How To Choose Vegetables To Grow In Your Garden

Are you new to gardening?  Do you feel overwhelmed by the sheer variety of vegetable varieties out there in the seed catalogs?  Do you feel bewildered in the seed section of the local nursery?  Don’t despair!  You are not alone! In this post, I’ll take you through how to choose what vegetables to grow in your garden this season and share some tips to help them grow.

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How To Choose Vegetables To Grow In Your Garden

I was asked by a friend to help her out in starting a garden a few weeks ago.  She was confused with what plants she should grow for her first time and stood in the local big box store completely overwhelmed by the types and brands available.

Does that sound similar to you?  Have you been looking online at seeds and starters that are available and are worried about how to choose the right ones?

Take a deep breath my friend, close those seed catalogs, step away from the seed packets and close the online nursery tabs.  We’re going to go through this step by step and take the worry and confusion out of how to choose vegetables to grow in your garden this year. 

Step 1: What Vegetables Do You Like?

It sounds like a crazy question to ask yourself but grab a sheet of paper and write down all the vegetables that you and your family love to eat on one list.  For example, here’s what my family love to eat:

• Broccoli
• Potatoes
• Spinach
• Salad greens
• Beans
• Tomatoes
• Winter squash
• Brussels sprouts
• Leeks
• Popcorn
• Artichokes
• Carrots
• Beets
• Summer squash

Step 2: What Vegetables Do You Eat Regularly?

Write down on another list the vegetables you eat on a regular basis or those which you usually buy from the store.  For example, my list looks like this:

• Onions
• Garlic
• Potatoes
• Salad greens
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Celery
• Beans

Step 3: Review Those Lists

Read through both of your lists and highlight the vegetables which appear on both lists.  It is those vegetables you should focus on trying to grow first.  In my example above, the focus would be on growing:

• Potatoes
• Salad greens
• Broccoli
• Tomatoes
• Spinach
• Beans
• Carrots

I hope that was quite easy and straightforward to do!  there’s usually someone in the household who loves something that someone else hates (like Brussels sprouts)!

How To Decide Which Varieties of Vegetable To Grow

If you are a new gardener, try to limit the number of plants and varieties you are planting in order to keep  your garden manageable whilst you are learning. 

Space 

How much growing space do you have  for growing?  Limit the number of plants based on the space you intend to plant in.  If you go overboard and have lots of varieties it will be overwhelming in spring trying to figure out where to plant them.

Use the seed catalogs or online suppliers to your advantage and see how much space your plants will take up.  Corn for example needs blocks of closely planted stalks for good pollination leaving little else to grow in the space.

Related Post: How To Plan Your Garden For Self Sufficiency.

Time

How long do you have for plants to grow before your fall frosts arrive?  When is the last frost in spring?  You can search your average frost dates as it varies by location.  Another good resource is to know your USDA growing zone. 

Knowing your growing zone will help you filter crops which will grow in your area when searching online seed supplier websites.  You won’t be able to grow plants which take a long time to mature in a low USDA growing zone for example, if you live in zone 3 you probably won’t be able to grow jicama or peanuts unless you have a heated greenhouse.

If you live in a colder area, look at varieties which have short days to maturity or that are listed as early maturing varieties so you are more likely to have a harvest.

What Varieties To Choose?

If you have the space to grow more than one variety, do so but don’t go over the top!  It is a benefit to grow more than one variety of a plant.  The reason being that you are more likely to have a harvest.  One variety might succumb to pests or disease or the weather and another variety might grow with flying colors.

When deciding what varieties of the chosen vegetables to grow you have a couple of options;

• Option 1 is to select varieties which look like those you are used to eating or buying.  
• Option 2 is to research and ask around for recommended varieties which grow well in your area.
• Option 3 is to grow a variety you like the look of or the description appeals to you.

Option 1

The great thing about choosing varieties which look like those you are used to already is that you will already have some idea of taste and texture because you chose varieties that are similar to what you already like.  This option is good for people who are concerned about not liking the taste or texture.

If you like Yukon Gold potatoes, grow one.  If you like beefsteak tomatoes, grow a beefsteak variety rather than a cherry or grape variety of tomato.

Option 2

Growing varieties which are recommended in your area typically means that those varieties will grow well in your area.  You can try researching online, ask in local gardening Facebook groups and ask at a local nursery.  Don’t forget to reach out to friends and family too!

Option 3

This option is great for people who love to experiment and aren’t afraid to try new flavors, aromas and textures.  Experimenting with different varieties allows you to find new plants which grow well in your garden it also keeps your meals interesting and exciting.

Related post: How To Trial Plants In Your Garden.

If you are new to gardening, grow vegetables which you enjoy and regularly buy and eat.  Don’t be afraid to experiment with varieties in your garden.  Purchase plants or seeds which will grow in your growing zone.  Many online seed suppliers and nurseries enable you to filter vegetables based on where you live.  If you live in cold northern climates, consider early varieties of plants to help get a harvest before the frost arrives.

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