2025 Kitchen Garden Grow List

It’s that time of year again—time to discuss what vegetable varieties we are planting in our kitchen garden this season. So break out your seeds, make a wishlist, and let’s talk about everything we’re growing food-wise, from snappy green beans to spicy radishes.

I’ll even share a bit about how our growing season went last year, the wins and the struggles. I meant to share so much about the garden last year since it’s such a big part of our home and family culture. But, in all honesty, I kept thinking I should start a separate blog to niche down just for gardening. So I stopped writing about plants here. Needless to say, I never started a second blog and this year I’m committed to sharing gardening posts weekly. Well, that’s the goal but we all know life happens.

I reference my 2025 goals for the vegetable garden quite a bit in this post. Give the goals post a quick read for reference. Production with a side of education is the priority for the garden this year.

So let’s dive in and talk kitchen garden seeds. My favorites, the tried and true varieties, and the types I’m still figuring out and trying to make work.

* New to me variety for 2025

Artichokes

It’s been a while since I’ve grown artichokes, maybe three or four years. We love them, and they’re getting so expensive at the store that it makes sense to grow them this year. Artichokes take up a lot of space, which is why I haven’t grown them recently, but we have plans to dig up a new in-ground row just for artichokes.

• Green Globe Artichoke

Beans (Dry)

Last year, when it came time to plant the dry beans, I ran out of space in the garden. Most of the dry beans I grow are bush varieties requiring quite a bit of space. If there was a theme for last year’s garden, it was “go rogue.” There was no plan, and I planted rather willy-nilly. I’m glad I tried it, but now I’m going back to our regularly scheduled planting program and planning out my beds.

• Black Eyed Butterbean*
• Cannellini Bean
• Cherokee Trail of Tears Black Bean
• Dapple Gray Bush Bean*
• Garbanzo Bean*
• Hutterite Soup Bean*
• Light Red Kidney Bean
• Pinto Bush Bean*
• Quincy Pinto Bean

Beans (Snap)

One of our children is obsessed with green, snap beans so we’re really leaning into them this year. Two of our long-time, favorite varieties for fresh eating are Maxibel Haricot, the long skinny green beans, and Royal Burgundy, a dark purple bean. The kids think it’s so fun to eat purple “green beans.” I usually grow Strike, a thicker and more substantial green bean, to pack in the freezer. They store better in the freezer than the other varieties I grow.

• Maxibel Haricot Bush Bean
• Royal Burgundy Bush Bean
• Strike Bush Bean

Beets

Ahhh…beets. I have a serious love affair with beets. If you need a gateway recipe to help convince you to grow beets this year, roast them gratin style with shallots. Insert chef’s kiss here. I’m also planning to grow a ton of the Detroit Dark Red variety to can some pickled beets. It’s been a while since I’ve done it and I’m looking forward to it. It’s one of my favorite snacks!

• Early Wonder Tall Type Beet
• Detroit Dark Red Beet
• Golden Detroit Beet
• Sweet Merlin Beet*

Brussels Sprouts

Me and brussels sprouts had a weird year last year. I grew my usual Dagans which did well until an aphid infestation hit, but I also tried the Long Island Brussel Sprout. I’ve been trying to switch some of my tried and true hybrid varieties to heirlooms. Well, both varieties got hit with aphids but the Long Island variety did not produce any brussels sprouts. Not a one. I couldn’t find Dagans at the store this year, so I’m trying out another variety. I’m giving both Nautic and Long Island a test go again this year to see what happens.

• Long Island Brussels Sprouts
• Nautic Brussels Sprouts*

Broccoli

Belstar and Covina, both F1 hybrids from High Mowing Organic Seeds, are my long-time tried and true varieties. Spring is weird in our zone 5A microclimate in Vermont. We tend to go from 45-degrees to 80-degrees overnight, which broccoli doesn’t like and typically bolts. I’ve had the best success with Belstar and Covina, thriving throughout the temperature swings. I’ve grown De Cicco broccoli in the past, mostly because it produces a ton of side shoots after the main head is harvested, but it’s more prone to bolting in the spring.

• Belstar Broccoli
• Covina Broccoli
• De Cicco Broccoli

Cabbage

This is the year of the cabbage trials since I still haven’t found my favorite varieties. I’m planting two or three of each cabbage variety and paying attention to see which grows and fills our kitchen needs the best.

Although I do have one front runner, Caraflex F1 hybrid from High Mowing. It’s a cone-shaped cabbage with sweet leaves and grows relatively fast, and well, in my garden. But this year, I picked Early Jersey Wakefield, an heirloom with a cone shape, fantastic flavor (according to the packet), and fast maturing. We’ll see if it’s comparable.

I’ve also yet to find the perfect-for-my-garden variety of large cabbage heads, large enough for making cabbage rolls. Late Flat Dutch has been the closest but still not there. I picked up Passat, an F1 hybrid from High Mowing, which I’ve heard others have great success with. It’s a late season variety, taking 90 days to reach maturity, but it produces 6-11 lb heads of cabbage.

Red Cabbage

• Amarant Cabbage*
• Primero Cabbage
• Red Acre Cabbage*

Green Cabbage

• Caraflex Cabbage
• Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage*
• Golden Acre Cabbage
• Late Flat Dutch Cabbage
• Passat Cabbage*

Carrots

I’ve long grown the Danvers and Napoli carrots from High Mowing. But in an effort to save money, I’ve been switching most of my seed buying to MI Gardener. It’s a $2 seed packet compared to a $4-5 seed packet and one of my favorite places to buy seeds. This year I’m sowing the last of my Danvers seeds and trying the Royal Chantenay and Scarlet Nantes varieties, two of MI Gardener’s most popular varieties in the 6-7″ range.

The kids also picked up the Dragon Carrot from our local seed store and asked to grow them in our garden this year. I will never say no to that request. So home it came. The carrot has a red-purple exterior with a traditional orange interior. They look so fun, and when the vegetables look fun, my kids tend to eat more of them.

• Danvers 126 Carrot
• Dragon Carrot*
• Royal Chantenay Carrot*
• Scarlet Nantes Carrot*
• Starburst Carrot Blend

Celery

My tried and true, Utah Tall celery are back in action again this year. I’ve tried a few varieties over the years but have found this one to perform the best. I’ve also learned that in my garden, I have better success when I water celery often and keep it in the part shade section. It tends not to bolt if I do those things.

• Utah Tall Celery

Corn

It’s been a few years since I’ve grown corn. It takes up a ton of space in my garden, especially because, for pollination reasons, you need to grow at least a 4′ x 4′ square section of corn. It’s hard to justify this when the most amazing, organic corn farm is directly across the road from us. Their fresh corn is amazingly delicious and I would rather use the space for something else.

BUT I have dreams of expanding our chicken operations, adding Easter egg colored laying hens and possibly raising and processing meat birds. The cost of chicken feed is high, so I want to grow food for our chickens, one of which is corn.

I have some leftover corn seeds from a few years ago so we’ll see how well they germinate. But I also picked up a new to me variety, Enchanted, an F1 hybrid from High Mowing, that’s supposed to have a longer ideal harvest window and is a great variety for processing and freezing, which I’d like to do.

• Enchanted Sweet Corn*
• Fisher’s Earliest Sweet Corn
• Roy’s Calais Flint Corn

Cucumbers

I made a huge faux pas in my garden last season and didn’t make a garden plan. Not even a basic planting plan. And when it came time to plant the cucumbers, I was out of room. It was the biggest garden crisis we’ve ever had because no one got the famous Grandma Gert’s Sour Crock Pickles, a family recipe like no other.

I’m excited this year to try a few new-to-me cucumber varieties. Sumter, a pickling cucumber, is supposed to be more vigorous, productive, and grows longer into the season when other varieties die off. I typically grow Boston Pickling so it will be fun to see which prevails.

I also couldn’t resist a packet of French Cornichon cucumbers that I saw at my local garden center. Cornichons are European style, tiny pickles often served with cocktails. I always see the (expensive) jars of cornichons at our local co-op and wanted to try to grow and make our own this season. They’re supposed to be prolific growers and can be made into tiny baby pickles or sweet gherkins.

• Boston Pickling
• French Cornichon
• Green Finger Cucumber
• Marketmore 76
• Silver Slicer Cucumber
• Sumter Cucumber*

Eggplant

I’m fairly certain that last year’s eggplants were either shocked during transplant or had a nutrient deficiency. I also wasn’t a great waterer last year, so it could also be that. Let’s just say the eggplants didn’t get much love.

My eggplant seedlings grew into huge, beautiful plants but dropped most of their blossoms, the few they produced. We harvest three eggplants from an entire bed of them. I missed eggplants last summer and am trying again this year.

I’m attempting a few new varieties this year because the seed packets for my usuals are getting older and aren’t germinating as well. Random side note, this post on seed expiration has some tips about when seeds start seeing germination problems. I’m most excited about the Jewel Amethyst eggplant from Botanical Interests. It’s a great variety for containers and produces 3-4″ fruits.

• Black Beauty Eggplant
• Diamond Eggplant*
• Jewel Amethyst Eggplant*
• Little Fingers Eggplant*
• Rosa Bianca Eggplant

Greens

When it comes to kale, I have a few tried and true varieties that I love including Blue Curled Scotch, Red Russian, and Darkibor. But when it comes to spinach, swiss chard, and lettuce, the other greens we eat most, I have no loyalties. Thus, I always seem to have a ridiculous amount of greens seeds. Especially because seed companies always seem to throw bonus packets of lettuce as a freebie with seed orders.

Of the new varieties I’m trying, the Tuscan Baby Leaf Kale is the most exciting. I have visions of keeping pots of this green on my patio table for easy harvesting. I love kale and the idea of stepping just outside my door and picking a few leaves for my salad from my patio stash sounds so dreamy.

I’m also excited about trying Perpetual Spinach from Baker Creek. It’s technically a swiss chard that looks and tastes like spinach. Supposedly, if you plant it early, it will grow throughout the summer and into the fall without bolting. I love spinach and eat it most days, but I haven’t found a spinach that can grow during our summers. Fingers crossed this is a winner!

• American Spinach*
• Blue Curled Scotch Kale
• Buttercrunch Butterhead Lettuce*
• Butterflay Spinach
• Esmee Arugula
• Garden Babies Butterhead Lettuce*
• Giant Winter Spinach
• Green Salad Bowl Looseleaf Lettuce*
• Heirloom Cutting Mix Lettuce*
• Improved Rainbow Blend Swiss Chard
• Little Gem Butterhead Lettuce
• Neon Glow Swiss Chard*
• Perpetual Spinach*
• Pink Swiss Chard
• Red Romaine Lettuce
• Red Russian Kale
• Slobolt Loose Leaf Lettuce*
• Tuscan Baby Leaf*
• Winter Density Romaine Lettuce*

Kohlrabi

I’m still in the middle of switching my kohlrabi seed purchasing from High Mowing to MI Gardener to save money. I have just a few more seeds of Trero kohlrabi left before I’m fully switched over. I haven’t noticed much of a difference between the High Mowing and MI Gardener varieties other than time to maturity.

• Purple Vienna Kohlrabi
• Trero Kohlrabi
• White Vienna Kohlrabi

Melons/Watermelons

My melon growing plan is a little bit nuts this year. Partly because, like cucumbers, I ran out of space last year for the melons. So this year, I’m jonesing for my favorites but also wanting to try a few new-to-me varieties.

Hands down, my all-time favorite melon to grow is the Baby Doll Watermelon from High Mowing. It’s a yellow watermelon with the sweetest flavor. They grow well, except for the year I didn’t water them enough, and are a medium-sized watermelon that matures around day 75.

I’ve never successfully grown a large, 20-30 lb watermelon. Although, I can’t say that I’ve tried. I’m giving it a whirl this year with Mountain Sweet Yellow from Botanical Interests and Tendersweet Orange from MI Gardener.

Have you seen the social media ads from Baker Creek this year? I tried to find them on YouTube but alas, could not. They are entertaining and have made me want to buy every single one of the seeds they’re promoting. I caved and bought the Rich Sweetness 132 melon seeds because of those ads. It’s a melon the size of a tennis ball, incredibly sweet, with productive vines. I want to add a new arched trellis this year, where I usually grow melons, and plant this one there.

• Baby Doll Watermelon
• Delice De La Table Melon
• Golden Giant Asian Melon*
• Green Flesh Honeydew
• Honey Rock Cantaloupe*
• Mountain Sweet Yellow Watermelon*
• Rich Sweetness 132 Melon*
• Sugar Baby Watermelon
• Tendersweet Orange Watermelon*

Onions/Shallots

I may have gone a little overboard on onions this year. First, in my defense, we had a great onion harvest last year and we’re already out of our storage onions in early March. So more storage onions needed. This year, I’m trying a few new varieties as we up our onion production, looking for the ones that store the longest.

I’m also adding pearl onions to the mix. Boeuf bourguignon has been one of our favorite fall/winter recipes and one of its hallmarks is pearl onions. I’d love to learn how to grow them for a fresh, fall harvest, but also maybe freeze some.

• Ailsa Craig Onion* (fresh eating, not long shelf life)
• Cortland Onion* (9-12 months storage)
• Cipollini Onion* (3-5 months storage)
• Pacific Pearl Onion
• Red Geneva Onion* (3-6 months storage)
• Red Wethersfield Onion (3-6 months storage)
• Tokyo Long White Bunching Onion
• Utah Yellow Sweet Spanish Onion* (8 months storage)
• White Sweet Spanish Onion (2 months storage)
• Zebrune Shallot (3-6 months storage)

Parsnip

The second my stores of parsnip run out every fall/early winter, I long for parsnip puree. It’s so good! It’s such a delicious alternative to mashed potatoes and my kids even eat it. But I never grow enough. Maybe this year I’ll up parsnip growing with my favorite variety from High Mowing.

• Halblange Parsnip

Peas

I love peas and so do my children. From fresh snow peas for snacks, snap peas in stir fries, and our all-time favorite shelling peas. There is probably no vegetable I love to grow more than shelling peas. Frozen peas from the grocery store have no flavor compared to a freshly shelled pea from the garden. Shelling peas are a lot of work, but so worth it.

This year, I’m trying a new-to-me variety of shelling pea, Green Arrow from MI Gardener and comparing it to my usual favorite, Laxton’s Progress #9 from High Mowing. I’m aiming to find my favorite in the spring, grow a second fall crop of the winner, and save seeds for next season.

I am also obsessed with Mammoth Melting Snow Peas from MI Gardener. OBSESSED obsessed. They are huge, absolutely should be grown on high trellises (last year’s plants grew taller than me and I’m 5’9″), and are delicious. I will snack on these all garden season long, dipped in ranch-spiced greek yogurt. Yum.

• Golden Sweet Pea*
• Green Arrow Shell Pea
• Laxton’s Progress #9 Shell Pea
• Mammoth Melting Snow Pea
• Spring Blush Pea*
• Sweet Gem Sugar Snap Pea

Peppers

There was a time in my life where the only peppers I grew were jalapenos. Fast forward 10+ years and my must-grow pepper list has expanded exponentially. Every year it gets longer, every year I swear I’ll cut back, but every year I try a new variety and find I can’t live without it. This year is no exception.

Mild Peppers

Of the new-to-me varieties of mild peppers, I’m most excited about the Red Corno Di Toro from MI Gardener. It’s known for being super productive and resilient, and is supposed to be delicious roasted or grilled. Fingers crossed for the summer’s most delicious stuffed pepper.

• Banana Pepper
• Bangles Blend Sweet Pepper
• California Wonder Bell Pepper
• Miniature Red Bell Pepper*
• Miniature Yellow Bell Pepper*
• Nadapeno Pepper*
• Pepperoncini Pepper
• Red Corno Di Toro*

Hot Peppers

I love my hot peppers and use them in everything. From Biquinho in poke bowls to grilled Anaheim, Poblanos baked served with rice to goat cheese stuffed Red Hot Cherry peppers, and Sugar Rush Peach bringing the heat and spice to fresh salsa.

This year, I’m trying to grow Thai Chili peppers to add to my latest culinary endeavor, Thai cooking. I’m also still on the hunt for that perfectly pickled sport pepper for Chicago-style dogs and am trying the Santa Fe Grande pepper.

• Anaheim Chili Pepper
• Ancho Poblano Pepper
• Biquinho Pepper
• Capperino Red Cherry Pepper
• Cayenne Long Slim Pepper*
• Early Jalapeno Pepper
• Jalapeno Pepper
• Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Pepper*
• Large Red Cherry Pepper
• Pimento Pepper
• Pumpkin Spice Jalapeno*
• Rooster Spur Pepper
• Santa Fe Grande Pepper*
• Serrano Pepper
• Shishito Pepper
• Sugar Rush Peach Pepper
• Thai Chili Pepper*

Pumpkins

I haven’t grown pumpkins in a couple of years because (theme of last year’s garden), I just ran out of space. Although our compost pile has produced quite a few volunteer plants for us. Most of the pumpkins I grow are for ornamental reasons. I’m thinking of creating an in-ground pumpkin patch just for the kids to pick from when selecting their carving pumpkin and to decorate the porch in the fall.

In terms of pie pumpkins, I cannot sing the praises of Winter Luxury from MI Gardener enough. It is so delicious. Last year I didn’t grow these pumpkins and resorted to canned pumpkin for November pie baking. What a disappointment. Winter Luxury is bound to make an appearance this year.

• Baby Boo Pumpkin*
• Howden Pumpkin*
• Jack Be Little Pumpkin
• Jarrahdale Blue Pumpkin
• Marina Di Chioggia
• Porcelain Doll Pumpkin
• Valenciano Pumpkin
• Wee-Be-Little Pumpkin*
• Winter Luxury Pumpkin

Radishes

Typically, I grow two varieties of radishes, Cherry Belle and French Breakfast, sweeter varieties that kids and adults both like. This year, I’m growing a few watermelon radishes, which I’ve grown before, but they’re more on the spicier side and adult-only.

I came across Rat’s Tail radish from Botanical Interests at our local garden center and was intrigued. Instead of growing below ground, the radish produces bean-like pods along a vine. I can’t help but give it a try.

• Cherry Belle Radish
• French Breakfast Radish
• Rat’s Tail Radish
• Watermelon Radish

Squash (Summer/Zucchini)

Last year, I had trouble germinating some of my summer squash and zucchini. Did I write down which varieties struggled? Nope. Do I remember which varieties didn’t germinate? Nope. So I bought some new seeds and have plans to start a few of everything and see what sticks. The 2024 laissez faire garden strikes again!

• Black Beauty Zucchini*
• Dark Green Zucchini
• Early Prolific Straightneck Squash*
• Golden Zucchini*
• Green Machine Zucchini
• Grey Zucchini*
• Supersonic Summer Squash

Squash (Winter)

Last garden season, I grew a few winter squash varieties but not many. I really had to cut back my planting plans in 2024 because I ran out of space. This year, one of my big focus areas is to grow winter squash and store them. They last quite a while when cured and stored correctly and can feed our family all winter long. I want to grow so much winter squash that my family is sick of it come spring.

I’m trying a few new varieties this year. The squash I’m particularly excited for is the Mashed Potatoes Acorn squash from Territorial Seeds. It’s a pure white squash. When cooked and mashed, it looks like potatoes but tastes like squash.

• Baby Blue Hubbard Squash
• Blue Hubbard Squash
• Burgess Buttercup Winter Squash
• Delicata Squash
• Galeux D’Eysines Squash
• Gil’s Golden Pippin Squash*
• Honey Boat Delicata Squash
• Mashed Potatoes Acorn Squash*
• North Georgia Candy Roaster*
• Small Wonder Spaghetti Squash*
• Spaghetti Squash
• Sweet Reba Acorn Winter Squash
• Waltham Butternut Winter Squash

Tomatoes

You’d be hard-pressed to find a kitchen gardener that does not dream about fresh from the vine tomatoes during the winter. You’d also be hard-pressed to find a gardener that can narrow down to one or two of their favorite tomato varieties. Twenty-three is an acceptable number of favorites, right?!

Paste/Plum/Mid-Size Tomatoes

This year, with a focus on production, I’m planning to grow a bunch of paste tomatoes so I have plenty of harvests to can with. I aim to put up several jars of marinara, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and more. I also can’t ignore tomatoes for fresh salsa, one of our favorite summer treats.

• AAA Sweet Solano*
• Amos Coli*
• Rio Grande Tomato
• San Marzano Tomato

Cherry/Pear Tomatoes

Most of our cherry and pear tomatoes do not make it into the house. Between the kids and myself (even Colby), most get snacked on straight from the garden.

Believe it or not, below is my pared down growing list for cherry and pear tomatoes. Even the new-to-me varieties are pared down. There were so many favorites that I didn’t grow last year that had to make a comeback, like Champagne Bubbles.

Of the new-to-me varieties I’m stoked to try the 42 Day Tomato from MI Gardener. It’s supposed to be the world’s earliest producing tomato. Let’s see if it lives up to the hype.

• 42 Day Tomato*
• Black Cherry Tomato
• Champagne Bubbles Tomato
• Gold Nugget Cherry Tomato*
• Matt’s Wild Cherry Tomato
• Mexico Midget Cherry Tomato*
• Orange Currant Tomato*
• Red Pear Tomato
• Sungold Cherry Tomato
• Sweet Million Cherry Tomato*
• Sweetie Cherry Tomato*
• Yellow Pear Tomato

Large Beefsteak Tomatoes

The big dogs of the tomato garden, the large beefsteak tomatoes. There is no prouder moment than snipping a tomato off the vine weighing over a pound. They make the best tomato sandwiches that I drool over just thinking about. Summer isn’t summer until that first tomato sandwich comes along.

• Abe Lincoln Tomato
• Berkeley Tie-Dye*
• Dr. Wyche’s Yellow Tomato
• Paul Robeson Tomato

Specialty Tomatoes

This is the part of the blog post where I get on my soapbox and preach about Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry, a tiny husk tomato that tastes like candy. There is nothing that will keep my children in the garden longer than the promise of ground cherries. They are delicious, prolific, and the best garden snack out there. If you’ve never grown one, make this your year. Warning, the seeds take forever to germinate. Don’t get discouraged!

• Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry
• Grande Rio Verde Tomatillo*
• Toma Verde Tomatillo

Turnips/Rutabagas

Admittedly, I have a turnip and rutabaga problem. They’re so easy to grow, great in the spring or fall, and are just downright delicious. If I’m picking favorites, it would be the Navone Yellow rutabaga. Roast them like beets and enjoy when the temps are cooler.

• American Purple Top Rutabaga
• Golden Ball Turnip
• Joan Rutabaga
• Navone Yellow Rutabaga
• Purple White Globe Turnip
• Shogoin Turnip*

What I’m Not Growing

Just as important to what I am growing in the garden this year is what I’m NOT growing. It’s hard to scrap something I’ve grown year after year, but time and space in the garden is limited. I don’t want to dedicate either to growing food we don’t eat or something that I struggle growing.

Cauliflower

Last year, I grew my first successful cauliflower. And I almost got to harvest it before a chicken attacked it. We don’t eat a ton of cauliflower as a family and I struggle to grow it. I think this year, I’ll pass on it.

Celeriac

I LOVE celeriac. It’s a root vegetable that cooks and mashes down like potatoes but tastes like celery. But I am the only person in my family who loves celeriac. The jury is deliberating on whether or not to grow it this year, but I’m leaning towards not. But knowing me, I’ll tuck a few plants in the bed.

Cucamelons

It pains me not to grow cucamelons in the garden this year. They are adorable, tiny cucumbers that look like miniature watermelons. But my focus this garden season is on production and cucamelons take up a lot of space for not a lot of production. But maybe I’ll plant a few as patio plants.

Fennel

I just recently started growing fennel, but I’m the only one in the family who likes it. I’ll likely skip it this year to grow more green beans.

Greens

Collared and mustard greens were the first on the chopping block this year. I’ve grown them for a few years, but we just don’t eat enough of them on a regular basis to justify the space.

Leeks

I very rarely use the leeks I grow even though I have intentions to. So in a year focusing on production and fresh eating, leeks got the axe.

What Are You Growing?

Now that I’ve absolutely exhausted all the words I can about what I’m growing in the garden, for those of you still with me (first of all…you deserve a medal), what are you growing in your garden this year? Do you have any tried and true varieties you just can’t quit? Do tell!!

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