Backyard Gardening

Here are six common fruits and vegetables that are easy and fun to plant in your own backyard garden! 

Green Beans 

When to Plant: Directly plant the seeds into your garden before summer after the last frost. 

Harvesting: The beans can be ready to pick in about 60 days and will continue to regrow after picking. 

Other Details: Provide support for the growing vines with a pole, trellis, or fence.  

Cucumbers 

When to Plant: Start growing the plant in a pot indoors at the beginning of May and transplant to your garden in mid-June or after the last frost.  

Harvesting: Use clippers to cut off ripe cucumbers from the stem. Make sure to pick them before they get too big or start to turn yellow.  

Other Details: Provide a trellis when you transplant the plant outside to support the stems as they grow.  

Carrots 

When to Plant: Start your first crop in mid-spring three weeks before the last frost; you can keep planting seeds every two to three weeks for continuous growth. 

Harvesting: Carrots can be harvested when they are only the size of your finger but can be left in the ground until they are bigger. Check the size of the root by gently removing dirt from the top. If the carrot is an ideal size, gently lift it out of the ground. 

Bell Peppers 

When to Plant: Start growing bell pepper indoors at the beginning of May and transplant the seedlings outdoors during mid to late June. 

Harvesting: Clip peppers off the plant when they are ripe (ideal ripeness depends on your preference of pepper taste and consistency). 
 
Other Details: Provide support for the plant with a trellis or poles.  

Tomatoes 

When to Plant: Plant your tomatoes indoors in mid-April and transplant them to your garden in mid to late May. A week before transplanting, set the young plants outside for increased periods each day so they can get used to the outside weather.  

Harvesting: Gently pick your tomatoes off the vine when they are still green and just beginning to show a little bit of color; allow them to completely ripen to their expected red color indoors. 

Other Details: Provide a trellis or pole for support, and tie stems to the poles as the plant grows and become heavier.  

Raspberries 

When to Plant: Plant your raspberry bushes during late spring, after the last frost.  

Harvesting: Once the raspberries are red and ripe, they should be picked daily. 

Other Details: Provide support for growing bushes with t-posts and wires (picture a very short version of wooden telephone wires). Plant away from nightshade plants such as tomatoes and peppers to ensure the ultimate health of your raspberries.  

Note: All these plants listed should be planted in full sun light and watered regularly to grow and stay happy. Add compost to your garden soil at least a week before planting any of your plants to create ideal growing soil.