peppers… have seeds for three kinds of sweet peppers, and saved seeds for a couple kinds of hot peppers. My four Beauregard and Carolina Ruby sweet potato tubers are sprouting in jars on my windowsill. Am so happy it has warmed up here in South Carolina!
Irene says
tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini, cukes, beans, peppers, herbs, and trying onions again after several years without.
Mary Ellen says
Not sure but just a few tomatoe and cherry tomatoe plants and maybe some pole beans. I was wondering if you have heard of straw bale gardening and what your thoughts are.
Thanks Kevin. I love your newsletters !
Mary Ellen
Debbie says
Last garden season was a bummer due to surgery the beginning of May. I wasn’t about to ‘toss in the towel’ so I took a chance and planted a basic Italian garden: Tomatoes, Garlic, Onion, Herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley and cilantro… yadda-yadda. Considering I actually planted the 15th of April – and ws only able to ‘tend’ my crops at a minimal… I ended up doing Pretty darn good. HOWEVER, this year I am GOOD TO GO! Therefore, I am expanding (I need to incorporate the ‘items; I buy at the weekly farmers market :-/ LOL
2016 starts out with a bed of Asparagus, garlic, shallots, onion, bush beans (my dog Chad, loves these also) pickling cukes, 2 different beet variety’s, snap peas (I like to snack as I weed), Italian sweet red peppers, Cuban hot peppers, Pink Brandywine tomatoes, Sweet 100;s cherry tomatoes, rainbow Swiss chard, scallions, and NEW THIS YEAR: popcorn, sweet potatoes, eggplant, and Boston lettuce – in sessions, Also, to round out my diet, I am starting a ‘small’ orchard. Dwarf Fruit Trees (I needed something I could manage) Macintosh and Fuji Apples – along with Bartlett and D’Anjou Pears and I’m going to round that out with a Montgomery Tart Cherry Tree and a couple Blueberry Bushes. I’m shooting to be Self SUSTAINABLE! Total organic raised beds… dusted with DE Powder if needed for those nasty garden pest. OH. I also am re fencing … I found rabbits CAN jump over and THROUGH the fencing there now. I just picked up Rabbit Guard Fencing 🙂 TAKE THAT ya little Buggers! <~ the reason I no longer even TRY to grow spinach… pfft its the rabbits calling call for dinner. Western Massachusetts Planting season – BRING IT!
anita says
Very groovy-looking indeed.
My list: tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, Japanese eggplant, garlic, daikon, okra, Thai basil, cilantro, Chinese parsley, zucchini, bell peppers and jalapeños.
Barbara says
New for us this year is plants that repel mosquitos which we will sell in 4″ starter pots. Also, wheatgrass for decorative pirposes. Can you imagine an Easter centerpiece of ceramic bunnies and dyed eggs in a planter of wheatgrass. And more, 2000 garlic plants, along with the usual stuff.
Kathy says
Limited space with 2 raised beds but will have the favorites, green beans, tomatoes , lettuce . Going to do some containers for my herbs. I have 12 milk jugs going in my first winter sowing venture. Wish me luck!
Hoosier John says
All the usual, but really anticipating a great asparagus picking this year. We got a decent crop from the just year-old bed last year, which was unexpected. The plants grew like weeds! Although all the literature says you shouldn’t expect a good crop till the third year, we ate well last year and look forward to abundant spears in a few weeks. I really think it was the organic fertilizers I used when planting: dried kelp, dried molasses, and a livestock mineral supplement called Redmond Conditioner, which contains dozens of minerals and trace elements. The one new vegetable I’m trying this year is “Kalettes”, from seed. (Like Brussels sprouts, but with little heads of kale.)
Molly says
Very limited garden space but enough room for Sweet 100 tomatoes. Love to see and read what you and others are planting. So many wonderful veggies!
Mindy says
I always plant tomatoes but I keep getting those little green worms on the leaves and then into the tomatoes. What can I use to get rid of those??
margaret says
Had to stop planting & eating nightshade family!!!! I plant as many different greens as I can including french dandelion; zuchinni & cocozelle squash, snow peas and trying many new herbs plus the 22 others already growing!! My raised beds look exactly like yours, easy to work in and full of our own compost.
Lynda Kowalski says
Garlic, chives, cherry and Early Girl tomatoes, pumpkins and Gourds, sunflowers, wax beans and peppers. Grow it all in raised beds as the ground in Western NY is all clay and stone. Carrots never grew until last year when I put them in the raised bed. After having horses for 45 years we have an abundant supply of composted manure so soil in beds is great growing medium.
Holly says
Onions (red, yellow & white), potatoes ( red, white & purple), bush beans, black eyed peas, okra, 5-6 varieties of tomatoes, yellow and zucchini squashes followed by butternut and spaghetti a little later. 3-4 varieties of peppers. 3-4 varieties of gourds. Cabbages, cauliflower, lettuces. Just planted 3 cherry trees to go along with the 3 peach trees and apple tree. Herbs are everywhere! Cilantro is now lawn turf! Lol.
Darlene Snyder says
We’re growing a wide assortment of veggies but excited to try shoshito peppers for that amazing, yummy appetizer! Kevin, I hope you have had the pleasure of meeting this little guy!
It will send you into a major swoon!!!
Cat Curry says
Wow—your garden will be fun this summer! I am trying my first bit at garlic and onions this year. My father and I (2 different homes in same town) have never had luck with beets, but that is a long term dream.
Rainbow hard, kale, cucumbers (I have had pickles in mind the last 2 years, but my 6 year old loves to pluck them right off the vine to chomp on–oh well!); chocolate mint, spearmint, thai basil (LOVE), parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage, grape tomatoes and heirloom Romas, green beans, sugar-snap beans.
Thanks for sharing!
Sheri Syverson says
Have been harvesting peas but the sudden surge in hot temps (high 80’s) have stopped production. Also the broccoli and most of the lettuce and spinach are over. Radishes are doing great and tomatoes are just turning red (we have eaten two). I planted a lot more but the abnormal / too early heat killed most of the garden. Oh well, there’s always next year. Oh, and I live in AZ which should explain the strange planting season.
Mary says
Shush leaf for sushi, parsley and mint for tabbouli, Black Krim and other tomatoes, lettuces, snow peas.
It’s fun to follow your posts, Kevin, thanks!
Pat G. says
I love your selection. I have started my heirlooms in the greenhouse. Big Red, Big Mama, Big Beef, Farmer’s Monster…hopefully all these tomatoes will live up to their package descriptions. My purple broccoli, kale and leeks need to be ripped out and get that bed prepared, but I am trying to get every last bit out of that bed. Summer bed with include a variety of peppers and tomatillos for making fresh salsa.
May your April snows skip on by.
Sylvia Shelnutt says
I really appreciate your questions and the varied responses. I especially like it when people say the zone they are in. I am in Zone 7 and can’t grow a lot of the items that are grown in colder areas.
Belinda says
Good ideas are always found here, but I am trying out something new this year. I had such a constant battle with Cabbage Moths last year, that I’m taking a year off from all things cruciferous and planting the traditional southern vegetables I grew up with. Okra, Purple Hull Peas, Butter Beans, and various tomatoes will join Pole Beans, Cukes, and 3 types of squash. I am also starting cold hardy Strawberries in my jugs.
Sandy says
Hi Kevin: I grew Romanesco for the first time last year since it can be very difficult to find in the grocery stores. Let’s say it didn’t turn out quite as I had planned! I planned to grow it for a fall harvest, so planted the seeds the 3rd week of May, expecting to harvest in September. September came and went, and so did October and all I had was two very large cabbage-looking plants with no hint of a head forming. So, I chalked it up as an experiment that hadn’t worked. I didn’t pull the plants as I didn’t have anything else to go in that spot. Then, as you know, the Northeast (I’m in NE PA) had a pretty mild fall/early winter. In fact Christmastime was so balmy that I decided to do a little gardening. To my surprise, I found two Romanesco heads forming! It stayed warm enough that I was able to harvest them a week later and they were fantastic! I’m not sure why they took so long to produce, and had we had more freezes, I wouldn’t have gotten anything. So, I’m going to try again this year, but start them much earlier. Good luck with yours!
Julie says
God bless all you vegetable gardeners! Between insect and 4 legged pests and my health issues, we no longer do vegetables. I fondly recall growing 75 lb.pumpkins, hauling wagon loads of corn up to the house to process and freeze, and my husband frequently hauling a 5 gal. bucket full of gorgeous tomatoes to work to give away when I said “Enough!” The most exotic veggies we grew were purple pod green beans that turn green when cooked, and asparagus. We learned not to use horse manure in the garden! The weed seed varieties introduced outweighed the fact that it was free! I’m now content with blackberries and blueberries. If I can’t pick, the birds will eat them! May gentle rains fall on your fields..or patches!
Marianne says
Alas, I live on a tiny lot in Florida so I am at the mercy of the supermarket and roadside stands offer. I shall enjoy your garden vicariously so I am counting on plenty of pictures, Kevin!
Rhonda Strahler says
I have started my own seed for several types of heirloom tomatoes (can’t wait to try Black Cherry), sweet bell peppers, zucchini, and watermelon. Will soon direct-sow green beans and LOTS of beets. I plan to try those Choggia beets, too. Also planting some birdhouse gourd seeds – need some to replace a few gourds on my Martin towers!
Ebeth says
Using many of your tips and techniques, we are expanding our veggie garden to got about 150 sq feet (in the middle of the city). Will fill it with peas, lettuce, radishes, beets, carrots, kale, wax and blue lake beans, bell peppers, assorted chilies, heirloom cherry and paste tomatoes, Brussels spouts, okra, chard, melons and a lot of herbs. That broccoli looks awesome, so maybe I’ll try it too. I’ve had good luck with watermelon radishes, just need to space them out a bit more this year. We like to dice them and add to guacamole or quick pickle for relish on Italian sausages.
Cheryl says
Three types of tomatoes – tons of them., turnips, kale, lettuces, sweet peas, radish, zucchini, winter squash, watermelon, chives, spinach, broccoli, peppers, beets.
Sharon says
organic,heirloom tomatoes; grape toms; rainbow bell peppers, banana peppers; green, yellow & purple pole beans; bush beans; 5 kinds of squash; broccoli; beets; swiss chard; cukes; radish; potatoes; strawberries; blueberries; black & rasp berries; lots of herbs; etc. Gave up on melons-squash vine borers attack them. I am down sizing on the # of plants this year. (I say this every year.) Had 28 toms last year & will try to stick to 15 this year.
Carolyn says
Great minds work alike! Am also planting the Romanesco broccoli and the watermelon radish but the real adventure is agretti. I hope that someone who reads tis has grown and cooked with agretti and will post some ideas. Saw the first robin. Spring is here!
Sheri says
I’m growing a “Kimchi” garden since this year I’m getting much more immersed in non-refrigerated lacto fermented vegetables.
Trudi says
wow you folks have some great ideas. I am just beginning to clean out the weeds and debris from last years. So maybe peas if i hurry ,radish, lettuce . dang so far all of it is rabbit food. i need a cat! We’ve had a mild late winter in Atlanta . who knows what the next few weeks will bring ..usually a late frost. argh. Summer ‘s heat often defeats this old body. so i have zinnias to make me happy then. It’s a gorgeous sunny day today. I think I’d rather be out in the garden than sitting at my computer..Good luck to all
Joanne says
Zone 6b in Maine. Soil here is already thawing and ready for carrots, beets, lettuce etc. My winter milk jugs–well, it’s been 5 weeks and nothing has germinated. I had hoped the onions would be up. so I will start more inside on a heat mat. I will eventually have tomatoes, zucchini, peppers,summer squash and cucumbers. I didn’t plant beans, eggplant or cabbages last summer but will try some again this year.
I made huge roasting pans full of ratatouille from the garden last summer–had to add canned tomatoes as the production from the plants was very small. Also made zucchini” bread and butter pickles” four times during the summer. So much better than the cucumber variety. Tons of blueberries but not as many raspberries last year–and no blackberries.
Sue Smith says
I save the seeds from the heirloom tomatoes I love. I must get them started soon. I always grow Blue Lake bush beans because they are the best fresh or in the jar. I always can them. I will grow a pickling cucumber for pickles and a long one for fresh eating. I will grow a bush zucchini. From there on, it will be whatever strikes my fancy and/or, whatever is in my seed box in the garage fridge. We are having a nasty spring here in the west and I have not been very motivated yet. I seem to need some sunny days to get going. Oh….BTW. I planted my beans in straw bales last year and it was wonderful. The bales were placed on top of my already raised beds. At harvest time, no stooping to pick them. Great for my old back. And, what a harvest it was, too.
Celeste says
Along with my old standards, I’ll try orach, slow bolt cilantro, and seeds I saved from the best cucumbers I’ve ever planted (hope they germinate because I don’t remember what variety they are).
KimH says
I’ll mostly be planting black eye peas, okra, tomatoes, peppers, beans, all manner of squashes, cakes and radishes. Plan to add a lot of flowers and herbs in there this year.
Polly Halicki says
5 heirloom tomatoes, dill, sui chi, Tante Alice cucumber, ruffled red pepper, hot pepper, poblano pepper, shallots, bush bean, climbing bean, lettuce, spinach, chioggia and red beets, and of course some flowers: impatiens, passionflower, pampas grass, agastache, coneflower and petunia. Enough!
Julie R says
I will be having two kinds of tomatoes, medium size and small size, green onions, and strawberries. Our garden is small, but it will have enough room for a few other things. I am considering trying to grow sweet potatoes, basil and parsley this year for the first time.
A few days ago, I cleaned up 3 of my flower gardens and noticed that my Mother’s Day tulips that received from my daughters last year are popping up above the ground….a true sign of spring = )
I enjoy reading about your garden Kevin, thanks for sharing with us.
Karen Lyons says
Here in Seattle we’re starting early. Peas are up and I have lots of young kale from the seeds spread by last year’s kale. I’m manager of a Seattle P-Patch and we had a tomato taste-off last year with 30 varieties of tomatoes. Believe it or not, our two top tomatoes for flavor were, first, a rare green striped full size tomato called Berkeley Tie Dye and, second, a dark cherry tomato called Indigo Blueberries. Several of us are starting plants to share. Our climate is excellent for greens; Kale, Chard, Collards etc.
Julie R says
Forgot to mention that I also have cilantro and dill in the garden along with everything that was mentioned.
pennifer says
I’m launching a new 15×25 garden plot on our property, and I’m nervous about the squirrels, chipmunks, and a possible groundhog, but… I’m trying your winter sowing method and here’s what I’m planning: green beans, sugar snap and shelling peas, leeks, onions, broccoli, carrots, eggplant, zucchini, melon, pumpkin, tomatoes, Chinese greens, mesclun salad mix, beets, and I’ve probably forgotten a few things. I also have a 12×12 kitchen garden that is going to be my herb garden plus whatever else is a bit more shade tolerant. Our .25 acred backyard has a LOT of sun-stealing big trees all along the edges, so it’s a challenge.
Carolee says
Hi Kevin,
I live in San Diego, so my herb garden grows all year long. Also still getting cauliflour, brussels sprouts, and cabbage from a late fall planting. Since the gift of El Nino rain my dwarf lemon is producing more than I can give away and all berries are already blooming.So are fruit trees, with more blossoms than usual.
This year I have a tough choice. My Son has rented a vacation house on the beach in Mexico for a month, so do I garden or sip Marguarita’s and take siestas???
Susan Golden says
As I am finally opening my new nursery, Golden Gardens, after 3 years of preparations, I will be a bit skimpy on the vegetable garden, I’m afraid. However, I have never had a year that I didn’t grow TOMATOES! Once I get the nursery up and going, then I can decide how much space I can devote to edible plants! We don’t have much room, but where there’s a will there’s a way! Well, I am heading out to pot up 50 Japanese Maples, a big seller in WNY! Good luck with your gardens this year everyone!!! As for you, Kevin, I’ll be seeing you this summer! I can’t wait!
badger gardener says
I am not trying anything new this year, but rather trying to master a few things I had less success with last season. My tavera beans and dill both were under constant attack by the resident rabbits. When I finally gave them a chance to get past the sprout stage I think they were zapped of most of their energy because the harvest was small. This time they will be protected from the start. I’ll also be growing the usual kale, chard, lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, parsley, chives,garlic and eggplant. This is the third season for strawberries so hoping for a plentiful harvest. And I am crossing my fingers that my raspberries do not get revisited by the spotted wing drosophilia.
patrice says
I live in Northern Canada. I will grow strawberries, zucchini, and some root vegetables such as carrots and parsnips. Tomatoes will be grown in additional pots and of course, potatoes will be a staple. We had a dusting of snow last night. I still see planting season in the distant future. There are always flowers to plant as well. Thanks Kevin. I love all your recipes, suggestions and comments. Take care
Mary in Iowa says
I won’t go through the encyclopedic list, but I am following your lead and planting lovage and leeks for the first time. A number of herbs I’ve not grown before will be tried this year, and a new strawberry bed started to replace one well past its prime.
Chioggia beets grew well for me, but when cooked the colors bled to a pale pinkish white. Perhaps had I roasted instead of boiling them before pickling, they’d have retained good color. Color aside, they were good beets.
Romanesco: I have tried only once. Like cauliflower, they need to get in the ground very, very, very early or they will just form buttons instead of sizeable heads. Hot weather will stop them in their tracks, and, unlike broccoli, they won’t resume producing anything edible–other than leaves–when the weather cools in autumn. The other alternative is to plant for fall harvest, but may have to be started indoors under lights and planted out in summer, since an above respondent said they didn’t head until December when planted directly from seed. I may try again because they are truly beautiful, and would almost stand double duty as part of a centerpiece.
Bettye says
Hello Kevin, also trying chioggia beets for the 1st time, watermelon, okra, greens mix, all first time. The usual beans, cabbage,mustards, collards, tomatoes, corn, peppers, and birdhouse groups first time. Happy gardening, oh yea most is all ready winter sown 92 milk jugs and 2 liter bottles.
Elysa says
As a recent transplant to NY from the much milder Pacific Northwest, your snow comment is cracking me up. I am such a grouch in April!
Elaine r says
Asparagus,cylinder and winter keeper beets,carrots,corn,peas,purple and yellow pole beans,snap peas, lettuce, radishes, various winter and summer squash, too many varieties of heirloom tomatoes ( just finished the last of the long keepers the last week in February), tomatillos turnips,winter and summer cabbages,red and green, cauliflower green, purple and white, broccoli, kale, tturnip,onions,garlic ,spinach, mustard greens , cukes, 7varieties of potatoes including all red varieties and an all blue type.peppers(which are iffy in this climate) . I have grown romanesco cauliflower in the past and just sowed some watermelon radish yesterday in a raised bed. Rather early but hopefully they will come when they come. We are having an early spring so worth the gamble on cool loving crops.oh, add arugula and Mizuna pepper cress and toy choi to the list, I don’t know what I’ve forgotten. I didn’t include rhubarb and fruit in the list.
Tiffany says
So many gardeners! I love to prepare food from my own garden. The past few years I have been converting over to more perma-culture style gardening. So I have lovage(!), asparagus, garlic, 65 blueberry plants, lots of herbs, horseradish. Even Cardoons and artichokes along with a solitary Poke plant. I will attempt to grow peas, radishes, lettuce and kale and whatever else is still viable in my seed stash.
Oh, Kevin! I grew Romanesco last year. I was so excited at the huge lush growth and (sigh) not one single head formed. Never did find out the answer to that mystery. Some said too much nitrogen.
Leslie D says
Wow! Is it ever fun to see what everyone is planning to grow – some of which I know nothing about. I will have to do some investigating.
Beyond onion and garlic chives (already up), dill, tomatoes, parsley (curly and flat-leaved) , Kale (as a pretty edging), lettuces, rosemary, sage, sugar snap peas, radishes, sweet potatoes, asparagus, and a rhubarb patch, I haven’t decided. So I will comb the comments for plants that would work in my garden. Thanks to everyone who commented thus far, and to you, Kevin, for providing such a great forum for us all. Cheers, and happy gardening all.
Samantha Gray says
Our Long Island home was built almost 40 years ago on a corner on a hill overlooking the Harbor. Sounds idyllic, right? Anything should grow, right? No. The north shore of Long Island is glacial garbage, dropped when it receded and carved out the Sound some thousands of years ago. Every year is a challenge,and soil must be improved constantly. It amazes me that stuff which did well the past year fails the next year. It’s not a matter of rotating crops either. Maybe it’s our weather. We have no breeze like the south shore and it’s hotter than hell up here in the summer. So we water. .. Anyway, tomatoes tend to rot out up here about half way through the season for all of us who grow them. Beans never fail, so all of us grow tons of those. I can’t get radishes to develop properly. Ever. But sugar snap peas, small carrots and nasturtiums do very well. Lettuce bolts fast, but spinach – especially New Zealand, grows beautifully. And squash takes over the entire neighborhood. I love the patty-pan flying saucers and pick ’em very young. Some years cucs work and some years they don’t. Last year they died a-borning, so I’ll try again in a different spot. This year I’m trying strawberries again, as we have several pine trees to provide pine straw for them. And a wild blackberry stand which I refused to allow the builders to remove, and which gives me quarts of berries all summer long, also wants to take over everything, but is well worth the effort to keep it contained to a 5 foot radius in the side yard.
Ann of PA says
I’m growing tomato from seed, which is new to me. 3, new to me, Dwarf varieties: Sleeping Lady, Rosella Purple and Dwarf Wild Spudleaf. They are supposed to be similar to Cherokee purple, which I love. Hoping to WS them this week. With the record breaking heat last week, didn’t want to have them take off and then freeze to death.
Ann of PA says
Oh, forgot, Pod corn too, as an ornamental. Hope to try glass gem corn next year!
Elke Crane says
Kevin, I am trying your Winter Sowing. Things are starting to come up. 🙂
I am getting excited!
Question: Where did you find Lovage?
I looked everywhere last year and could not find it. I did see it in your garden though 🙂
A friend sent me lovage seeds, telling me that it is easy to grow. Well not in my garden. The plants came up spindly and then died. Usually, I don’t have issues growing anything.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Elke
Ardelle says
After commenting this week that there weren’t many signs of rabbits in our garden over the winter Sophie my corgi was in a state of unrest through the night last night. Lo and behold this morning she immediately rousted about 6 out from under the porch which they dug under since 5:30 yesterday afternoon when I stopped yard work. They make gardening a real struggle. I will plant tomatoes, beets, green beans, Swiss Chard, kale, spinach, lots of basil, cilantro and rosemary. We have excellent farmers markets and I will order quantities of a few things for variety – oh, and radishes – want to try the roasted radish recipe – sounds great. I love grated fresh radishes on a salad – grating brings out the flavor and juice – yummy! We desperately need rain – had very little precipitation through the winter and are sill running a deficit for over a year already.
Central Iowa Susan says
Hmmm….lots of over-achievers here I see….
I will be planting tomatoes, onions, TONS of basil, parsley, Brussels sprouts (new for me this year), zucchini, cucumbers, garlic, kholrabi, peas, green beans, edemame, and jalepenos.
Nancy J says
I am transitioning from a large “farm” garden to raised beds. It scares me but I am soldiering on. My friend and I are buying seeds together and dividing them to save money. She talked me in to salsify and I talked her in to trying cilantro and basil from seed instead of buying plants. Our old garden is rocky and too close to the possible contamination from farm crop spraying. So, here goes and hope to read everyone’s luck at the end of the growing season.
Jenn says
Elke- I ordered lovage plants from Growers Exchange. I can’t wait to drink a Bloody Mary through a lovage straw with some spicy lacto-fermented yellow wax beans from the garden as my garnish.
Right now in Zone 7 (Northern Va) I have baby cilantro that self-seeded last year, arugula and tat soi sprouting that I just seeded, and mustard that over-wintered. I will start peas this week along with lettuces, radishes, and red Russian kale.
In the summer heat, I am planning on lots of Gold Rush yellow wax bush beans, butter beans, pole beans, cherry tomatoes (Sun Gold and Super Sweet 100s), pickling cucumbers, basil, thai basil, lime basil, oregano, thyme, chives, Mexican tarragon, and my new challenge for the summer: Japanese shiso.
I will be winter-sowing my cukes this week. This method has netted me the most pickles for the past two years.
It feels great to come home from work each day and visit the garden to see things growing!
Karen Ullrich Eastman says
This year will just be a variety of peppers. Hubby wants to make hot sauce and I am having a c-section in april (the start of our growing period) and I don’t really see him tending the Garden.
marylou says
It’s true…gardeners never run out of things to talk about!! Planting lots of herbs and veggies as per usual. Locate for sure.. loved it last time but it died out before I got your soup made! Did chioggia beets last yr ..very sweet and tasty a nd ours didn’t bleed nearly as much as others do. To me that is a plus. Also doing white and yellow and red carrots..just for fun! Happy gardening everyone!
Tracy says
Starting artichokes from seed, in Minnesota! Worked last year, so trying two types this year. Eggplant, tomatoes and peppers from Seedsaver’s Exchange and Johnny’s. Lots of edible ornamentals.
Laura says
In your village. I’ve already put the sugar snap peas in the ground and started seeds for tomatoes (slicing and grape), bell peppers, banana peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, marigolds and bush cucumbers. Also have short-vine cucumbers, mini cantaloupe, icebox watermelon, bush beans, yellow squash, lettuce, kale, carrots, pumpkin (for kids’ Halloween), radishes, and herbs ready to go. Spouse wants me to add onions and horseradish this year. Day-neutral strawberry bed from last year. Plus the perennial plantings: asparagus, thornless blackberries, bush cherries, blueberries.
Joyce says
I have a tiny garden so I’m going to plant an early spring crop and then replace it with summer veggies. First lettuces, radishes, green onions from sets, and spinach. Second, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans and peppers. I plant my three favorite herbs, basil, oregano and flat-leaf parsley in pots. And now I’m out of room.
Mary C says
Hi, I have covered my Veg’ plot over, to prevent weeds. This year I am doing a lot of trvelling so no time to plant (or weed !). Next January on a world cruise till mid May so I;m very sorry to say I can only look on to your ‘Vegies’ with envy, for quite while. Keep up the ‘good work’. Regards, Mary.
Sarah says
Zone 5A in the western Catskills. A very big garden that I can barely manage has these perennials: asparagus, lovage, horseradish, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, gooseberries
and red currants. Annual vegetables that I’ll be growing this year: lots of varieties of tomatoes,
Carmen peppers, eggplant, two kinds of potatoes, scallions, cipollini onions, cabbage, cauliflower,
regular and purple carrots, red and yellow beets, lettuces, arugula, escarole, broccoli raab, bok choy, komatsuna, Diva and pickling cukes, leeks. I would love to grow spinach, but year after
year it bolted, no matter when I planted it or what variety.
Patricia Burrell says
I live in zone 7a. I container garden and for the first time started my vegetables from seeds indoors and grow what I like to eat. Normally buy nursery starts. So far I have 3 types of lettuce including speckles, bib, and a reddish purple lettuce, kale, pak choi, broccoli, and broccoli rabe, radishes, 2 types of tomatoes cherry and a yellow plum variety, cucumbers, Swiss chard, and sage. Tried garlic chives but they never germinated so I”ll direct sow some when it gets warmer. I started more seeds than I’ll need because I had no idea most would germinate. They’ll be plenty of seedlings to give away. Have a beautiful gardening season Kevin and as always I look forward to reading about and seeing you garden.
Tawni says
Thank you for letting us all know what you’re planning… I especially like the Joan Crawford approved trellis… No wire hangers… lol…I will be growing carrots radishes Tomatoes garlic cilantro spaghetti squash cantaloupe watermelon peas broccoli yellow onions and red onions brussel sprouts Red potatoes Yukon potatoes lettuce spinach and various herbs… I never can narrow it down to just a few… Enjoy
Ana says
I have grown those beets. It changed me from someone who absolutely could not eat beets at all to someone who loves them. I even had a little nursery song for my little ones about how they would grow up in a happy home and never have to eat beets. But we like them now.
I have a fair amount of vegetables in my little garden: snow peas, beans, 3 kinds of swiss chard, tomatoes, spinach, something new from the Kitazawa Seed Co., a variety of hot peppers, the little asian eggplants, beets, radishes and maybe cukes. I also have an herb garden and I am going to grow lovage this year because of you. My dog absolutely loves snow peas – she will break in to steal every last one so I will grow extra this year.
Cate says
All of my edibles are container-grown (zone 6b). I always have several pots of herbs – this year chives, thyme, mint & peppermint, parsley, basil, dill & lemon verbena. I’m trying peas, cress, spinach & lettuce in a large planter too. And new to me this year are some seeds from Renee’s Garden that are container varieties – container eggplant ‘Little Prince’, container zucchini ‘Astia’, container cucumber ‘Bush Slucer’ & windowbox tomatoes ‘Litt’l Bites Cherry’. We’ll see how well those do! Along with hopefully tons of flowers! My winter sown calendula, sweet peas & Texas bluebonnet have sprouted (along with cosmos planted too early) and my dahia tubers have begun arriving. The 200+ bulbs I planted in the fall seem to be coming along nicely in spite of our super-mild East coast winter.
Rose says
The list of vegetables, culinary and healing herbs we will grow this year expanded greatly after reading your article about what one would grow if unable to go to the grocery store for a year. Too many to list here!!! Thank you for the inspiration! I rarely post a comment, just wanted to see an angel get its wings 🙂
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Ding! Ding! Ding! Thank you, Rose.
Looneymaple says
I have a 10′ x 20′ plot in a community garden. It is my life-saver since moving to a condo.
Question: I grew parsnips by seed last year and they were stunted, just about 1″ or so from the top. I wonder if the roots from neighbouring plants (kale) inhibited their growth. I will try again this year and change their position in the garden.
I grew lots of herbs and used Kevin’s tip about rolling like a cigar in ziplock bags and freezing. Perfect!!
Karen Carpenter says
Hmm Kevin, let me see… I think I will plant the same veggies as you, they all look wonderful! Although, I have never done leeks before, but I will try.
I will probably plant all lima beans in place of string beans because I always let my string beans go way too long before I pick them and then they are stringy, lol. Since I never let anything go to waste, I strip the beans out of their sleeve/pod and cook them with my lima beans. I also love sweet peas and the little flowers they produce, so I will add a few of those to my garden. I already have small sections of erect fencing up in different areas of my garden, so my peas can go almost anywhere and be very happy.
I have potatoes planted everywhere. The first year I moved into my home I “planted” sprouting potatoes and every year since I have harvested what I can use and let the rest go back to doing their thing. I have had delicious potatoes every year for 13 years. I just have to remember everyplace I have planted them.
I always have to plant at least one habanero plant, two jalapeno plants and four or five Italian long hot’s and a variety of mild pepper plants.
I will plant all of my regular herbs too, like oregano, parsley (curly and flat), sage, basil, cilantro and thyme. Then I may add some other herbs like tarragon, rosemary and something lemony. I will plant lavender, but only because I like the smell.
Now – I will proceed to RIP-OUT all of the invasive spearmint and peppermint I should have never planted in my garden. Do you have any remedies for getting rid of mint in the garden?
I almost forgot… I always have to have garlic growing! Lots and lots of garlic and I always plant more every year, even if I do not need to plant more. I also like to have a variety of onions, but usually end up only using the green sprouts and buying the bulb part at the store when I need to.
Kevin, I could go on forever and will stop now, but you did ask.
I absolutely love all of your recipes and photos, but I especially love your knowledge and all of the information you provide to us.
Thank you so very much,
Karen Giobbe Carpenter
Kathy says
Hi Kevin, It’s been awhile since I’ve written. I’m using your winter sow method and have varieties of kale, lettuce, bok choy and several native wild flower species planted. Your method works well for native butterfly weed, mountain mint and bush sunflower. I was looking through all my Spring garden catalogs for your lovely striped beets, and I noticed The Cook’s Garden catalog is very similar to the Burpee catalog. Sure enough, the Cook’s Garden address sports the same town and state only with a P.O. Box address. I have several other catalogs to look through on this snowy day in Brighton, Colorado. Do you remember who you ordered the seeds from? I’m also searching for Mexican Culantro. It’s taste is supposed to be similar to cilantro but with wider leaves and less bolting. Have you heard of it? Thanks.
Roberto Madmax says
Strawberries-75 of them in (4) 4′ x 8′ beds at 1′-0″ apart. That is all.
Lyn says
This year: Tomatoes of every description (mostly heirloom but always some Sun Sugars) sweet and jalapeno peppers, amaranth, a mixture of beet varieties, Red Russian kale (my favorite) zucchetta squash, pole, yard-long, and runner beans, Swiss chard, okra, Fairy winter squash, cucumbers, yellow squash, seed-grown Zebrune shallots, Egyptian onions, Mache, miners lettuce, arugula, dandelion, herbs, cucumbers, Mexican sour gherkins, snap peas, snow peas, Roselle (for the leaves), rat-tail radishes, watermelon radishes, daikons, sweet potatoes, radicchio, frisee endive, orach, lettuce, ice lettuce (first time trying), and I forget what else. I tried Romanesco broccoli years ago and some plants were short, some huge, but the few heads I did get were very good. I guess the heirloom variety I tried wasn’t very uniform. We ate the separated spears raw. We also really enjoy the wild weed purslane cooked like spinach. It’s always plentiful!
Peg says
Kevin,
I’m vacationing in Maui right now,and last night I had watermelon radishes with my salad. I’m here to tell you, they are nothing short of amazing. Not hot like red radishes, but almost juicy and just a terrific texture and flavor. Not to mention down right beautiful. Mild radish tasting. Was thinking after I ate them, boy, I’m planting these this year. Then, this eve after I packed,( yes, we are coming home tomorrow), I tried to catch up on emails, when I saw yours. All I can say is you will love them. Good luck with the garden this year.
Connie Mullen says
So far, tomatoes, assorted peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, assorted basil, assorted greens, potatoes and carrots. My husband built two new raised beds and I’m really excited to get started. We always try to wait until April 14th as not to get stung with a last minute frost.
Roberta Adams says
Kevin,
Can you please direct me to your past article on
“What would you plant if you could not go to the grocery store for
one year.”?
Do you have an INDEX of your blog ideas?
Last question…( I PROMISE) Have you ever written a book? It would be a BEST SELLER!!
Love your knowledge, information, personality, wit and charm!
Roberta