What to Grow: Grow What You Like to Eat

One of the most important things to consider when choosing what to plant in your backyard garden, is what you like to eat or what you would like to try eating.  Nothing is worse than growing a whole slew of veggies that you do not really care for.  And, let's be honest, sometimes there is just that one vegetable that no amount of added seasoning can make yummy.

For me, I don't care for beets or radishes.  I just think they are lousy.  When I first got interested in gardening, because they are easy-to-grow, I would plant them.  When they ripened, I would proudly pick them and admire their beauty, and then they would sit in my refrigerator, never-to-be-eaten.  I would try preparing them different ways, and sometimes I would nosh on them hoping to acquire a taste for them, but NOPE! I just do not like beets or radishes.  I could take a few to my co-workers or neighbors--if they would even take them.  Turns out, I'm not the only one who isn't impressed by beets or radishes.  And so, after watering and nurturing my beets and radishes, getting the satisfaction associated with pulling them up and washing all the dirt off them, there they would sit and shrivel in my fridge until, eventually, they would get chopped up and tossed in the compost bin.  What a waste! 

After much deliberation, I decided that I would not be growing beets or radishes again.  In fact, if I don't like it, I won't grow it.  There is no sense in growing a veggie in your backyard that sucks.  Now, in place of beets or radishes, I can grow more of my favorites--like these Green Beans, or try out new vegetables--like this Scalloped Yellow Squash.