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Edible Plants for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

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Edible Plants – Buying & Growing Guide

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by Mary Van Keuren | Gardener (30+ Years Experience) – last update on December 2, 2021

Edible gardening includes fruit, vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers. There are thousands of varieties within each of these categories, and you are sure to find one or more that appeal to you and are easy to grow in your garden.

Types of Edible Gardening

Type  Growing Zones Mature Height Harvest Season Sun Features
Tomato, Solanum lycopersicum Annual (zones 3-12) 3-6 feet July to October Full sun: 6 or more hours of direct light a day Comes in bush and vine forms, and more than 10,000 cultivars are available
Basil; Ocimum basilicum Annual (zones 2-13) 18-24 inches June to September Full sun: 6 or more hours of direct light a day Can be harvested as soon as plants are 6-8 inches, and best grown from transplants
Strawberries, Fragaria x ananassa 5-8 (cool season annuals in zones 9-10) 6 inches June to first frost Full sun: 6 or more hours of direct light a day Short-lived perennial, can reproduce through runners, and is easy to grow
Summer squash, cucurbita pepo Annual (zones 3-10) 1-3 feet July to September Full sun: 6 or more hours of direct light a day Tender annual, will frost-kill, can be hand-pollinated andmay need trellising
Thyme, Thymus vulgaris 4-10 6-12 inches Throughout the growing season Partial to full sun: at least 4 hours of sun a day Evergreen perennial, mulch well in winter, can be picked all year 
Watermelon, Citrullus lanatus Annual (zones 2-11) 16-24 inches” July to October Full sun: 6 or more hours of direct light a day Tender annual, vines can reach 20 feet, melons are ripe when tendrils turn brown
Garlic, Allium sativum 3-8 24-36 inches June to August Full sun: 6 or more hours of direct light a day Perennial but grown as an annual, plant in fall after the first frost
Lettuce, Lactuca sativa Annual (zones 2-10) 12 inches May to November Partial to full sun: at least 4 hours of sun a day Easy to grow, bolts in hot weather, tolerates frost and some shade
apples, Malus pumila 3-8 6-30 feet September to October Full sun: 6 or more hours of direct light a day Most require two or more varieties for pollination, dwarfs can be pot-grown
Broccoli, Brassica oleracea var. italica Biennial, grown as annual (zones 2-11) 24 inches July to November Full sun: 6 or more hours of direct light a day Tolerates cool weather, harvest before flower buds open

How to Plant Edible Plants

Most edible plants do best in well-draining soil amended with an application of well-rotted compost or manure. With a few exceptions, such as lettuce and some herbs, edibles do best in full sun. 

When planting, consider the mature size of your plants. Watermelon vines, for example, can extend 20 feet, so be sure you plant them in a spot where they’ll have room to spread out. Planting edibles too close together can result in fungal diseases. 

Feed your edible plants with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer throughout the growing season according to package directions. Most edibles do best with about an inch of water a week, if not getting that amount from rain, give them a drink from the hose or an irrigation system.

How to Grow Edible Plants

  • When. Plant edibles plants in the spring after the danger of frost is past. Plant tomatoes, peppers, and other members of the nightshade family once the soil has warmed up to 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Where. Full sun is best for most edible plants. They will produce the best crops if they receive six or more hours of sunlight a day.
  • How. Dig a hole deeper than your seedling’s root ball and place it in the hole. Fill in with soil around the roots. If planting from seeds, cover them with the amount of soil indicated on the package. Water thoroughly once planted. Mulching will protect the young plants and help conserve water in the soil. 

How to Care for Edible Plants

  • Watering and nutrients. Direct water at the base of your edible plants and avoid wetting the leaves to help avoid fungal diseases. Regular feeding of fast-growing summer annuals will help ensure that you get a bumper crop of produce.
  • Pruning. Most vegetables, with a few exceptions, don’t require pruning except to remove dead or diseased limbs or foliage. Fruit trees need regular pruning in late winter to control and encourage new growth.
  • Pollination. Some edible plants are self-pollinating or don’t require pollinators to produce a crop, such as many herbs. Vegetables, including summer squash and most fruit trees, are pollinated by insects or the wind, and some need to be planted near another of the same or a different variety to ensure cross-pollination.
  • Harvesting. Harvest times vary for edible plants. Some, including many herbs, can be harvested throughout the growing season, others, such as most vegetables, ripen in mid to late summer, with September and October being prime harvest seasons.