Looking to start your own garden this summer? Summer is the best time of year to start a garden, because this is when many of the most popular garden vegetables are grown, allowing you to sustainably eat from your own garden all season long.
If you’re new to gardening and you want to start a summer garden, look no further than these ten easy-to-grow options!
Zucchini
Zucchini is a summer vegetable that grows quickly and provides your garden with lush, green foliage and delicious fruits. These plants prefer to be planted in late spring, as they require long days of warm weather in order to grow well. They’ll produce squash throughout the entire summertime season, but you can continue harvesting them until frost comes if you keep the plant watered and fertilized properly.
Zucchini is an excellent source of vitamin C, which helps boost your immune system and fight off illness during cold weather months. It also contains good amounts of vitamin B6, potassium (which lowers blood pressure), fiber (which helps with digestion) and more!
Basil
Basil is a great herb to grow, especially for those who aren’t ready to commit to a large garden. It’s easy to propagate, so you can easily grow more than you need.
It’s also used in many recipes that call for an herb, so it’ll get plenty of use during the growing season.
Basil is filled with antioxidants and vitamins A and K, which are good for your health!
Blueberries
Blueberries are one of the easiest plants to grow, and they’re also one of the most rewarding. Blueberries need acidic soil, so if you have neutral or alkaline soil (which is common in many parts of the U.S.), you’ll need to add sulfur to your soil before planting blueberries in it. If you have acidic soil, though, this isn’t necessary!
Blueberries love full sun and lots of water—make sure they aren’t completely dried out during their growing season (late summer through fall). They also need fertilizer every year; a good rule of thumb is 1/4 cup per plant once a year for each variety that’s being grown.
Kale
Kale is a cool season vegetable that thrives in the summer. It is grown as a perennial plant, so you can harvest kale year after year if you protect it during winter months with mulch or heavy straw. Kale is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, calcium and other minerals, so it’s good for your health!
Kale is easy to grow from seed or by planting a plant from a nursery or garden center. Plant kale in full sun for best results; plant out seedlings when temperatures are consistently above 60 degrees F (15 C). You can also grow kale indoors under lights during winter months if desired; however this may reduce yields due to shortened growing seasons outside.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are a great option for your summer garden because they are easy to grow, can be eaten raw or cooked, and provide vitamins that help support the health of your body. Cucumbers also have a high water content and low calories—making them an excellent food choice for those trying to lose weight.
Cucumbers grow well in any warm environment and can be grown indoors in a sunny window or outside in a greenhouse (or even on the windowsill if you have no other option).
Eggplant
Eggplants grow in warm, dry climates and can thrive in your home garden. Eggplants are actually fruits, not vegetables. This means that eggplants don’t need to be cooked before eating them, as with many other fruits like peaches or strawberries.
Vegetables tend to be cooked before being eaten as well; for example, potatoes require boiling or baking until they’re soft enough to eat comfortably without chipping a tooth on the hard skin of their fleshy insides! The difference between these two types of food – vegetables versus fruits – is important because it helps people know how best to prepare them for consumption: vegetables are usually chopped up first while still raw (or partially boiled) then added into soups or stews; whereas fruit needs no such treatment because its natural sugars have already been broken down into simpler forms by fermentation during growing season (more specifically when pollination occurs).
Tomato
Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C. A single serving of tomato provides more than half the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, which helps keep your immune system healthy and ward off colds and the flu.
Tomatoes are easy to grow, but can be fussy about soil pH and water availability. They need deeply tilled, fertile soil that drains well but is not so sandy that it drains too quickly; sandy soils tend to have lower levels of organic matter, which can lead to poor drainage as well as nutrient deficiencies in tomatoes grown in them.
Most gardeners also choose varieties with determinate growth habits (they stop growing once they reach a certain size) so they will bear fruit more quickly before frost hits than those with indeterminate growth habits (which continue growing until frost).
Read our guide on growing tomatoes in your home garden for a step-by-step guide to growing tomatoes.
Chili Peppers
Chili peppers are a great addition to any garden. They’re easy to grow and fun to eat, and they can also be used in a variety of dishes for an added kick.
Chili peppers are a good source of vitamin C, which helps your body fight infection and boost immunity. In addition, chili peppers contain plenty of vitamin A, which is important for eye health and vision. They’re also rich in the antioxidant beta-carotene (vitamin A’s precursor) as well as vitamins B6 and K.
A single chili pepper plant can produce up to 22 pounds (10 kilograms) worth of fruit over its lifespan—that’s more than enough to keep you stocked up with plenty of jalapeños at all times!
Okra
Okra is a warm-weather perennial that likes to be planted in spring or summer. It grows up to 2 feet tall and produces pods, which can be eaten fresh or cooked. The plant is known for its fuzzy leaves and the pods’ spiky appearance.
Okra can be direct-seeded into the garden after all danger of frost has passed, or it may be started indoors earlier if you live in an area with a short growing season. Plant seeds about 1 inch deep in soil enriched with compost or manure, then thin them out when they’re about 4 inches tall so that there are no more than three plants per square foot—this will reduce competition between plants for nutrients and water. Okra requires full sun but tolerates some shade during its hottest months; regular watering during dry spells helps keep this vegetable productive all summer long!
Once pods are large enough (about 1½ inches long), pick them regularly so that they don’t become tough; the more often you harvest them, the more you’ll get from your plants before they start producing flowers instead of new pods!
Lettuce
Lettuce is a cool-season crop that can be grown in the early spring or late summer. It grows quickly, making lettuce a good option for if you want to grow your own salad greens but don’t have much time and space. Lettuce provides an excellent source of vitamins A, B, C, and K; calcium; iron; and protein.
Best Vegetables to Grow in Your Summer Garden: Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to start gardening, the summer is an excellent time to begin. There are many vegetables that thrive in warm weather, and they make for delicious meals when harvested at their peak. There are also a variety of plants that thrive in the summertime and can add curb appeal to your garden!
Summertime is a great time to enjoy your garden’s bounty since you’ll have fresh produce to enjoy for months on end. It’s no secret that most people gain weight in winter when eating heavier foods like meat and potatoes—but salads high in fresh greens can help you stay light on your feet!
As you harvest your garden this summer, download the Lil’ Broc app to monitor the shelf life of all of your fresh fruits and vegetables.
We hope you enjoyed this list of summer vegetables. With so many options, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!