Foods Everyone Should Be Growing In Their Backyard

1. Kale

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This leafy green superhero is all the rage and will perhaps remain so forever. It will not only help you look cool and healthy, but you can also wear it as a chic wig when your hair is not at its best. Kidding! (wink, wink.) Moreover, kale can withstand very cold temperatures and usually tastes better after being kissed by frost. Although regular watering will lessen the bitter flavor, it may grow more bitter throughout the hottest days of summer.

2. Radish

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Despite being so tiny, they have a big attitude. And just so you know, growing radishes will have you dance your "rooted" moves. As little as three weeks after planting, these resilient root vegetables are ready for harvest, making them an excellent last-minute crop. Even though they are famous for their bright roots, you can actually eat the entire plant!

3. Pumpkin

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Why hold out on having fun till Halloween? Plant pumpkins and organize a pumpkin bowling competition in your area! And when you have gourds, why would you need bowling balls? We have two words for you if you're weighing whether you should grow pumpkins in your garden: pumpkin pie. And while you'll need to make some room for this winter squash for the pie, if you've got it, definitely plant it!

4. Carrots

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Interested in enchanting your friends with your gastronomic prowess? Grow some carrots and announce you've found an underground treasure. Jokes aside, did you know that carrots harvested straight from the garden taste considerably sweeter? That's only one of the numerous benefits of growing this vibrant root vegetable in your backyard.

5. Melons

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Get ready to learn the art of juggling; your ability to balance will be tested when you try to bring melons inside without them falling on your toes. Let's be honest; without melons, summer really isn't summer. From late spring to early fall, the garden is a thriving place to grow honeydews, cantaloupes, watermelons, and other melon types. These vines produce a ton, and wow, it's worth it!

6. Tomatoes

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Ever wondered what it would feel like to be a tomato whisperer? Now you can do it, but just be careful not to be overheard talking with your plants; doing so could land you in the neighborhood gossip section! When the plants are established, homegrown tomatoes are significantly easier to manage and have superior flavor to those purchased at the shop. Tomato plants grow well in soil, pots, or vertical gardens and are incredibly versatile in food.

7. Strawberries

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When you plant strawberries, your backyard becomes a fruity treasure hunt. Just ensure you wear your camouflage, or the squirrels might get to them before you do! You should plant strawberries in your garden even if they aren't technically vegetables. Because strawberries are perennials, they will show up yearly; they are also excellent container crops.

8. Zucchini

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Tired of the same old pool toys? After your children learn to use zucchinis as floating devices in the pool, you will watch their eyes light up as you plant them. Those who grow them make jokes about dropping their extra zucchini on a neighbor's doorstep, ringing the doorbell, and running away because they are known for being so simple to grow and so prolific: A single growing season can provide six to 10 pounds of zucchini from a single plant!

9. Garlic

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You can fight off vampires by using the superpowers you gain from growing garlic. You're the real deal; forget the Twilight series! You won't believe how simple garlic is to cultivate, though. It emerges among the earliest things in the spring and comes in two varieties. The first type is dubbed "softneck," which has many cloves and lasts longer; the second variety is known as "hardneck" and yields curly "scapes" that can be harvested in late spring.

10. Onions

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The ultimate ninja veggie — like, the ultimate — is the onion. If you grow them, you'll have an effective defense against any unwelcome visitors: onion breath. Plant them in the springtime for a mid- to late-summer harvest (depending on the climate you live in). However, you can also sow them in the fall (they stay dormant and emerge when spring comes).

11. Potatoes

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In the vegetable world, potatoes are akin to MacGyver. You can turn them into chips, fries, mashed potatoes, or even a makeshift football in an emergency. They are such adaptable vegetables both in the kitchen and the backyard. Potatoes can be harvested six to eight weeks later after planting, or you can choose later harvest kinds that are ready to get out before the first frosts.

12. Peppers

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Beware! Growing peppers will transform into a fire-breathing dragon — figuratively speaking, of course. Peppers do nicely in beds, pots, or on bright patios and decks since they enjoy the heat. Unless you have the chance to start them indoors about six to eight weeks before the last frost, transplants are a better option. Make sure you leave them enough room because most pepper types require staking.

13. Mint

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Forget about purchasing chewing gum from the supermarket; just pick a leaf and become an environmentally responsible, minty-fresh expert! Mint is an incredibly resilient herb that can grow in almost any place — in my backyard, it is a perennial that I grow all summer long. Mint is also excellent for encouraging healthy digestion in addition to refreshing your breath.

14. Cucumbers

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Want to master the art of cucumber facials? You'll spend less on spa visits if you grow your own cucumbers, plus you'll have countless selfie opportunities. Since most cucumber varieties are vines that enjoy heat, you'll need some room to cultivate them. Give them a cage or trellis on which to climb vertically, and ensure to get the compact, round, yellow, or miniature kinds.

15. Spinach

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Popeye spoke from experience: Plant spinach and watch yourself grow into a superhero that flexes in front of mirrors. This iron-rich food thrives in cool climates, so plant the seeds immediately as the ground can be worked. Don't wait too long to plant it since it will "bolt" or quickly go to seed. If you live somewhere hot, search for spinach kinds that can withstand that kind of weather.

16. Herbs

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Fresh herbs can even be grown on a balcony, no matter how small it is! Snipping off a few leaves for each meal is so much more enjoyable and far more affordable than purchasing those expensive packets from the shop. Herbs that grow nicely in beds or containers include coriander, chives, sage, thyme, basil, etc. Also, several of these herbs are perennials, so they will return in the spring.

17. Caneberries

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Be ready for the backyard birds' onslaught! Your garden will become an avian paradise if you grow caneberries, with you as the center of attention. Caneberries, like raspberries and blackberries, produce delicious fruits for you and your family, as well as for insects like butterflies and birds.

18. Peas

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Peas are the best food choice to hone your pitching abilities: Plant them, then bring some buddies around for a game of pea shooting. Safety glasses are advised! Jokes aside, if you put peas in the ground too late, they will grow but not produce (since they enjoy chilly weather). Ensure you plant successive rows to be able to gather them for a few weeks before it gets scorching hot and the plants fade. Give them something to climb on, too.

19. Lettuce

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Planting lettuce in your backyard is like having your own little green, leafy carpet to pose on. You can also host elegant dinner parties and act like you're having supper in a fine establishment. Lettuce thrives nicely when planted as seeds in cool climates. Harvest once the leaves are a few inches long.

20. Broccoli

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Let your children see the uglier side of the vegetable kingdom, and tell them they're eating little trees from the enchanted forest! This "well-liked" vegetable sells for about $1–$5 a head at retail stores, but depending on how often your household consumes it, it may be a cheap food to grow yourself. Think about it.

21. Beets

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Beets are a simple and sweet food option that can also contain sugars, besides being a source of vitamins. Depending on the kind you have in your garden, you can find both savory and sweet purposes for them. The greens are also edible, so there you go; you have a secondary food supply from the greens that very few other root crops give!

22. Eggplants

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Oh, the drama queens of the vegetable world! Plant these royal veggies and watch how their stunning purple apparel makes them the center of attention. What's best, newer varieties of eggplant are more compact and bushy, so they can be planted in containers or beds. Look for intriguing cultivars that give long, thin, or even ball-shaped produce.

23. Celery

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Looking for even simpler foods to grow in the backyard? Planting celery will have you enjoying fresh, pesticide-free produce. Whether you want it for its crunchy texture made for salads or enjoy its distinct flavor in soups and stews, this is a vegetable you can grow with just a few easy steps. It is also one of the few bizarre foods that will reproduce itself if you submerge its roots in water.

24. Corn

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Corn is like an edible fireworks display of nature, so get ready for a ready-made light show if you grow this vegetable. Your corn can be dried, nixtamalized to boost its nutrient richness, and milled into flour once it is ready for harvest (which stays fresh in an airtight container). Another advantage of corn is that it makes a fantastic trellis for bean plants.

25. Apples

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An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but growing apple trees will keep your backyard lively with squirrels honing their tightrope-walking skills! Apple trees are undoubtedly the greatest fruit trees for everyone to grow. They are also relatively low maintenance once established, but it's crucial to know when to prune them to get the best produce possible.

26. Sweet potatoes

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Why did the sweet potato go to the gym? Because it wanted to become a "yam"azing fitness spud! On a serious note, a single sweet potato can yield up to 16 plantable branches, known as slips, and is simple to propagate. With good care, each plant can yield 10 to 20 sweet potatoes, and they can be harvested 100 to 150 days after planting. Way to go, sweet potato!

27. Cabbage

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Need a workout partner? Plant cabbage, and when it's ready to harvest, start practicing your wrestling moves. It's a wonderful workout session and a good excuse to don a superhero cape! Seriously now, if you want to cultivate cabbage, make sure to set aside a sunny place in your garden since this sturdy, green crop grows with six to eight hours of bright sunlight per day.

28. Grapes

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Who needs a vacation in Italy or France when you have your very own vineyard in your backyard? Invite friends over for wine tastings under the mighty vines, and they'll feel as though they traveled through time and space to a European country. The "It's like I've never tasted a grape before" flavor and the old-world beauty they add to the yard are enough to make you want to plant some.

29. Beans

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Beans are prolific and available in a huge variety; additionally, the more you harvest, the more they grow! Look for bush beans or pole beans, which grow in a more compact form and may be cultivated in containers. Side note: pole beans require a lot of space and a trellis to climb.

30. Pineapple

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Last but not least, pineapples are the exotic VIPs of the fruit world. If you grow them, you'll instantly become the most well-liked person at your next luau. The pineapple plant itself is a charming subject for the landscape, even if it never yields any fruit. A loop of sword-shaped leaves that can spread out to be up to six feet wide makes for a stunning display, no?