Vegetables I Wouldn’t Grow Again: From Tatsoi to Zucchini
Planning for the next summer is exciting.
Mid-winter already feels like spring, even when it’ still a couple of months away. But this is when the summer garden begins First, by browsing all the seed varieties available on your favourite website (mine is Livingseeds). Then, by doing a quick inventory of leftover seeds in storage.
Before going crazy and ordering a hectare’s worth of seeds, I take a step back. How much space is actually available? What garden projects can still be done to create more room for growing?
And most importantly, a little reality check. Do you really need ten different varieties of tomatoes? Was it just that pretty picture that made you add it to your cart? Does it really make sense to grow peanuts in your climate or was it rather a ‘how cool would that be’ kind of a decision?
Grow what you like
This is pretty simple. If you dislike something, you’re unlikely to grow it. Most of the time it’s more nuanced. So how do you decide?
A question I now ask myself: Would I buy this at the grocery store? And specifically, grocery store because I will be a lot more adventurous at a farmers market and try out new things. But this does not mean I want to grow them. And then there are plants I like in theory, or occasionally enjoy, but just don’t use often enough to justify the space.
Take prickly pear. I like it. I have bought it. I even have a big one growing in the garden. But I very rarely harvest it, and I don’t look after the plant. It survives on its own.
4 Vegetables I’m Not Likely to Grow Again
Corn
You don’t need a big field to grow corn, especially if hand-pollination is an option. Also, trying the three-sister planting with beans and squash is a fun experiment. But considering how much space and time corn needs to grow, the harvest is relatively small. The advantage of growing your own corn is trying varieties simply not available at the shops. But unless you are a big corn fan you can probably pass this one.
Peanuts
This judgement might be down to my gardening skills. Peanuts have a long growing time of 4 to 5 months. I had a few plants growing last summer, they flowered after a few months and when I went to harvest them something got to them before I did. I will most likely not try again because they can be tricky to grow especially if it’s not their ideal climate.
Tatsoi
It looks great and grows easily—but that’s not enough of a reason to grow something. Although I like to try out new recipes, I often go back to the same. So it is rare that I would use tatsoi. It can be a nice option to fill in the gaps of the spring or autumn garden but otherwise not my first choice. Instead I would rather grow more spinach, kale, and swiss chard.
Cucumbers, Zucchini, and Summer Squash
This one is painful. I love eating them and they are relatively easy to grow. Zucchini is nice to have for some early summer harvests. But the pumpkin fly completely decimated my plants. I will probably still try again and use a pumpkin fly trap. I might even sew organza bags to cover the fruits and hand-pollinate. But with the high pest pressure it might be a good option to plant other vegetables especially because summer squash can grow big and occupy a lot of space.
Why You Grow Influences What You Grow
Whether or not to grow something depends on your reasons for gardening.
Is the goal the act of gardening itself? Or is it to grow your own food, be more self-sufficient, and live more sustainably?
It’s probably a combination.
Most of us aren’t farmers or working with huge plots of land—so these little choices help keep things in check.
Don’t know what to grow in a small space?
If you’re working with tight space, you might like this post on two layout ideas for small garden beds. I’ve included a summer planting option (with tomatoes, herbs, and flowers) and one for cool season crops like lettuce, parsley, and spinach
