What To Plant In Your Garden: A Simple Guide For Beginners

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January and February can feel long and dreary in the Northeast, but seed catalogs bring a little spark of hope. Planning a garden — dreaming about planting, tending, and harvesting fresh food — is often what gets me through the end of winter.

But deciding what to plant in a garden can also feel overwhelming, especially if you’re new to gardening or working with limited space or time.

Before you ever choose seed varieties or browse catalogs, it helps to step back and think about what actually makes sense for your life, your climate, and how you eat. This post walks through the simple questions I use each year to decide what to grow — without overthinking it.

Table of Contents

Make Some Lists

A simple way to start planning your garden is to make some lists. Writing things down helps you get organized and makes the task of choosing seeds feel much less overwhelming. Here are the questions I ask myself each year:

1. What do you like to eat?

It might seem obvious, but grow what you’ll actually eat! Make a list of your family’s favorite fruits and vegetables, even if some aren’t normally grown in your climate. Mark the ones you know you can grow, and do a little research on the others. You might be surprised at what’s possible with a little ingenuity — think cold frames, raised beds, or microclimates in your garden.

2. What is expensive to buy?

Look at what you spend the most on at the grocery store. Growing pricey items yourself can save money and make your garden feel extra rewarding. Berries, especially organic ones like blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, are often worth growing.

For me, zucchini is a must-grow because I only buy it organic (it’s commonly GMO), and it’s super easy to grow. I end up with way more than I can eat — but that’s part of the fun!

A good rule of thumb for choosing the most “profitable” crops in terms of harvest per square foot:

Most productive: Leafy greens (spinach, kale, chard) and herbs (chives, parsley, cilantro).
Moderate productivity: Tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and other fruiting plants.
Least productive: Root vegetables — they take more space and effort for the calories you get back.

3. What is easy to grow?

Start with plants that are forgiving, especially if you’re new to gardening. Easy-to-grow options include:

Herbs: Chives, parsley, basil, rosemary
Vegetables: Lettuce, carrots, green beans, peppers, peas, tomatoes, onions, squash

Potatoes are simple to grow, but keeping them pest-free organically can be tricky.

Strawberries can be finicky depending on your climate, but blueberries and raspberries are usually beginner-friendly once you learn proper pruning.

4. What’s your storage like?

Think about where you’ll keep extra harvests:

Root cellar: Root vegetables, squash, pumpkins
Freezer: Green beans, peas, corn
Canning/fermentation: Cucumbers, tomatoes, other fruits, and vegetables

If you don’t have much storage, consider planting just enough to eat fresh. This can be a simple way to enjoy your garden without feeling overwhelmed.

Compare Your List to the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen

When planning your garden, it can help to consider which produce you usually buy organic. The Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list highlights fruits and vegetables that are often highly contaminated with pesticides, meaning they’re best purchased organic if possible.

The Dirty Dozen (Buy Organic if You Can)

Find the most up-to-date lists here: EWG Dirty Dozen

Apples
Strawberries
Grapes
Celery
Peaches
Spinach
Sweet bell peppers
Nectarines
Cucumbers
Potatoes
Cherry tomatoes
Hot peppers
Leafy greens (lettuce, kale, collards)
Summer squashes

Yes, there are more than 12 items here!

Some lists leave off the last two, but I think they’re important.

For example, zucchini (a summer squash) is a must-have in my garden because it’s something I always buy organic.

Leafy greens like lettuce and kale are also easy to grow and worth including.

The Clean Fifteen (Less Concern About Pesticides)

These fruits and vegetables are generally lower in pesticide residues, so buying organic is less critical:

Mushrooms
Sweet potatoes
Cantaloupe
Grapefruit
Kiwi
Eggplant
Asparagus
Mangoes
Papayas
Sweet peas (frozen)
Cabbage
Avocados
Pineapple
Onions
Corn

Many of the Clean Fifteen won’t grow in my climate anyway, but it’s still useful to know when planning a garden — especially if you’re trying to prioritize what to grow organically.

Where Are You Gardening?

Before choosing what to plant, consider how much space you have. Your garden’s size will affect which vegetables give you the biggest harvest for the smallest footprint.

Best Plants for Small Spaces

If you’re gardening in a limited area — a small backyard, patio, or balcony — these plants are excellent choices:

Fruiting plants: Tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and other fruiting vegetables
Greens: Lettuce, spinach, kale, chard
Herbs: Basil, parsley, chives, cilantro
Edible flowers: Nasturtium, calendula, and other flowers that are both beautiful and tasty

Root vegetables like carrots, beets, and potatoes take up more space, but they pack a lot of calories per square foot. If you have room, they’re worth including in your garden plan.

Tip: Consider vertical gardening, container gardening, or interplanting to maximize harvests in small spaces.

My Garden Plan for This Year

Here’s what I’m planning to plant this year. Hopefully, it gives you some inspiration for what to plant in a garden:

Herbs

Basil – Easy to grow, great for fresh cooking
Parsley – Hardy and productive
Mint – Vigorous grower; best in a container to prevent spreading

Flowers

Sunflowers – Pollinator-friendly and fun to grow
Comfrey – Great for compost and garden mulch
Calendula – Edible flowers that attract beneficial insects

Leafy Greens

Spinach – Quick-growing and nutritious
Lettuce – Perfect for succession planting
Kale – Cold-hardy and high-yielding

Root Vegetables

Potatoes – Easy to grow, needs pest attention
Carrots – Good for cooler seasons
Onions – Store well if harvested correctly
Garlic – Plant in fall for next year’s harvest

Fruiting Vegetables

Cucumbers – Great for fresh eating and pickling
Zucchini Squash – Extremely productive
Butternut Squash – Good for storage and fall meals
Watermelon – Warm-season favorite
Cantaloupe – Sweet and rewarding
Pumpkins – Great for decoration and cooking
Peppers – Colorful and versatile
Tomatoes – A garden staple for fresh eating and canning

If you’re ready to learn more about buying seeds for your garden, you can find more information here:

How to Choose Seeds for Your Garden

More Gardening Resources

If you’re looking for more tips on growing an abundant garden with as little work as possible, check out these helpful guides on my blog:

Conclusion

Planning a garden doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By making simple lists, thinking about what you love to eat, what’s expensive or easy to grow, and considering your space and storage, you can create a garden that works for your life.

Start small, try a few new crops each year, and enjoy the process of watching your garden grow. With a little planning and observation, you’ll be harvesting fresh, delicious food and having fun along the way!

How Do You Choose What to Plant in Your Garden?

What to Plant in Your Garden: A Simple Guide for Beginners