I realize I started you off this season selecting a seed company.  The reason for that was I wanted readers to understand that there are numerous companies that provide seeds for your garden, but not all seeds are created equally.  Selecting a reputable seed company is just as important as what plants you select and where you buy them from.  I wouldn’t encourage you to purchase your fruit or landscape trees from a big box store that sells you your groceries, toilet paper and video games too.  Why would I encourage you to buy your seeds from a store that also sells you your prescriptions?

Now that is out of the way let’s move on to what seeds to purchase.

This year we are using 2 books to guide our vegetable garden process.  They are vastly different books and I will talk about them at a later date.  The main book we are using has a list of vegetables that work well for the designated process and simply overlooks the others.  However, there are a few vegetables that I would like to grow that aren’t covered in the main book.  Thus the reason for the second book.

In general the following plants will grow well in most home gardens given the right care: Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Lettuce, Melons, Onions, Peas, Peppers, Radishes, Spinach and Tomatoes.  At least, this is the list of veg covered in our first book.  Notice wonderful things are left out like Kale, Squash (winter and summer), Asparagus, Leeks, Potatoes, Celery and a host of other yummy green treats.

If you will notice, the first list is your general basic vegetables.  Those things that are found in most large supermarkets.  They are the staples of the American diet.  The second list gets a little more complicated.  Our first author is starting you off slow.  Start easy and work your way up to Asparagus.  For the new gardener I suggest things like Lettuce, Peas, Carrots, Beets and Beans.

Besides culture of the plants you may want to consider the cost.  Sure, it is fantastic to grow your own corn, but if you only have a limited amount of space, how much is that space worth vs. what you can buy a dozen ears of corn for at the market.  $2?  I have corn seeds, but have never planted them.

To give you an idea of what goes into my garden here is a list of what I ordered from Heirloom Seeds this year.  Take into consideration the fact that I’ve been gardening for a long time, I have 4 established raised beds and I don’t work outside of the home.  I’m also including the variety so you can see which type I selected.

Waltham #29 Broccoli
Buttercrunch Lettuce
Flame Lettuce
Kagraner Summer Lettuce
Curled Cress
Genovese Basil
Sweet Basil
Cilantro
Dill
Sage
Russian Tarragon
English Thyme
Tendergreen Improved Bean
Sugar Sprint Peas
Early Frosty Peas
Choggia Beet
Chantenay Royal Carrot
Monnopa Organic Spinach
Golden Scallop Squash
Butternut Squash

In addition to that I will purchase heirloom variety tomato plants at my local farmer’s market (around Mother’s Day) and I will give another go at pumpkins using the seeds I have stored from last year.   I may also plant a few Sugar Snap Peas (left over from last year).

This list will keep me in more vegetable than my family can eat this summer.  I give much of what I grow away.  Mostly because I love to grow veg and because my friends and family like having their own little CSA they don’t have to pay for.

Much of what I grow is fairly basic.  I’m branching out with some new lettuce varieties and the Cress.  I also intend to add a full herb garden in the side yard.  The thought of buying herbs at the market just kills me.

The things I am not growing this year, but would love to are Potatoes, Onions, Leeks and Asparagus.  In lieu of those I’m putting in the herb garden and looking at the possibility of a few fruit trees.  We add fruit slowly around here and have a blueberry bush that needs replacing this season.

The bottom line is buy the vegetables that you will actually eat.  Start small and buy heirloom.