What should I grow?
What a big decision! Here are some of the things to take into account when deciding what to grow..
Seasonality
Many vegetables are seasonal, which means they grow best at certain times of the year. So rather than taking up space in your garden trying to grow things that will struggle in unfavourable weather, choose plants that are likely to succeed.
Check with your local nursery or a local grower if you want to know what grows well where you live. They can be a wealth of information when it comes to timing planting for the best yield. To kick you off, see our brief overview of some of our favourites at the bottom of the article.
Taste
It’s important to grow what you like to eat! Being stuck with a pile of vegies that nobody will eat or even swap with you can be disheartening and means more food waste. Staggering your plantings will also help you avoid the seasonal glut. We all know someone who has had an excess of zucchinis that they’ve forced on you! If you do end up with more than you can eat, check with local growing groups or on social media for vegie swaps or see if your local food bank is able to take home grown produce.
Space
You don’t need a huge amount of space to have a vegetable patch but be sure to look into your chosen vegie’s needs. A lot of herbs and vegies are very happy in pots, while others need a bit more room or support structures.
Ease
If you’re new to gardening, we recommend trying some “easy” crops to build confidence. Lettuce and rocket, snow peas, beans, rosemary and basil, tomatoes, spring onions and chilies are all pretty hardy and fast growing.
Cool weather growers
Brussels sprouts |
Broccoli |
Broad beans |
Beetroot |
Cabbage |
Cauliflower |
Garlic |
Kale |
Onions |
Potatoes |
Peas |
Silverbeet |
Warm weather growers
Basil |
Capsicum |
Chillies |
Corn |
Cucumber |
Eggplant |
Melons |
Runner beans |
Sweet potato |
Tomatoes |
Zucchini |
|
Year-rounders
Artichoke |
Asparagus |
Bok choy |
Carrots |
Lettuce |
Baby spinach |
Rocket |
Strawberries |
Wombok (chinese cabbage) |