Our Provident Homestead

Cultivating Timeless Skills in the Modern Era

Gardening

How to Start a Salsa Garden on Your Homestead

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My family loves salsa! It is one of those things that no matter how much I can, we are always out by the summer time.

In this post, I share my favorite salsa recipe—> Winter Canning Fresh from the Freezer

Why start a salsa garden?

  1. The produce you need to grow to make salsa are garden staples that you can use in many other ways.  You can use all 6 of the plants below in many, many meals for your family. You can use them fresh or preserve them for the winter. They are very versatile.
  2. Your family loves to eat salsa as much as mine does. Whether it is in a recipe or plain with chips, my family really loves my salsa.
  3. You can preserve enough salsa to last you all year long.  Salsa is a great thing for canning newbies to start on because it is quick, easy and everybody loves it. You can fill your pantry with beautiful jars of homemade salsa. And if you make too much, you can even give it as gifts.
  4. These plants are companion plants to one another. If you aren’t familiar with this term, companion plants are plants that “like” each other and that you should plant close to each other if possible. For more information on companion planting, you can check out this post—> Companion Planting: Friends and Foes in the Garden

What should you put in a salsa garden?

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a garden staple.

Besides salsa, you could make all sorts of tomato based canned goods and eat them fresh.

You need to start tomatoes indoors (in most climates) or buy the plants from the store. You can grow tomatoes in a container, just make sure it is big enough to handle the deep root system tomatoes produce.

I would start with 2 to 4 tomato plants, with Roma being the best variety for salsa and canning tomatoes.

Bell Peppers

I love bell peppers because while they are a pepper, they aren’t hot. I can’t handle hot!

Bell peppers come in not only green, but other colors as well such as yellow, orange, red and even chocolate color.

Peppers also need to be started indoors or bought from a store as a transplant.

You can grow several bell pepper plants in a small area because they don’t really spread like some vegetables.

Hot Peppers

It is up to you the heat level you choose for your salsa. My family prefers medium salsa, so we use jalepeno and anaheim peppers.

If you like hotter, you could grow hotter varieties such as habanero, cayenne or red chili peppers. If you are going to choose hotter peppers, you won’t need very many plants because you don’t want the heat to take over the taste of your salsa.

Don’t forget that if you use really hot peppers (or even jalepenos), you need to wear gloves when cutting them and do not touch your eyes. You will really regret it if you do!

Onions

Onions are pretty cheap at the store, so I don’t always grow them myself. But if you want a true salsa garden, you have to add onions!

Onions can be started by seed, transplants or sets, depending on how long your growing season is.

You will probably want to plant atleast 6 or 9 plants, which should be plenty for a small salsa garden.

Onions are another versatile vegetable that you can add to almost any dish.

Cilantro

I love cilantro! I love the smell and the taste. I add extra cilantro to my salsa because that is how my family likes it.

Cilantro is an herb that can be grown in the garden or in a container.

If you have more than you can use at the end of the season, dry it for longer preservation.

Garlic

This one takes a little extra thought to get the best harvest.

Garlic should be planted in the fall for bigger bulbs. They will overwinter in the garden and flower in the spring.

I have a whole post here about planting garlic—> Planting Garlic in the Fall for a Summer Harvest

Salsa is one of our favorite foods to preserve each year. It is so satisfying to see those jars on the shelf and realize that you grew almost everything needed to make it (minus the lime and salt) in your garden.

So if you are looking to start a new garden, and your family loves salsa, this could be just the thing to get you started! Good luck!

What do you put in your salsa garden? Let us know in the comments below. And if you found this post helpful, please share! Thanks!

If you are interested in starting your first garden this year, we have a FREE online course called “Starting Your First Garden” that can help you grow your own food in your backyard! Click on the image below to sign up.

The Hidden Benefits of Adding Berries to Your Garden

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I love my vegetable garden. I get tons of amazing varieties of veggies from it each year.

But a couple of years ago, I was ready to add something more.

I had already been growing strawberries, because my youngest son really loves strawberries.

In fact, when they are producing I have to restrict his strawberry intake per day so I actually have a harvest.

He loves to eat them straight off the plant.

But the next step was to add other berries to our garden.

What kind of berries grow well in the garden?

strawberries on a wooden table

Strawberries

I start with strawberries because, like I said above, our kids really like them. We usually get strawberry plants from the store and plant them in their own box in a sunny location.  Over the year they will send out runners and grow new plants. So if you don’t want them all over your garden, you need to keep them contained.

Plant in the spring after the last frost. If you want to increase your yield the first year, pinch off the runners. Mulching with straw or hay will keep moisture in to help the strawberries grow.

Strawberries will come back the next year like crazy and produce alot of fruit for a small space.

For more information about growing strawberries, check out this post—> 5 Tips for Growing Strawberries

blackberries on a wooden table

Blackberries

Blackberry bushes take more maintenance than strawberries, but the rewards are great. They also need a sunny location (atleast 10 hours), compost in the spring, and one inch of water a week. They use a trellis system to grow and need to be trimmed back each year.

For more information about growing blackberries, check out this post—> DIY How to Grow Blackberries

basket of red and yellow raspberries

Raspberries

We acquired some raspberry bushes last year from a friend. They didn’t produce any fruit the first year, so we are hoping it will this year. We had a late freeze this year that affected our fruit trees as well, so here’s hoping for a better year.

Raspberries grow on canes. Each year you should prune the dead canes and new ones will grow for the new year. Raspberry bushes will continue to grow each year with a little love and care. You should water and feed them (with compost). They will like a sunny spot in your yard, but you must keep them in check or they can grow wild and take over the whole area around it.

For more information about growing raspberries, check out this post—> The Best Way to Grow Raspberries

wooden bowl and scoop of blueberries

Blueberries

I am hoping to add blueberries to our berry patch this year. The best time to plant blueberries is in the fall. Try to get a plant that is fairly large already, so it won’t take as long to produce fruit. Water and mulch, but don’t fertilize until spring. When plants begin to flower in the spring, pinch them off for stronger root growth. You won’t get any berries the first year, but it will be worth the effort later on.

Water well (but don’t overwater), fertilize in spring and fall, and trim back dead or broken branches. Then the next year you should start getting a beautiful blueberry harvest.

For more information about growing blueberries, check out this post—> Growing Blueberries: How to Plant, Grow and Harvest Blueberries

a bowl of goji berries

Goji Berries

I always thought that goji berries were some exotic superfood that was only grown in South America or something. Then I heard a neighbor say they had them planted in their garden. Who knew?

You can grow these berries from seed (start indoors) or even quicker if you can get a cutting from a friend. Plant in full sun in fertile soil and water regularly. Add compost to give the plant nutrients. The plant will not produce fruit on the first or second year (depending on the size of plant you started with) and won’t get to it’s full potential for 4-5 years. Pinch off the blooms the first year to help the plant grow healthier.

For more information about growing Goji Berries, check out this post—> Growing Goji Berries

clear bowl of cranberries

Cranberries

I never knew you could grow cranberries in your backyard. I guess I saw those commercials on tv with the flooded fields and thought that was how it was done.

But you can grow cranberries in your garden if you have a cooler climate (zones 2-5). It is best to plant in the fall. This seems like the most complicated fruit on the list, so I am not going to explain the process here. I’ll let someone with more knowledge do that.

For more information about growing cranberries, check out this post—> Growing Cranberries at Home

gooseberries on a wooden table

Gooseberries

To be honest, I have never eaten a gooseberry. It just isn’t something I was raised with. But they look really interesting, so I am going to see if I can find some for my berry patch.

Gooseberries like full sun and can be planted in the spring. If you can find a plant that is 2 years old, your harvest will be sooner. They don’t need too much water (about once a week) and are pretty low maintenance most of the year. You just need to prune in the fall if needed.

For more information about growing gooseberries, check out this post—> How to Grow Gooseberries

boysenberries

Boysenberries

My husband’s grandmother had boysenberries in her garden in Idaho for years. It isn’t something we were used to coming from Texas.

Boysenberries prefer full sun and can be planted 4 weeks before the last frost date. It will need a trellis to climb on, water often (but don’t saturate) at the base of the plant and fertilize each spring.

For more information about growing boysenberries, check out this post—> How to Grow Boysenberries

elderberries on a wooden table

Elderberries

I don’t know much about elderberries, except that people make elderberry syrup in the winter time to fight colds. For this reason alone, it would be a great addition to your garden.

Elderberry plants prefer partial sun, regular watering and compost. Don’t fertilize the first year. They don’t need pruning the first 2 years, while they are getting established. After that, pruning each spring will help keep the plant healthy by getting rid of dead or diseased canes. You can expect to get a harvest the second season after you plant.

For more information about growing elderberries, check out this post—>  How to Grow Elderberries

Why are berries an asset to your garden?

  1. They are nutritious- Berries are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and cancer fighting nutrients. A great addition to a healthy diet.
  2. They are colorful- Whether you are growing strawberries, blueberries or blackberries, their rich color makes a beautiful statement in any garden or landscape.
  3. They give variety to the harvest- We all love vegetables, but wouldn’t it be amazing to add something sweet to your garden harvest. Berries will do just that!
  4. They are prolific producers- Many types of berries will produce a great harvest for many years from one plant. That is much better than having to plant new vegetables each season!
  5. Kids love to help you harvest- Kids love berries, especially straight from the vine. Just make sure to give them a bowl or basket so they don’t all end up in their mouths!

How do I preserve the berries I get from the garden?

Eat Fresh

Berries will stay good in the refrigerator for a few days just fine. Fresh berries for breakfast or in a salad are amazing, but most of the time you can just eat them plain. The flavor of fresh, organic berries is to die for!

Freezing

If you decide you want to freeze your berries for later, lay them flat on a cookie sheet and put them in the deep freeze. When they are frozen, but them in a ziploc bag for storage. This helps them not to clump when frozen and makes it easier to remove just a few at a time if needed.

Dehydrating

All berries can be dehydrated for long term storage. They will take longer to dehydrate because they are high in moisture, but once they are completely dry you can store them in a mason jar in your pantry.

Canning

Canning berries is a great way to preserve them for the long winter.

Here is a recipe for canning blueberries—> Canning Blueberries: Amazing Blueberry Goodness in a Jar

Jams & Jellies

The most popular way to preserve berries is by using them to make jams and jellies.

Here is a great resource with lots of jam and jelly recipes in one place—> 22 Jam and Jelly Recipes You Can’t Resist Making 

Syrups

You can make syrup from all kinds of fruit, but as I mentioned above, elderberry syrup has medicinal qualities you just might find helpful.

Here is a great recipe for elderberry syrup—> How to Make Elderberry Syrup

Freeze Dry

If you have a home freeze dryer (like this one from Harvest Right) you can freeze dry your berries for even more longevity in your pantry.

Berries are a great addition to any garden. After the initial planting, berry bushes will produce year after year with minimal maintenance. Fresh berries are a gardeners dream. Just watch out that the kids and the birds don’t get to your harvest before you do!

berries pin

What berries are you growing and which ones do you want to add to your garden this year? Please let us know in the comments below. And if you found this post helpful, please share! Thanks!

If you are interested in starting your first garden this year, we have a FREE online course called “Starting Your First Garden” that can help you grow your own food in your backyard! Click on the image below to sign up.

20 Fun DIY Garden Projects For Spring

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Discover 20 fun DIY garden projects you can do with your family this spring!

I am so ready for Spring!

It is still cold out, but I have started seeds indoors and made my garden plan.

Planting the garden every year is one of my favorite family activities.

But what else can we do to make our garden more fun and functional?

I have been looking online (who are we kidding, Pinterest all the way!) and I found these awesome projects that are ideal for anyone who loves to garden.

So check out these cool ideas and dream of warmer days, because they are coming!

basket of vegetables in the grass with garden supplies

20 Fun DIY Garden Projects for Spring:


DIY Garden Mushrooms @ Birds & Blooms


DIY Hanging Lounge Chair @ The Merrythought


DIY Succulent Pallet Table @ Far Out Flora


DIY Vertical Planter Garden @ Helpful Homemade


Hanging Butterfly Feeder @ Empress of Dirt


Cute Vegetable Labels to Organize Your Garden @ Our Provident Homestead


DIY Garbage Can Rain Barrel @ The Thrifty Couple


Cute Garden Sign @ The Little Green Bean


Pallet Rack for Garden Supplies Storage @ Our Little Acre


DIY Four Door Shed @ The Owner Builder Network


Backyard Bee Waterer for $10 or Less @ Our Provident Homestead


How to Build a Tree Bench @ This Old House


DIY Planter Tutorial @ Cherished Bliss


Planter Accessories: How to Make Garden Charms @ Hearth & Vine


DIY Cedar Cube Landscape Lights @ The Navage Patch


DIY Glow in the Dark Stepping Stones @ Hunker


DIY Clay Pot Fairy Door @ the Woot


Wooden Pyramid Shaped Trellises @ Cottage at the Crossroads


How to Build An Elevated Garden @ Addicted to Decorating


DIY Potting Bench @ Centsational Style

Are you looking for some fun garden projects to do with your family? Click here for 20 fun DIY garden projects for spring and make your garden a backyard oasis.Click To Tweet

Aren’t those some great projects! I can’t wait to get started on some of these. They are really going to spruce up my garden area.

If you are interested in starting your first garden this year, we have a FREE online course called “Starting Your First Garden” that can help you grow your own food in your backyard! Click on the image below to sign up.

Gardening is a great way to bring families together, so get out there and get some projects done this Spring! Your garden will be a happy oasis!

Want to remember this? Save 20 Fun DIY Garden Project for Spring to your favorite gardening Pinterest Board!

Which of these projects are you excited about tackling this Spring? Let us know in the comments below. And if you enjoyed this post, please share. Thanks!

Planting A Rainbow: Shake Up Your Garden This Year!

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Do you find you are always planting the same varieties of vegetables in your garden every year?

Orange carrots, red tomatoes, white cauliflower, green beans, etc.

While that may be all that is available in the grocery store, that doesn’t mean that is all the varieties that are available.

Until a few years ago, I didn’t know there were white carrots, yellow tomatoes, purple cauliflower or purple and white polka dotted beans.

I only knew the kinds that are massed produced at the store.

Gardening and heirloom seeds really opened my eyes to the beauty of vegetables and what we could plant.

So now I try to plant a beautiful array of veggies (and fruits) in my garden every year.

Today I wanted to share with you some of my favorite varieties that I have tried, some I that I am planting this year and some that are on my list for the future!

heirloom tomatoes on wooden surface

Tomatoes

I am always trying new tomato varieties. I love how pretty and unique heirloom tomatoes are (and super tasty too)!

Here are a few, but there are so many more!

Green (Emerald Apple)

Orange (Woodle Orange)

Pink (Pink Accordian)

Purple (Cherokee Purple)

Black (True Black Brandywine)

Red (I prefer Roma, Bonny Best and Cherry Tomatoes)

Striped (Black Pineapple)

Blue (Blue Berries Cherry Tomato)

Yellow (Hartman’s Yellow Gooseberry)

seed catalog and coffee cup

And of course, the cool Atomic Grape Tomatoes on the cover of the Baker Creek Seed Catalog look amazing!

Beans

Beans come in many different colors. You’ve seen black beans, green beans, navy beans and white beans. What about:

Purple beans? The Blauhilde pole bean has purple pods and rose-purple blooms.

Yellow/purple streaked beans? The Dragon Tongue beans are a variety we have planted for several year.

Pink/white beans? The Borlotto Di Vigevano Nano beans are pink and white on the outside with pink and white beans as well.

Pink/green beans? The Tongs of Fire beans are green and pink on the outside with pink and red beans as well.

Maroon/white beans? The Jacob’s Cattle variety of bean are a bush bean with maroon and white spotted beans inside.

These are just a few of the varities of heirloom bean you can grow in your garden this year!

red peppers on plant in garden

Peppers

There are a lot of varieties of peppers in your local grocery store or market, but there are still more to be found in the seed catalogs!

Black Hungarian are like jalepenos, only black.

Chocolate Habanero (I don’t grow really hot peppers because I don’t like things that are really hot.)

Buena Mulata is a purple hot pepper only offered by Baker Creek.

You can buy a collection of different colored bell peppers from Annies Seeds. These would be awesome in fajitas or as stuffed peppers.

There are so many varieties of peppers, that we have only barely scratched the surface. I love pretty peppers in the garden, even if I can only stand to eat the very mild ones.

Sweet Potato

Did you know that there are purple sweet potatoes? The Molokai Purple sweet potato is purple inside and out, while the Okinawan Purple sweet potato is white on the outside and purple on the inside.

Corn

When I think of colorful corn, I think of Indian corn. But did you know there are other varieties too?

Black corn (Maiz Morado)

Pink corn (Mini Pink Popcorn)

Multicolored corn (Gem Glass)

Red corn (Strawberry Popcorn)

Orange corn (Atomic Orange Corn)

Blue corn (Papa’s Blue Corn)

multi colored carrots on wooden background

Carrots

There are truly a rainbow worth of carrot varieties to choose from:

Yellow (Amarillo)

Red (Atomic Red)

Purple (Black Nebula(

Purple & Yellow (Black Spanish)

White (Lunar White)

and many more. When you harvest these carrots together, it makes for a beautiful site like the photo above.

wooden box with purple peas inside

Peas

I found a beautiful variety of garden peas I would like to try one day.

It is a pea with purple on the outside and green peas on the inside. See the photo above.

Beets

A really pretty type of beet is the Chioggia italian heirloom beet. The inside of the beet is pink and white striped!

variety of pumpkins in wooden box

Squash

I have grown several types of squash in my gardening years. Zucchini, yellow squash, spaghetti squash and pumpkins all find their way in each year. But have you tried these varieties:

Patisson Golden Marbre Scallop Squash (bright yellow squash that looks like a squished pumpkin)

White Scallop

Delicata (yellow squash with green stripes)

Flat White Boer (white pumpkin)

Lady Godiva (small orange and green pumpkin)

Marina Di Chioggia (green pumpkin from italy with lots of toad like spots on it)

Radishes

I though radishes were boring little veggies you add to a salad. Boy, was I wrong. There are many different kinds including:

Pink (China Rose)

Watermelon (Chinese Red Meat-green on the outside and pink on the inside (like a watermelon))

Green (Chinese Green Luobo)

Purple/White (Purple Plum)

Purple (Round Black Spanish)

Yellow (Zlata)

Swiss Chard

I love rainbow swiss chard. I have been growing it for several years for its rich green leaves and multi colored stalks.

You can also buy the colors individually if you want for a beautiful, colorful garden.

Cauliflower

When you think of cauliflower, you think of white, right? Did you know there are:

Purple cauliflower (Purple of Sicily)

Green cauliflower (Green Macerata)

Where can you find all of these beautiful varieties? Not your local grocery store or nursery.

You will need to order NON-GMO, heirloom seeds from a seed catalog or online.

Is your garden boring? Click here to see how you can plant a rainbow of veggies that you could never find in the grocery store and shake up your garden this year!Click To Tweet

many types of seed packets on wooden background

My 2 favorite places to order seeds from are:

Annies Seeds– I love Annies seeds because they sell collections of seeds together at one price. So you can get a salsa collection, or a collection of different colored carrots or peppers together. It makes it really easy to try new varieties.

Baker Creek Seeds– Baker Creek seeds have a beautiful catalog of so many varieties of seeds. I could spend an afternoon with something to drink and just looking over the catalog for hours. Very nice for a cold, winter day.

They both have a free catalog you can order and find all kinds of rare varieties of seeds.

But do it soon! You need to get seed starting early to get those plants in the ground by summer (or before).

As with any vegetable, you want to order seeds that will do well in your climate and that ripen quick enough for your growing season. Don’t just look at how pretty they are, but how functional they will be for you as well.

I love gardening and I want my garden to be a beautiful oasis and a productive way to spend my time. With heirloom seeds, it can be both.

So before you order the same old orange carrots or green beans, think about trying something new. You can start planting a rainbow in your garden this year. You’ll be greatly rewarded!

pin for this post

What are you favorite heirloom varieties that you can’t find at the store? Let us know in the comments below. And if you liked this post, please share. Thanks!

9 Vegetables You Need to Start Indoors for a Plentiful Harvest

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I love the spring! It contains the hope of an new garden and an abundant harvest.

I discussed in this post what garden vegetables you can start outside with ease —> 9 Best Vegetables to Grow From Seed in Your Garden.

If this is your first year, you should stick with those vegetables. It will be less headache to not start any seeds indoors.

But if you are ready for the next step in gardening, you are ready to start seeds indoors.

What advantage is there from starting seeds indoors?

  1. You can grow heirloom varieties- There are so many varieties of common vegetables that you don’t see in the grocery store or nursery. Have you seen purple carrots or yellow tomatoes? By using heirloom seeds and starting your own plants, you can try out new varieties of vegetables to make your garden unique and colorful.
  2. You can extend your growing season- In some places it doesn’t get warm until Memorial Day or it gets too hot during the summer. By starting your plants indoors, you can get a head start on the growing season for bigger vegetable yields.
  3. It is cheaper than buying plants at the store- Plants at the nursery are usually $2-$5 a piece. You can plant many seeds and they will grow into plants for that same amount. If you want to buy alot of plants, it is much cheaper to start your own at home.

What disadvantage is there from starting seeds indoors?

  1. You need to think ahead- In order to have enough time to grow your seeds before planting time, you need to be prepared. You need to order or buy your seeds. You need to know your first frost date and count backwards depending on the starting instructions on the seed packet. There is much more planning involved than just going to the store, buying plants and planting them.
  2. Usually not all of your plants thrive- Sometimes seeds just don’t sprout like they should. It could be too cold, not enough light, not enough time, the wrong amount of water or bad seeds. You aren’t guaranteed that all the seeds you plant will become full grown plants. I usually start more than I need just for this problem.
  3. It takes up room in your house- Starting seeds can sometimes drive my family crazy! Every available window has seeds sitting in them. You can set up a grow light system, but that times more time and money. Even if you use grow lights, they will take up space in your house and get in your way (most likely). It’s worth it, but it might be annoying for the short term.

What are the best vegetables to start indoors?

Tomatoes

When I think of starting seeds indoors, I automatically think of tomatoes. There are so many varieties of tomatoes that that don’t sell the plants for at your local nursery.

For me, tomatoes are the first seeds I start. They can take a long time to grow big enough to plant: probably about 2 months. In that time, you will need to move them to bigger pots as they grow (so the roots have enough room) and every time you repot them, you need to plant them deep in the pot so that most of the stem is covered in dirt.

When you finally plant them outside, lay them sideways and cover all but the leaves and part of the stem. This helps them grow strong and not “leggy”. You may need to put walls of water around your plants when you first put them outside to help protect them from cold nights. They will also need cages around them so they don’t fall over with the weight of the fruit. It is easier to cage them while they are small than try to prop them up later when they are big and heavy.

Peppers

The other large quantity of seeds that I start indoors is pepper seeds. Look on the back of the seed packet to see when they suggest you start your pepper plants. Pepper plants need a warm environment to grow, so if you are in a cooler location you will need grow lights. You can try putting them in the window, but it may be too cold for them there at night. I like to grow several varieties of peppers (including bell, jalapeno, and a few hotter peppers). Did you know they have seeds for chocolate colored bell peppers? So fun!

Onion

There are several types of onions that you can grow. I like to grow yellow onions for salsa and green onions for cooking. You can start onions early in the spring from seed or you can buy onion starts at the store to start a little later. Start seeds 8 weeks before last frost date.

asparagus in a basket on a wooden background

Asparagus

This plant is one that can take a while to see a result. Asparagus is a perennial plant, which means once you plant it, it will come back yearly and give more plants. But the first year you plant the seed, you won’t harvest anything. You don’t harvest until the second year and from then on.

Asparagus takes more tender loving care than many other vegetables. I have been gardening for several years and I am just starting asparagus this year. I need to find a place where it can stay in the same spot each year. I didn’t use to like eating asparagus, so I didn’t bother growing it. But now I love it (with butter and garlic), so I want to grow it myself. Start seeds 60-90 days before your last frost date.

cabbage growing in the garden

Cabbage

Cabbage is a cooler weather plant, so you want to grow it in the cool of spring and then again in the fall. For spring, you want to start the seeds ahead of time. For fall plants, you can start from seed in the late summer. There are many beautiful varieties of cabbage and by planting your own seeds you can take advantage of this beautiful vegetable. For spring planting, start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost date. Transplant when there are 6-8 true leaves.

multi colored cauliflower on a wood background

Cauliflower

Did you know that you can grow different colors of cauliflower? Me neither. Forget the boring old white. Try some heirloom varieties in your garden for more color. For spring planting, start indoors 6-8 weeks before transplanting into the garden. Transplant 4 weeks before last frost date. Cauliflower is a cool weather plant, so it can handle cold nights much better than hot temperatures.

 a wooden bowl of broccoli on a wooden background

Broccoli

Broccoli is much like cauliflower and uses the same directions as cauliflower above. Homegrown broccoli tastes better than the stuff you get at the store.

wire basket full of brussels sprouts on a wooden table

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are a cool weather crop as well. Many people find that if they start the seeds in the summer and plant in the fall garden, they do better.  They will have a late harvest and usually do well even after the first frost. In fact, a few frosts make them taste better.

celery

Celery

I haven’t planted celery before, but I am going to try it this year. Start indoors in February thru April. Transplant well after the last danger of frost is past.

How do I transplant my plants for optimal growth?

Once you have the seedlings started outside, there are some things you need to know to have the best success rate in your transplanting.

  1. Have good soil- Good soil is key to a vibrant garden. If your soil is too clayish or too sandy, amend it with compost or store bought soil to give your plants a better start.
  2. Harden off your plants- When plants are living indoors, they get spoiled to the perfect temperature. You need to move the seedlings outdoors for increasing amounts of time over several days to harden them off against heat, sun, wind or any other outdoor problems. If you put them outside directly, they most likely won’t last long.
  3. Water consistently- Water often, but don’t over water. You soil should be damp but not flooded. This could vary depending on your climate and rainfall.
  4. Give it time- Sometimes, even after hardening off, plants that are transplanted may wilt in the ground. Sometimes my tomato plants look like they aren’t going to make it the first week, but they usually perk up after that. It takes a little time for them to adjust to their new soil and surroundings. Don’t give up too soon!

If all of this seems to overwhelming, don’t worry. Gardening is a wonderful hobby, but you should start small.

Are you wanting to move to the next level of gardening? Click here to see 9 vegetables you need to start indoors for a plentiful harvest and grow a variety of vegetables in your garden.Click To Tweet

Here are some tips for starting seeds indoors—> Seed Starting for an Abundant Harvest

Your first year, only plant the vegetables you can start from seed (as mentioned above). The next year, buy plants from the nursery so you can pick the best plants to start with for those that need to be started early. The third year, choose one type of vegetable to start indoors from seed to see how it goes. In the years after that you can try new varieties and add more types of vegetables.

The point is, don’t try to do everything your first or second year. You will get overwhelmed and maybe even give up on the whole thing! We don’t want you to do that, so take it slow.

What plants do you start indoors? Let us know in the comments below. And if you enjoyed this post, please share! Thanks!

9 Best Vegetables to Grow From Seed Directly in Your Garden

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I love gardening. It makes me feel so primitive and self sufficient to grow my own food. There is also something very therapeutic about digging in the dirt and pulling weeds. Who knew, right?

The easiest way to start gardening is to buy some seeds, find a good location, plant the seeds and take care of the plants all season long.

For step by step instructions on how to start a garden, you can check out this blog post and series—> Beginner Gardening Series #1: Planning Your Location.

But what are the best varieties of seeds to buy? How do you know if you should buy seeds in the package or plants at the store?

Today, I want to go over 9 of the best vegetables to grow directly from seed in your garden. These plants are fairly easy to grow without starting seeds inside or buying plants from your local nursery.

9 Best Vegetables to Grow From Seed:

Beans:

beans in the garden

Beans are easy to grow because the fruit is the seed. There are two types of beans: pole beans and bush beans. Pole beans need something to climb on, such as a trellis or pole. Bush beans grow in a bush, so they don’t need something to climb on.

Types of beans: Green (or other color) beans, pinto beans, peas, etc.

Beets:

beet leaves

Beets are grown for their fruit (the bulb) and the green leaves above ground. Beets can be grown in succession, so that you add a new row every few weeks and get a harvest all season long.

Carrots:

colorful carrots on a table

Carrots are super easy to grow. They have tiny little seeds, so you will almost always distribute too many seeds at first. But once the greens come up out of the ground, you can start thinning them out. Last year my carrots took FOREVER to come up and I thought they were dead. But they finally came up and I got a great harvest. If you don’t thin out your carrots (you can use them in a salad or give them to your animals) you will get funky carrots that all grow together in weird shapes.

Corn:

corn growing outside

Corn is the quintessential summer crop. When I see my corn coming up, I know that summer is in full swing. Grow corn in rows with some space between so that the rows won’t be too tight.

Types of corn: Sweet corn, Popcorn, and Indian Corn

Cucumber:

cucumber in a garden

Cucumbers are a great vegetable to plant from seed. It is easy to grow as long as you give it some love and care all season long. You can harvest cucumbers throughout the season.

Types of cucumbers: Salad cucumbers and Pickling cucumbers

Lettuce (Leafy Greens):

lettuce growing in the garden

This is a large category, because it includes several kinds of greens. Lettuce and other leafy greens can be grown early in the season and again in the fall. They don’t usually do well in hot weather. When it gets too hot, lettuce will bolt (shoot up tall stems) and go to seed. You always want to harvest greens before they bolt for the best taste.

Types of lettuce (leafy greens): Lettuce, kale, spinach, bok choy, mixed lettuce, etc.

Radish:

radishes after harvest

Radishes are like little beets. You can eat the fruit and the leaves of this vegetable (great in salads). Fresh radishes taste so much better than the ones you get in the store. Seriously! Radishes can be grown in cooler weather and in succession for several weeks in the spring. Like carrots, if you don’t thin them out you get funny looking radishes like the ones above.

Squash:

squash plant in the garden

This is the EASIEST vegetable to grow in my area and probably yours too. You plant the seed and these vegetables grow like crazy. Most squash will take over a garden, so make sure and give them plenty of space.

Types of squash: Zucchini, pumpkin, winter squash, summer squash, etc.

Swiss Chard:

swiss chard in a basket after harvest

Swiss chard is a beautiful vegetable to grow. Rainbow swiss chard has striking coloring on the stems (usually yellow and red) and beautiful deep green leaves. You can eat both the stems and leaves. You can plant the seeds in early spring and get great plants until mid summer.

When you are starting a new skill, like gardening, you want to start with the easiest things first. This way you can succeed early and gain more confidence to try harder things in the future. Growing these vegetables in your first garden can help you have a great gardening season.

When you start a garden, you will be worried about whether or not all of the work is worth it. But when you harvest your first vegetable, and you eat it, you will understand why people love gardening so much. Growing your own food for yourself and your family is a key homesteading skill. It is the cornerstone of self-sufficiency. And it just feels amazing!

I hope this list has helped you plan your garden this year. I will be planting all of these vegetables (and more) in my garden as well. Just thinking about it makes me ready to plant now, even though it is still too cold outside. Spring will be here soon and now is a great time to get ready for it!

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What vegetables grow easily from seed where you live? Please let us know in the comments below. Thanks!