What We’re Planting in Our Garden This Year

We always say that we’re good farmers and novice gardeners. But honestly—at what point do you move beyond "novice"? Every year feels like a learning experience, and maybe that’s just how gardening (and farming) should be.

I always loved the idea of having a garden, but in the beginning when we first moved into our home over 7 years ago, I absolutely hated that I wasn’t immediately great at it. I overthought everything. What if I water too much? What if I don’t water enough? What if I plant the wrong things together and ruin the whole thing? It felt like there were way more ways to fail than to succeed.

But once I got past that—once I embraced the learning curve and stopped seeing missteps as failures—it became so much fun!

So, I want to share what we’re planting this year, along with a few things you can try in your own garden.

Just Start Small

If you’re new to gardening, don’t get overwhelmed. Your garden doesn’t have to be pinterest perfect. Your garden doesn't have to feed your family 100% of the time. That’s all crazy overwhelming. Start small—with one or two things. That’s how we started. Each year, we grow a little more, and even though we aren’t preserving as much as we’d like just yet, we get better every season.

For example, this year we might have actually put away enough bell peppers to last us through the winter—and that feels like a huge win!

What We Are Growing This Year

🌱 Tomatoes – We plant a few different varieties just for fun. Last year, we lost almost all of them to a tomato bug (devastating), but we found a natural solution and are ready this year if they come back. See that - our misstep wasn't a failure, but an opportunity to learn!

🥒 Cucumbers – We always have a ton of cucumbers because everyone in the family loves them. RA will literally pick one off the vine and eat it right there in the garden.

🫑 Bell Peppers – These are a staple in our cooking, and they’re easy to chop, slice, and freeze for winter use.

🌿 Okra – This is a first-choice summer crop for us! It loves the heat, keeps producing all season, and is great for frying, pickling, or throwing into gumbo. I had NEVER eaten a raw okra till marrying Brandon and planting our garden, honestly, I think I'd only ever had it fried - nothing wrong with that at all, haha, still so delicious and my favorite way to eat it, but have you tried one right off the plant?! Incredible! A totally underrated garden snack!

🍓 Strawberries – We’ve grown them for two years now—our first year was great, last year was kind of a dud, but we’re hopeful for a better season this time around!

🥒 Squash & Zucchini – Absolute musts in our household during the summer.

🥬 Lettuce – It struggles in the heat, but is the first thing to be planted in our garden, will go in this week, and it does well through mid-June for us.

🌿 Herbs – If you’re new to gardening, start with herbs! Basil, thyme, and rosemary are so easy to grow and are great in so many dishes. If you don't think you have a green-thumb, grow mint, but beware you can't kill it (or at least that's how it feels) and it takes over! Definitely something to plant in a container and don't be surprised with it jumps out of the container.

It’s Never About Perfection

Our garden is far from perfect, and that’s okay. It’s fun because we make it fun. One thing we always do is plant a lot of flowers too—not just to attract pollinators (which is important!), but also because they’re just beautiful.

The garden is a space that makes us smile. It’s a reminder of what we can create with our own hands.

So don’t be overwhelmed. Start with one or two things. Maybe a few pots on your porch so you don’t forget about them. You never know where you’ll be in a few years—I sure can’t believe where we are!

So, what are you planting this year?