1. BEETS
Beets are a really easy vegetable to grow and you can get a long harvest of beets with a bit of planning and by utilizing successional planting. Most people think of the classic deep red globe-shaped beets, but may not realize that you can grow beets of different colors and shapes. I particularly like the yellow golden beets, while chefs I grew crops for were fans of long-shaped beets.
2. BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Brussels sprouts need a long growing season to produce those tall stalks of spherical sprouts that grace many people’s Christmas plates. To grow Brussels sprouts, you need to start thinking in late winter or early spring about sowing the seeds. Seeds can be sown in March indoors in colder climates and, as the brassica doesn’t need lots of extra heat to germinate, this can be done in an unheated greenhouse or in a cold frame.
3. CARROTS
Carrots are a hugely popular vegetable to grow and there are lots of varieties to choose from. Early varieties of carrots can be sown in March. Carrots are a crop that do need to be direct sown into the garden, rather than started indoors and transplanted outside.
The earliest sowings of carrots can take place in early spring, around three weeks before the last frost date. The ideal soil temperature to germinate carrots is 50-80°F - the seeds can germinate as low as 40°F but will be a lot slower - and the first carrot plantings should be done under the protection of cloches or fleece.
4. DINO KALE
If you do ever grow kale you will likely know there are many different types to grow, with various colors, sizes, and leaf shapes. I would always recommend growing dino kale, also known as cavolo nero or tuscan kale, for its dark and strap-shaped foliage that has a distinctive bumpy texture. It is another crop that was highly-sought after by chefs that I grew vegetables for.
5. LEEKS
When growing leeks, different types come as early and late varieties and, by growing both types, you can have a really long harvest of leeks. The earlier varieties of leeks can be sown in March, either indoors or outdoors. I have regularly started leeks indoors by sowing them into trays, or even shallow crates, filled with a good potting mix. The seedlings tend to germinate within a couple of weeks and the young leek plants are then transplanted directly out into the kitchen garden when they are 6-8 inches tall and the size of a pencil.
6. LETTUCE
There is such a plethora of different lettuce to grow, they can come in different sizes, shapes, and colors - and not to mention the flavors, as any homegrown lettuce is going to taste worlds apart than the ones you get in grocery stores.
Lettuce is a crop that can realistically be grown and harvested year-round. Sowings can be made indoors in early March, sown into pots or trays and planted out later in spring, while outdoor sowings can be made in the second half of the month and protected by cloches or fleece. Lettuce seeds will germinate quickly at temperatures of 60-65°F and need to be kept moist.
7. PARSNIP
Parsnips are regarded as a winter crop, but they do have a long growing season so benefit from being planted as soon as possible in early spring. There are a couple of caveats you need to understand when growing parsnips. Only ever use fresh seed - as the viability of old parsnip seeds drops dramatically - and do not transplant parsnips.