Don’t DIY: Produce You Shouldn’t Bother Growing In Your Garden

Don’t DIY: Produce You Shouldn’t Bother Growing In Your Garden

While growing your own garden full of ripe, fresh produce is a fantastic undertaking, there are a few types of food that simply are not worth growing yourself due to the effort or space they require. Here are a few types of those foods.

Wheat, oats and other grains. The average backyard simply does not have the space to produce much grain, and harvesting and processing grains takes a significant amount of time and effort. In addition, flour, cereal and other grains are generally quite inexpensive, even in their less-processed forms.

Carrots. While carrots are not technically difficult to grow, they require very careful soil preparation. The soil must be loose and sandy and free from items like rocks, sticks and other roots, as these items can cause carrots to split and fork.

Pumpkin and other winter squash. These pretty fall veggies are great for making pies and roasting, but growing them yourself takes a significant amount of space due to the spreading nature of their vines. Several square feet of garden space may yield just one or two squash worth eating. You’re better off purchasing these inexpensive veggies at your local farmer’s market or produce stand.

Celery. This crisp veggie is considered one of the most difficult to grow well by even seasoned gardeners. It not only requires consistently cool, mild temperatures, but it requires a significant amount of water. Celery is another vegetable that is very inexpensive year-round, so you are better off purchasing it at the store.

Cabbage. This crisp, pungent veggie requires lots of space and is prone to infestations by insects. You need one to two square feet to grow a single head of cabbage, which usually costs less than a dollar per pound at the grocery store.

Dry beans. Pinto, navy, kidney and other dried beans need lots of space for harvests significant enough to dry and store. You would have to plant a rather large plot to yield just a pound of dried beans, which can be purchased for around two dollars.

Corn. While corn is a common veggie to grow in backyard gardens, it really isn’t worth it if space is at a minimum, because it must be planted in a block of several stalks for adequate pollination. Fresh sweet corn is abundant and inexpensive in summer produce stands, so you’re better off saving the space for something that isn’t as readily available.

Eggplant (aubergines). These gorgeous purple veggies need plenty of space to sprawl, and the yield is fairly low. They usually aren’t very expensive to buy at the supermarket, either.

Planting a garden is definitely a worthwhile investment of your time and money, but only if you put all of that hard work towards veggies that produce a high yield for the space and time required. Purchase the vegetables mentioned in this article at the supermarket or produce stand, and save your garden space for items that are hard to find, expensive to purchase, or especially easy to grow.