9 Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs to Consider Growing in Your Garden

If you’re just starting out as a gardener, it can be tough deciding what to grow. Certain plants, as well as fruits and vegetables, grow better in certain climates and at certain times of the year. Thanks to modern technology, almost any plant can grow anywhere.

If you’re growing food in your garden, you’ll probably want a variety of nutritious foods as well. Here are three fruits, three vegetables, and three herbs to consider growing in your garden, and the health benefits of each.

Fruits

Blueberries

Blueberries typically grow on bushes, and you can easily plant them in your garden. They can be grown without pesticides, but they do need to grow in acidic soil. Using coffee grounds or tea bags is a quick D.I.Y. way to make your soil more acidic. Blueberries are high in antioxidants, promote healthy digestion, promote skin health, and contain a variety of minerals.

Tomatoes

If you’re a gardener, then you probably consider tomatoes to be fruits, whereas nutritionists declare them to be vegetables. However you categorize them, they are one of the easiest foods to grow in a garden. Tomatoes love the sun, fertile soil, water, and can take about two to three months to grow. They contain lycopene, an antioxidant that has been linked to a decrease in the risk for heart disease and cancer.

Zucchini

Like the tomato, zucchini is another fruit that is considered a vegetable. Again, botanically this is a fruit, and more specifically a berry. Vegetables are defined as an edible part of a plant (leaves, stems, roots, etc.).  Though they require a lot of water, this bountiful fruit produces lots of squash in just a few weeks. Health benefits include a reduction in blood sugar levels, healthier digestion, rich in nutrients and antioxidants, and they may even strengthen your vision.

Vegetables

Carrots

The carrot is what is referred to as a root vegetable, planted in loose soil during the cooler months. This is another crop that benefits from coffee grounds added to the soil. They don’t grow too well in soil that’s full of clay or rocks, so growing them in a raised bed may be an option for some gardeners. Carrots are known for their high beta-carotene content, which can lower your risk for diabetes.

Lettuce

Considered to be one of the easiest leafy green vegetables to grow, lettuce is pretty low-maintenance as long as it gets watered regularly. This vegetable is best grown in the spring or fall but can be grown at any time of the year. While all leafy greens are full of vitamins and minerals, lettuce is a low-calorie veggie with high water content.

Potatoes

Another root vegetable, the potato can be grown almost anywhere but prefers cooler temperatures. They are a good source of fiber, minerals, and phytonutrients. They’re also pretty diverse; you can bake them, boil them, and fry them.

Herbs

Unfortunately, common pesticides and herbicides have been linked to cancer and/or considered highly toxic to humans. For this reason, many people are not only considering natural pesticides and herbicides but they’re also seeking compensation for damages after being exposed. 

Here are a few herbs that naturally repel certain pests.

Mint

Mint is known to keep several pests away, but it’s also known to be an aggressive grower, similar to weeds. A nice way to remedy this is to grow your mint in a pot to contain the aggressive growth. It thrives the best in rich, moist soil. Mint even has health benefits, including relieving headaches and improving digestion.

Thyme

This is another herb that can keep pests at bay. Though it’s hard to grow from seeds, you can buy the plant and grow this in a pot just like the mint plant. The only difference is that the soil doesn’t need to be as moist as the mint. You can grow the culinary type for eating or the ornamental type.

Rosemary

Rosemary is also used to ward off pests, but like mint, it can grow out of control if not managed properly. Rosemary prefers warmer temperatures and moist soil. Like thyme, it can be hard to grow from seeds, so starting with a smaller part of the plant is ideal.

These are just a few of the many things you can grow in your garden. Depending on where you live and what time of year it is, some options may be better than others.

Images via: Canva

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