Seeking advice

[Doris Wiseman]

Starting from scratch this coming spring with a vegetable garden to feed my family and hungry families in my area. I'd love to get suggestions about the best crops to grow for that purpose. Thanks!

 

[CanadianLori]

Welcome to the forum Doris.

You'll need to let everyone know w big a garden you want to have so they can offer relevant advice. And perhaps your location/growing zone too. Tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, potatoes are all fairly popular plants and good providers.

 

[marlingardener]

Welcome! We really need to know where you are in the USA, and your growing zone. If I offer Texas advice to someone in Wyoming, it won't be very useful!
We garden extensively with the same aim as yours--feed ourselves and give to the local food pantry. We have found that lettuces (leaf lettuces are easiest), cucumbers, bell peppers, summer squash (both green and yellow), and cherry tomatoes are very popular with the pantry clients. Fresh vegetables are a treat for them.
If you are going to donate to a food pantry, check with them to make sure they can accept vegetables from a non-commercial source, and also ask what the clients would most like.
Good luck with your garden, and feel free to ask any questions you may have.

 

[MaryMary]

Welcome to the forum!!

I have heard that ounce for ounce, the sweet potato provides the best overall nutritional value of any of the vegetables.

As far as feeding hungry families, I'd suggest some type of beans or legumes. They are high in fiber, which makes them filling. They also provide some protein, so some money can be saved by making meat portions smaller.

Here is a link I found to the top ten highest in protein.
https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/beans-legumes-highest-protein.php

Hope that helps!

 

[MoonShadows]

Nice to have you with us, Doris. I can't add much to what other members have already written. Once you can flesh out the details of where you are, watch out, you'll get all the advice you can handle! You can also put your location and your hardiness zone in your personal details by clicking your name up above at the top of this page, so others will always know how to fashion advice for you.

 

[Tjohn]

Tomatoes, Potatoes, and Kale will grow almost anywhere.....

 

[alp]

Welcome to the forum, @Doris!​

 

[alp]

Agree with @MaryMary Sweet potatoes are very good for you.

Agree with @Tjohn Kale is also easy to grow and good for you. Spinach is no fuss either. Salad cress is easy and a good way to get children to be interested in growing things. Sugarsnap is delicious and beans are easy to grow.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum from me too Doris.

I'm very much a novice gardener and I don't grow vegetables but when I start something totally new whatever this may be I research first. You've come to the right place for gardening advice because there are gardening experts on this forum only too willing to offer advice and suggestions. No question is silly so ask away.

My own very limited advice would be to grow potatoes as a starting crop as already advised but then if it was me I would as I say look at all aspects of growing by asking more questions here on the forum and also by browsing many YouTube videos such as this;

I know crop rotation is very important because a number of my friends are into vegetable gardening owning allotments; one of my friends bought a polytunnel to replace his damaged by Gale greenhouse and the polytunnel so far has stood up well over the last three years costing little.

Good luck Doris.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

noticed this question, but avoided it, as I am not a veggie gardener. Lets hope the initial person comes back and reads the generous thoughtful answers.