Curious about edible gardening options for this summer? You’ve successfully grown a summer tomato and a crisp cucumber. What’s next? Aside from the sheer joy of eating something homegrown, there are smart tactics to choosing what seeds and plants to include in your food garden. Select varieties of vegetables, herbs and edible flowers that you don’t usually see at the grocery store. You’ll save money and spend less time cooking in the kitchen, as many of these beautiful harvests are enjoyed fresh off the stem.
Looking for neat, unusual varieties to grow? Use this list to spice up your garden space.
Warm Season Favorites (April – Sept)
Pepper: Fish, Lemon, Padron, Shishito, Poblano, Gypsy, Golden Treasure, Yummy
Tomato: Sungold, Cherokee Purple, Black Plum Paste, Dr. Wyche’s Yellow, San Marzano
Cucumber: Boston Pickling, Mexican Sour Gherkin, Suyo Long
Lettuces/Greens: repeat plantings (early!)
Bean: Scarlet Runner, Italian Rose, Chinese Red Noodle
Okra: Little Lucy, Hill Country Red
Eggplant: Rosa Bianca, Ichiban
Zucchini: Astia, Ronde de Nice
Artichoke: Imperial Star
Thyme: English, Variegated Lemon
Fennel: Bronze, Florence
Bay Laurel
Cardoon
Basil: Genovese, Sweet Thai, Red Rubin, Amethyst, Boxwood
Mint: any
Lemongrass
Cilantro
Poppy: Breadseed
Hibiscus: Thai Red Roselle
Sunflower
Borage
Calendula
Nasturtium: Alaska Mix (Variegated), Trailing, Jewel
