Simple themes for tasty harvests
Jessie Atchison Burpee Home Gardens Brand Manager, 2008-2010
The first rule of veggie gardening is to plant things you and your family enjoy eating. (It sounds simple, but a lot of people really do get hung up on what on earth they should plant.) One way to approach choosing your plants is to think about how you want to prepare them…pizza sauce, perhaps, or just a really tasty, fresh salad? Maybe you eat tomatoes like apples – whatever you like, just go for it. Simple themes also make it extra-fun to garden with your kids. Check out these easy ideas for starters:
Pizza Garden
Whether you’re using them for sauce or just for toppings, these veggies and herbs give you familiar pizza flavor.
- Tomatoes
- Sweet peppers
- Onions
- Basil
- Oregano
- Thyme
TIP: Try planting your garden in a circle and giving each plant its own “slice.”
Salsa Garden
This classic combination makes it easy to prepare fresh salsa, right from your own garden. For even more flavor, pick up some avocados and make guacamole!
- Tomatoes
- Sweet peppers
- Hot peppers
- Onions
- Cilantro
TIP: Cilantro tends to “bolt” (flower) as summer temperatures heat up, and the flavor really goes downhill after flowering starts. So, here’s a trick: plant couple plants every few weeks so that you can get fresh, leafy cilantro throughout the season.