Food I’m Growing in 2026

I don’t change it up much from year to year. I like to grow things that I like to eat, and I’m kind of a basic gal. So this list looks much like last year’s. Someday when I have more room, I can grow luffas and tomatillos, but not now. Nothing listed here is new to me except the Royal Chantenay carrots, which are fat little plugs. So read on if you are trying to decide what to plant in your 7b garden, and especially if you are in southern New Jersey too!

For the tomatoes and green beans, this is my first time trying saved seed. Fingers crossed.

Amish Paste tomatoes (vining) (heirloom) (2-3 plants)

Saved seed from last year

Ideal Market green beans (vining) (heirloom) (4-5 plants)

Saved seed from last year

Scarlet Nantes and Royal Chantenay carrots (heirloom) (want to harvest at least 50 total by early summer, not sure how much room I’ll have)

Gifted seed

Yellow of Parma onions (heirloom) (at least 12)

Leftover seed from last year*

I might also try a new kind like Calibra.

Potatoes, or sweet potatoes? Still deciding. Looking at German Butterball potatoes or Covington sweet potatoes.

Would have to order seed potatoes/slips.

Emerald Crown broccoli and Silvia Brussels sprouts (4 of each) (hybrid)

Leftover seed from last year

These may have to wait til the fall for space reasons.

Lettuce: May Queen (heirloom), Coastal Star and Crispino (hybrid) (1 each, but successive plantings, so 9-12 plants total)

Saved seed and leftover seed

Sugar Pie Pumpkin (heirloom) (2-3 plants)

Gifted seed

Yellow Squash (heirloom) (1-2 plants)

Gifted seed

Herbs (all heirloom):

Basil, creeping thyme, thyme and rosemary (2 of each)

Need to buy more seed

Oregano and Sage

Should self-seed and/or survive winter

Cilantro and Parsley (2-3 plants each)

Saved seed from a prior year

Already growing out there: Garlic and strawberries

I was gifted a LOT of seeds (thanks, C.!) so I may have to somehow add to this list.

*You are supposed to use new onion seed every year, but this packet is quite full, so I’m thinking even if the germination rate is low, I’ll get enough for my purposes.

Gonna get the onions going this weekend! What are you going to grow this year?