If you’re curious about growing your own veggies, summer is a great time to dip your toes into the world of gardening. Growing your own food makes it taste better, and not just because you get to enjoy the fruits (and veggies) of your own labor. Unlike most produce found at the grocery store, which is harvested prematurely for transport purposes, vegetables grown in a backyard summer garden land on your plate at peak season, nutrition, and flavor. For maximum satisfaction, try growing your own vegetables by starting a summer garden.

Benefits of Growing Your Own Summer Garden Vegetables

A Summer Garden is Better for the Environment

Starting a vegetable garden is a great initiative for environmental efforts. Growing food in your own backyard burns fewer fossil fuels than sourcing from mainstream food systems, which rely heavily on mechanical cultivation and long-distance transportation. A summer garden also eliminates the need for plastic packaging, thus further reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, growing vegetables at home allows you to control which (if any!) pesticides are used in your garden. Since backyards are a much smaller scale than industrialized farms, pests can be managed chemical-free in a well-tended garden. 

A Summer Garden Encourages Creativity in the Kitchen

Ever opened a CSA box and wondered what to do with the various veggies you’ve received before they go bad? When harvesting veggies from your own summer garden, you have even more incentive to not let the hard work of growing food go to waste. Studies have also shown that people are more likely to eat vegetables that they grew themselves. With a steady supply of your favorite vegetables and a few that are new to you, you can experiment with new recipes and cooking techniques that you might not otherwise be inclined to try. 

A Summer Garden Promotes Good Physical Activity

The health benefits of growing a vegetable garden extend beyond just eating more plant foods. Gardening can be great exercise! Between raking, pulling weeds, digging, squatting to plant, carrying soil, etc. gardening is considered a moderate intensity activity, with an average of 300 calories burned per hour. As with most types of exercise, starting a summer garden can be an effective tool for weight management. 

Gardening helps to improve dexterity, strength, balance, endurance, and flexibility.  Treat it as exercise: start with stretching, a quick walk, or lighter activities first to allow your muscles time to warm up before moving on to more strenuous movements. It’s also important to use proper form when moving heavier objects to prevent the risk of injury; your back will thank you!

A Summer Garden Reduces Stress

Research has shown that those who spend more time gardening outdoors report lower anxiety levels. Many people find that simply being around plants can help to lower their stress. Nature has long been known for its calming effects; after spending time outside, studies show improvements in mood, physical and psychological stress levels, and attention. While green and blue spaces are important contributors to these benefits, the sunlight exposure from tending a summer garden helps improve mood and can lower blood pressure. 

Summer Garden Vegetables to Grow 

Cruciferous Vegetables 

Otherwise known as members of the mustard family, cruciferous vegetables vary greatly in shape, size, and taste. This group encompasses kale, broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, brussels sprouts, cabbage, collards, bok choy, radish, and watercress – to name just a few! These vegetables are rich in micronutrients, with most providing high amounts of folate, as well as Vitamins K, C, and A. 

We love the versatility of this vegetable group, as many of them taste great raw but can also stand up to a variety of cooking methods without compromising texture. Kale is a notoriously easy vegetable to grow due to its hardiness, making it a great option for gardening beginners. When starting a summer garden, plan to reserve a plot for a cruciferous veggie (or two, or three) of your choosing!

Peppers

Peppers are a wonderful way to add both flavor and color to dishes, and varieties range from sweet to super hot. They also pack a nutritional punch as one of the foods highest in Vitamin C, while additionally providing other vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Many of these nutrients continue to increase the longer time they spend ripening before harvest, so exercising self-restraint can pay off! 

Pepper seedlings are often planted early each summer as annuals, however in the right climate they are able to grow back year after year. Including peppers in your vegetable garden requires a degree of patience, as they typically have a longer growing season and are more susceptible to external factors (such as variations in temperature). The time invested is worth the wait – peppers are an excellent vegetable to kick up a meal’s flavor. 

Zucchini and Summer Squash

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, summer squash is considered one of the easiest vegetables to grow due to its fast growth and ability to produce a large crop. Given the abundance of vegetables these plants produce, you’ll want to find creative ways to use them up. We love the versatility of zucchini and summer squash, as they can be incorporated into both sweet and savory dishes. 

Pro tip: don’t skip the flowers! Squash blossoms are edible; while you’ll most likely see them stuffed, battered, and fried on restaurant menus, they can also be enjoyed sauteed, roasted, added to soups or sauces, or as a garnish on different dishes. 

Spinach

We love this leafy green as it can be enjoyed raw or fresh. Like many of the other vegetables listed here, spinach is an excellent source of immune-boosting nutrients Vitamin A and C. Cooked spinach is also high in iron and deserves a spot in plant-based diets. 

If you missed the window to start a vegetable garden this spring, consider planting spinach now. It tends to thrive under cooler growing conditions, making it a great vegetable to plant at the end of the summer. While it’s recommended to plant new seeds every couple of weeks to ensure a steady supply of spinach, its leaves are able to regenerate after each trimming. Who doesn’t love a gift that keeps on giving?

Vegetable gardening is good for you and good for the planet. It’s also rewarding and fun. Start a summer garden today.

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