Now that you know what works in your garden, consider this list of the top edible plants to grow at home (that the experts say are great for beginners), including their health benefits and how best to enjoy them.
1. Tomatoes
Whether you want to add them to your salad or use them to make a delicious pasta sauce or pico de gallo, tomatoes are incredibly versatile (not to mention delicious!). Curious how to grow them? “Tomatoes need a hot environment with lots of water; they do well in raised gardens or in containers,” says Simpson. She recommends watering them daily in the morning and making sure they have sunlight for the majority of the day.
As for their health benefits, “Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene, which is a very powerful antioxidant,” says Simpson. One review of research on lycopene, for example, mentions that lycopene is found abundantly in tomatoes, and could potentially help in the fight against cancer, diabetes, and other inflammatory issues (though of course more research is needed). Also, Simpson says, tomatoes contain potassium which helps regulate your heartbeat and maintain normal fluid levels in our body.
2. Cucumbers
Great for both eating raw and for pickling, cucumbers like something to climb, says Bruning. So, consider investing in a trellis for your cukes.
“You may also have success allowing the vines to hang from a hanging pot or container,” adds Bruning. Another pro tip? Bruning says cucumbers like moist soil, so regular watering is a must, and she advises harvesting them when they are green, firm, and crisp; waiting too long might make your cucumbers bitter and their seeds hard.
Adding some cucumber slices to your sandwich will also up your nutrition game. “Although cucumbers have many vitamins and minerals, as a dietitian I boast their hydrating factor and vitamin K which helps with blood clotting and bone health. Make sure to eat the skin!” says Simpson. Vitamin K may also have benefits for heart health, so all the more reason to grow them — and eat up!
3. Sweet Bell Peppers
Do you love to snack on sweet bell peppers? Imagine how much better they would taste if they came straight from your garden! To get started, first know that sweet peppers grow in weather between 65 and 80 degrees, and need at least eight hours of full sun, says Simpson. “I have started sweet peppers from seeds before and have had the most luck transplanting small plants that I purchase,” Simpson adds. She also suggests growing them next to tomatoes — but not broccoli — for the best chance of success.
When you enjoy them, you’ll get a bundle of health perks, but their vitamin C is a standout. “When I think of sweet peppers I think of vitamin C which forms blood vessels, cartilage, muscle, and collagen in bones and is a key vitamin that aids in our body’s ability to heal,” says Simpson.
4. Strawberries
If you love sprinkling strawberries on your morning yogurt, adding them to baked goods, or using them to make preserves, then it’s time to start growing your strawberries, fresh! Here’s how: “Strawberries do well in containers as well as in raised beds; you need about a foot in between this plant and others,” says Simpson. “They need full sun and are required to be outdoors because they need pollination from bees,” Simpson adds.
From a health perspective, strawberries are nutritional all-stars, with potential brain and immune system benefits. “Strawberries provide vitamin C and potassium, vital for our health,” says Simpson.
5. Beans
Want a way to add more fiber to your diet? Plant beans — and then enjoy them in your meals. Fiber can do everything from help keep you regular to help you feel full, and beans are a great way to up your intake. And the good news for budding gardeners? “Another climbing vine, beans are easy and quick to grow,” says Bruning. Here’s a primer: “Harvesting when they’re immature will give you green beans, while waiting until the seeds are fully mature will give you beans that need to be shelled and cooked before enjoying,” says Bruning.
As for what beans to plant, Bruning suggests lima, black turtle, and scarlet runner beans as just a few varieties that might work well in your garden. And not only are beans loaded with fiber, but they are also a good source of plant-based protein, Bruning adds. Using them in your cooking is simple, she says — you can add them to soups, salads, or dips!
6. Summer Squash
Whether you love zucchini or are a fan of yellow squash, these summer squash varieties are worth adding to your garden, from a nutritional and easy-to-plant standpoint. “Zucchini and yellow squash take some space to grow, with their very large leaves soaking up lots of sun; the payoff comes later in summer when suddenly you have more zucchini than you know what to do with!” says Bruning. Sounds like a sweet payoff!
If you plan to eat zucchini raw (for example, adding them to salad or using them with your favorite dip), Bruning suggests harvesting them when they are still small. “Larger zucchini are still wonderful, but don’t have that same delicate flavor that makes smaller zucchini so tasty,” says Bruning. If you do have zucchini that seem to double in size overnight, she suggests using those for fun meals like stuffed zucchini boats, or creating zoodles (zucchini noodles) that you can use like pasta noodles.
You’ll score major health perks when you cook with zucchini, too — like vitamin C, potassium, and fiber to name a few. Plus, eating a diet that’s full of fruits and vegetables — like zucchini — is a great way to lower your odds of developing chronic diseases, as well as help with weight management.
7. Winter Squash
If you’re a fan of summer squash, then be sure to give the winter version a try, too. It’s also known to be an easy-to-grow plant. “Winter squash are related to summer, but have different growing needs,” says Brunning. Here’s gardening the lowdown: These squash are not ready to harvest until late in the fall, when the skins have grown hard, the stems have browned and the squashes are quite heavy, says Brunning. “It may take some trial and error with the best time to harvest these vitamin A–rich veggies, but rest assured you can go ahead and cook them even if you picked them a bit too soon — they may not have a fully developed sweet flavor just yet,” Bruning adds.
Consider a cozy fall Mashed Butternut Squash recipe, or add Italian seasonings to a Roasted Spaghetti Squash; you can also use them to make soups, casseroles, and stews. In addition to vitamin A, you’ll also score vitamin C and protein. And for background, vitamin A plays a major role in vision and also aids our immune systems.
8. Lettuce
Attention all salad lovers: Why not consider adding lettuce to your home garden? “My favorite thing about growing lettuce is that it yields a lot and you can make a fresh salad when accompanied by other vegetables,” says Simpson. Here’s how to make your lettuce thrive: “Lettuce, like cucumbers, needs sun and well-drained soil, however it grows the best in the cooler temperatures like early and late summer,” Simpson adds. Her pro tip: If lettuce needs water you can see it because it wilts. If that’s the case, you can provide it with cool water right away to give it what it needs.
When your lettuce is ready to harvest (you can remove the outer layers and the center will continue to grow), enjoy it with cucumbers and tomatoes from your garden, or add it to any meal, such as an Asparagus Salad with Grilled Salmon recipe. Lettuce contains lots of good-for-you nutrients, too. “I love that lettuce has calcium in it which helps protect our bones; it also has vitamin K and C,” says Simpson.
9. Broccoli
Time to jump on the broccoli bandwagon — it’s easy to grow, not to mention full of nutritious perks. To get started, know this: “Broccoli thrives in cooler temperatures just like lettuce and does best in full sun; it attracts lots of bugs so I often put a net over my broccoli,” says Simpson.
There are a lot of benefits to eating this cruciferous veggie, too. “Broccoli provides lots of vitamins and minerals and as a dietitian I like to highlight that it is a good source of iron,” says Simpson. One review of research even highlights it contains special compounds that may have anti-inflammatory and anticancer benefits. Of course, you can always eat broccoli raw (and dip it in your favorite dip), use it in a soup or add it to a stir-fry.
10. Basil
Last but not least, one of the easiest edible plants to grow in your home garden may just be basil. “My favorite plant to grow is basil, and I grow it all year round,” says Simpson. Here’s what you need to know before planting your own basil crop: Basil prefers full sun but can grow in partial sun, says Simpson. Also worth noting: “Basil needs warmth and cannot grow when the temperatures drop below 50 degrees F; it needs to be moist, but don’t overwater and make sure there is drainage,” says Simpson.
Basil grows so quickly that Simpson harvests it and makes it into pesto or freezes it for her homemade sauce she’ll make in the winter. You can also add basil to your pizza, use it to elevate your sparkling water, or even add it to a salad. Plus, you can reap nutritional — and not just flavor — benefits from the herb; basil may even help prevent chronic diseases. “I love that basil provides calcium and vitamin K, both important for bone health,” says Simpson.
Mario Bautista
