Square Foot Gardening High-Value Veggies
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AROMATIC HERBS (ROSEMARY, THYME, SAGE, OREGANO)
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SWISS CHARD
10 Best Vegetables for Clay Soils
Shallow-rooted vegetables can tolerate—and may even benefit from the stability of—heavy clays. Other root crops, like daikon radishes and potatoes, help to break up a heavy clay soil. Heavy clay soils are slow to warm, so planting early spring crops may not be possible.
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BROCCOLI
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BRUSSELS SPROUTS
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CABBAGE (RED AND GREEN)
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CABBAGE (NAPA AND SAVOY)
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CAULIFLOWER
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KALE
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BEAN
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PEA
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POTATO
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DAIKON RADISH
10 Best Vegetables for Sandy Soils
Crops with deep taproots crops love light, loose, and well-drained sands. These soils drain so rapidly, however, that even in water-abundant climates, vegetables suited for sandy soils must thrive in low-water and low-fertility conditions.
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CARROT
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PARSNIP
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BEET
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RADISH
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AROMATIC HERBS (ROSEMARY, THYME, SAGE, OREGANO)
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ONION
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GARLIC
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POTATO
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ASPARAGUS
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TURNIP
10 BEST VEGETABLES FOR WEIGHT LOSS
The trick to losing weight is to make sure you feel full and satisfied, while reducing the number of calories you take in. A secondary issue is the type of calories. Protein bars are all well and good, but they can be full of calories and additives that aren’t exactly efficient for the body to use. Nature’s weight-loss foods are the best way to go to ensure lasting results.
It’s important to note that weight loss is a much more complicated issue than simply changing the foods you eat. We all want simple solutions, but even though weight loss begins with a basic calculation of calories in versus calories out, the picture quickly becomes more complicated. Other health issues can impact any weight loss program. That’s why the very first step in losing weight is a visit to your doctor to ensure there are no underlying issues that you should consider before adjusting your diet.
Exercise also plays a part in a safe and effective weight loss program. One of the best forms of exercise is also one of the easiest and cheapest—walking.
The foods listed below can be added into your meals to aid in improving health and losing weight. (The two should always go hand-in-hand.) But it’s a mistake to think of this as part of a “diet.” The idea is to permanently change the way you eat, so that your weight loss and any improvements to your health are permanent as well. Lastly, keep in mind that your ideal weight is your ideal weight. It’s determined by genetics, body type, and other factors and has nothing to do with magazine and TV ads.
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CUCUMBER
High in water and low in calories, cucumbers are a refreshing snack that will keep you feeling light and energized. Make an incredibly tasty and soul-satisfying beverage by combining sliced cucumbers and lemons in a large pitcher of water. Keep it in the refrigerator and drink it throughout the day to maintain essential hydration.
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BROCCOLI
Broccoli is considered one of many “low-density” vegetables—those that contain modest calories in relation to their fiber content. That means broccoli is a fat-free meal addition that features slow-release carbohydrates that will keep your energy high and your stomach feeling full. Cancer-preventing compounds are a big bonus with the vegetable that features less than 30 calories a serving.
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BEAN
Bush and vine beans contain lots of fiber, a well-rounded flavor that satisfies hunger, and high amounts of protein that can provide a partial substitute for calorie-heavy red meat.
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CARROT
Carrots are an ideal snack, simply cut into matchsticks or eaten whole. Buy heirloom or purple carrots to liven up your salads or as interesting between-meal snacks. Either way, the sweetness of the vegetable along with the fiber makes sure that you feel full and satiated.
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ZUCCHINI (SUMMER SQUASH)
Roasted, steamed, grilled, sautéed, or eaten raw in salads, summer squashes have complex flavor and sturdy textures that will quickly fill you up and leave you very satisfied. They also provide a range of nutrients—to get the most out of them, cook with a variety of squash colors.
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RED PEPPER
Sliced-up red peppers can be craving killers. Low in calories but high in natural sugars, a handful of red pepper slices can replace that late afternoon candy bar for a midday pickup. They have lots of water for necessary hydration and tons of vitamin C as well.
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ONION
Key to losing weight is adding flavor to vegetarian and healthy meals. Onions, especially red onions, bring the flavor that will satisfy your hunger and your need for interest on the tongue as well.
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EGGPLANT
This is a key low-density vegetable that can be used to replace other foods, such as chicken in pasta or veal in veal parmigiana. Grill it, steam it, or sauté it as you prefer.
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CAULIFLOWER
Like broccoli, cauliflower offers tons of fiber in a nutrient-rich package that can be prepared in a number of ways. It’s a filling flavor canvas that is delightful eaten raw, roasted, steamed, or even grilled.
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KALE
You won’t get bigger bang for your nutrition buck than with kale. Any leafy green is essential for the full feeling, but kale with its sturdy texture and strong flavor is king among leafy greens.
10 BEST VEGETABLES FOR OVERALL YIELDS
If you’ve got a big family to feed or you’re the type of home gardener who likes to roll up her sleeves and put up like crazy when harvest comes in, you probably define quality of garden vegetables as the best yield. As much dollar-for-dollar benefit as herbs may return on your investment, chances are that you want pure quantity of usable food that can flat out fill the dinner-table platters and Mason jars.
This list is trickier to compile than it might seem. There are a lot of questions when looking at any plant’s yield. Does it mature quickly, presenting opportunity for succession planting? Are there many fruits as opposed to one large fruit that is hard to use all at once? Are the fruits themselves relatively long lasting or can they be put up? Does the harvest come all at once, or spread out over the season?
Depending on the answers to these questions and many other issues, the order of vegetables that applies to your garden may be different than the one here. But the plants on the list probably won’t change much in any case.
Boosting Your Yield
Whatever plants you grow in your garden, there are several steps you can take to ensure the biggest possible harvest.
Build good soil: Improving soil health will give your plants the best foundation for growing the strongest, most disease-free, and biggest vegetables possible. Soil should be rich in organic amendments such as compost, and should be a texture that allows for efficient drainage while retaining necessary moisture.
Go vertical: Many plants, from vining tomatoes to zucchini to cucumbers (and even melons!) will thrive on vertical supports if secured properly. The supports make the most of available space and allow for crucial air circulation that prevents disease.
Stretch your season: Succession planning coupled with cold frames or similar covers is a great way to stretch the growing season and possibly grow more than one crop in the same space over the season. Plan carefully to optimize the use of valuable garden real estate.
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TOMATO
Choose indeterminate vining types and grow them up a trellis or support. Combine smaller types such as cherry or Roma with smaller hybrids to get a maximum number of tomatoes. Make and freeze sauces and put up extra for winter meals.
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POLE BEAN
Although more work than bush types, pole beans produce a bumper crop that is easy to harvest and less prone to disease. Make sure the trellis or support will accommodate the weight and size of the mature vine, and look for the quickest-maturing varieties you can find.
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ZUCCHINI
It’s hard to top zucchini for sheer, almost out-of-control production. This is another plant that grows best on a vertical support. The trick is to have the kitchen ready to exploit the flood of zucchini when they ripen. Make bread, pickle them, shave them into zucchini spaghetti, and put up zucchini salsa for the colder months.
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CUCUMBER
Choose vining cucumbers and grow them up a trellis, and look for smaller varieties that mature more quickly. If you’ll be putting up some of your vegetable harvest, consider double-yield pickling varieties that can produce an astounding number of cucumbers.
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WINTER SQUASH
The way to get the most squash possible off your vines is to choose small squash varieties, give them plenty of room to thrive, and start them inside just long enough before planting for the seedling to establish. Cure your harvest correctly and the squash will last through to spring.
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PEPPER
Smaller sweet and hot peppers will produce more usable harvest than bell peppers. Some mature quickly, and almost all are suitable for canning. About a month before first frost, cut back top growth and flowers so that the plant puts its strength into the existing peppers and helps them mature quicker.
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LEAF LETTUCE
Plant “cut and come again” lettuces for a continual harvest, and pick all leaves when small, on a regular basis, for a significant bounty of salad-bowl filler between your spring and fall harvests.
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RADISH
Radishes are one of the fastest-maturing crops in the garden, and it’s possible to harvest a month after you plant. Don’t be shy about pulling your radishes slightly young—they’ll be just as delicious. Plan for successive planting, and you’ll get two to three crops between spring and fall plantings.
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CARROT
Choose fast-maturing varieties, pick them young, and preserve the harvest you don’t eat right away in a root cellar, by arranging individual carrots without touching, between layers of sand in a cool dry location like a basement.
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POTATO
The secret to a huge crop of this filling tuber is layers and containers. Plant in a very deep raised bed or “potato bag,” covering the seed potatoes with a layer of soil. Continue to add layers of soil covering the growing flower stem and by the end of season, you’ll have layers of potatoes to harvest.
10 BEST EDIBLE FLOWERS
Rosalind Creasy, author of The Edible Flower Garden as well as a series of books on edible gardens, has done extensive research on flowers that cross the bridge from pretty to edible—as well as those that don’t. People are often surprised at what she’s discovered.
She’s adamant about using a “caution first” approach. “You have to know your flowers. The American public is so used to seeing warning labels, that people often think because a flower is pretty it should be edible. The wrong flower can be toxic and even deadly. The very first rule should be: if you aren’t absolutely certain it’s edible, don’t eat it. The second rule is: has it been sprayed with chemicals that are not allowed on edible plants? And finally, if the plant is new to you, start slowly and only consume a few petals to make sure you are not allergic to it.”
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BORAGE
(BORAGO OFFICINALIS)
A native to Europe, this herb features blue star-shaped flowers with a subtle cucumber flavor. Use in syrups, vegetable and fruit salads, or candied to decorate desserts. Hold the stem in one hand and use the other to gently pinch the middle of the star and pull. The flower (corolla) should separate from the sepals intact. Warning! Pregnant and lactating women should avoid eating borage; as few as eight to ten flowers can cause milk to flow!
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CALENDULA
(CALENDULA OFFICINALIS)
Commonly known as pot marigolds, Roman peasants once used the crushed flowers as a substitute for expensive saffron. Use old-fashioned varieties like ‘Pacific Beauty’, not the new dwarf introductions. Calendula petals have a slightly tangy, bitter taste and are most often used for their color rather than flavor. Remove the petals from the 2-inch-wide heads and use whole or chopped, fresh or dried, in vinegars, soufflés, rice dishes, and omelets.
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DAYLILY
(HEMEROCALLIS SPP.)
You have to move quickly to take advantage of daylily flowers, which only bloom for a day (thus the name). The flavor ranges from sweet floral to slightly metallic, so taste before using. Daylily buds have long been used in Chinese stir-fries and Japanese tempura. Buds are chosen the day before they open and are added to hot and sour soup and are called “golden needles.” They taste a bit like asparagus. Use sliced petals in salads and soups, or remove the stamens and pistils to stuff the whole flower with cheese and bread crumbs and sauté them.
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LAVENDER
(ENGLISH, AKA FRENCH) (LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA)
The strong lemon-perfume taste of the petals makes lavender excellent in simple syrups, sugars, vinegars, in a combination of herbs called herbes de Provence, and candied. Steep the leaves and flower heads for custard, lemonade, and ice cream.
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NASTURTIUM
(TROPAEOLUM MAJUS)
Pungent nasturtiums are popular edible flowers enjoyed since ancient Rome. The flowers, leaves, and seedpods are edible. The tangy flavor is mustard-like with an added sweetness. Harvest flowers just as they open. Mince and incorporate leaves and flowers into butter, oils, dressings, and vinegars. Sprinkle the petals over a green salad or use as a garnish.
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PINKS
(DIANTHUS SPP.)
Pinks are a form of carnation that have a pleasant, spicy, floral, clove-like taste. The 1- to 2-inch pink, red, or white blossoms can be steeped in wine, made into syrup or sorbets, custard, and used to garnish cakes, salads, soups, and the punch bowl. The bitter white base of the petals is removed.
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ROSE
(ROSA SPP.)
All roses are edible except heirlooms. Rosa damascena, the damask roses, are usually the most fragrant, and thus the most flavorful. Most roses offer a strong floral flavor, but some dark-red varieties are unpleasantly metallic tasting. Remove the bitter white part at the base of petals. Individual petals of large varieties and the whole small-flowered roses can be candied and used as dessert garnish. The petals of fragrant roses have long been used to make jellies, rose water, vinegars, and infused to make flavored honey, butters, and simple and fruit syrups.
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SQUASH BLOSSOM
(CUCURBITA SPP.)
All squash and pumpkins produce large, edible yellow blossoms with a slightly sweet nectar taste. Wash and gently dry flowers (look out for bees, who sometimes get trapped inside). Blossoms for fritters or stuffing should have the stamens and pistils removed, but the stems left on. Stuff with cheese, breadcrumbs, and meat mixtures. Or thinly slice petals for soups, frittatas, pasta, and salads.
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VIOLA, PANSY, AND JOHNNY-JUMP-UP
(VIOLA CORNUTA, V. WITTROCKIANA, AND V. TRICOLOR)
The friendly faces of violas and pansies can be purple, pink, blue, yellow, and white. The petals taste a little like lettuce and can be used candied on desserts or fresh in salads. The petals can be made into simple syrup or infused into vinegar (and will turn the liquid lovely lavender).
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VIOLET
(VIOLA ODORATA)
The flowers have an intense, sweet, floral taste. They’re great candied or plain on desserts, sprinkled on salads, as a garnish, and even to scent a sugar bowl, to flavor a custard, or to color and flavor a vinegar.
10 FASTEST-GROWING VEGETABLES
If you’re worried about a short growing season in your region of the country, quickly changing temperatures or conditions, or you just want to have food as soon as possible after planting your garden, then you have a need for speed.
A speedy harvest can serve other purposes than just indulging the gardener’s understandable impatience. Fast-growing vegetables are essential to keeping a young child’s interest in a garden for kids. You want young ones to realize the bounty of their efforts as soon as possible. Quick-maturing plants like radishes and small carrots open up the possibility of succession planting that can greatly increase your overall harvest.
Some of the vegetables on this list have been included through a little gardening sleight of hand—they are picked early as baby vegetables. Still, you won’t be sacrificing anything but size. Flavors and nutrition are just as good as in the fully mature versions.
There are, of course, other ways to get a jump on the season and get to harvest quicker. You can jumpstart your crops by starting them early in an ideal indoor location, or by growing mature seedlings in 3-inch pots. You’ll spend more, but you cut time off the back end of your edible’s life cycles.