I’m a big fan of vegetable gardening. I’ve been growing in our backyard for about a year now. We have a nice 100 square foot plot of  soil in our backyard which gets a lot of sun and allows me to grow a variety of herbs and vegetables. Last week, being daylight savings and the early start of Spring, I planted cabbage, tomatoes, beets, lettuce, spinach, cilantro, green onion, and parsley. Take a look

There’s not a lot to see yet, but in the next 30-60 days, there should be some nice greens. It takes some time and patience, but it’s rewarding when you’re eating your own homegrown vegetables. I love cooking too, so putting the two together makes for some nice hobbies.

If you’re interested in growing in your own backyard, here are some common fruits and vegetables to grow by season:

Winter: Citrus fruits (such as grapefruits, lemons and oranges), bananas, kale, leeks, mushrooms, onions, pears, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips and winter squash (such as butternut and acorn)

Spring: Apricots, asparagus, bananas, broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, green beans, honeydew melon, lettuce, mangoes, peas, onions, leeks, mushrooms, pineapple, rhubarb, spinach and strawberries

Summer: Apricots, bananas, beets, bell peppers, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, cantaloupe, cherries, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, grapefruits, grapes, green beans, honeydew, melon, kiwifruit, lima beans, mushrooms, nectarines, okra, peaches, peas, plums, radishes, strawberries, summer squash, tomatillos, tomatoes, watermelon and zucchini

Fall: Apples, bananas, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, cranberries, garlic, ginger, grapes, mushrooms, parsnips, pears, pineapple, pumpkins, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, winter squash (such as butternut and acorn) and yams.

To see what’s growing seasonally in your region, visit:

http://snap.nal.usda.gov/foodstamp/nutrition_seasons.php.

-JK