The Starter Garden

Leaf lettuce, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini are good choices for a first garden.

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If you ’ve never grown vegetables before and desire to give it a try , here are five relatively promiscuous ones that will keep impertinent produce on your table from bounce to fall .

Homegrownlettuceis a welcome relief from vapid supermarket fare . Here ’s something you might not know : Exotic - look lettuce is just as easy to rise as plain green varieties . Here in Connecticut , you may plant ejaculate as too soon as mid - April . It ’s a cool conditions crop that mature quickly and normally bolt ( perish to seed ) by July . imbed the seeds in shallow furrows , as direct on the back of the germ packet , and thin or transplanting when the plants start out to mature . rather of harvest whole plant life , just pick a leaf or two from several plants . Thay way , your loot will go on produce for several weeks .

Green beansproduce bountifully over a long flow of time . you’re able to plant bush beans orfilet beansin rows , or you’re able to plantpole beansalong a fence or tipi complex body part . Seed can be planted after the last rime - free date for your area . For a belated - summer crop , plant life mid - June . Once the beans ripen , glean oftentimes , or the plant will stop producing . Frost kill attic , so pick whatever you have when you expect the temperature to drop below 32 degrees .

Tomatoescan be started from seed , but for the simple experience , just buy set at the local garden nitty-gritty . You ’ll discover plenty of offerings to opt from : cherry tomatoes ( great for salads and snacking ) , plum tomatoes ( for sauce ) , mid - sized , beefsteak , and maybe even some heirloom varieties . No need to pay big Pearl Buck for vast plants , either . The little six - clique seedling will do just fine , if you found and stake them properly . And by August , you should have plenty to exhaust . you could reap tomato plant into the fall . When frost jeopardize , bring them all inside , where they will continue to mature . Tomatoes can also be grown in containers , if you like .

Cucumbersandzucchini(or othersummer squashvarieties ) are best started from germ about Memorial Day . you’re able to get compact plants ( bush varieties ) , but most are vines that need a lot of distance . I care to grow cukes on fence sections . Plants will bear fruit in August . cucumber and zukes should be pluck at peak ripeness , before they become tough and scruffy .

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