Garden Pantry

[Amaranth]

We are trying to design a demo garden that includes the top 12 types of garden produce that people would like to have for their kitchens. What would be your top 12?

[domestic goddess]

Hmmm, I would say:
Tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic, parsley, thyme, oregano, potatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, green beans, peas. Not necessarily in that order. And rosemary, if I should get to add another.

[Merski]

Chard, cherry tomatoes, beets, green beans, parsley, garlic, cukes & zukes

[fidgiegirl]

Onions, garlic, carrots, basil, peas, green beans, tomatoes, squash

[Gina]

Tomatoes,
lettuce,
numex chile peppers,
Romano green beans,
thin-skinned cukes,
squash,
sweet corn,
peas (oriental, sugar snap, and English),
beets,
onions,
potatoes...
and herbs (basil, sage, oregano, rosemary, etc)

(do weeds count?) http://www.simplelivingforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=150&d=1294385638

[Rosemary]

My top 12:
kale, spinach, romaine, strawberries, sugar snap peas, wax beans, red currants, parsley, crookneck squash, scallions, asparagus, grape tomatoes.

[Tiam]

Lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, cukes, peppers, squash, spinach, peas, beans, potatoes, parsley, carrots. basil

[kib]

Is this the top 12 we eat, or the top 12 that are actually appropriate for the region? Unfortunately there's a big difference between the top 12 plants we actually use in our home, and the top 12 that will grow here. And there is the component of season.

The hardiest, most reliable plants for this region that will grow year round that we eat:

oregano, rosemary, potatoes, garlic and onion (harvest will last til next season), slightly protected parsley, lemon grass and mint, prickly pear pad. Mesquite and acorn flour but the jury's out: it's a nuisance and gives us stomach aches.

The winter crops in addition to above: lettuces, radishes, spinach, kale. carrots, beets. Pomegranate and potato grow in summer and last through winter quite well.

The summer crops that are most useful that actually grow well: basil, hot peppers, green beans, cucumbers, chard, tomatoes, eggplant, okra, zucchini, tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, apricots, prickly pear fruit. Chamomile, lemon verbena, chrysanthemum and ephedra make good dried teas.

The things that we eat plenty of that don't grow well or are too hard /water needy to DIY in this climate: broccoli, bell peppers, cabbage, corn, celery, peas, sweet melons, most nuts, most berries, apples.

I have been trying to have a year round indoor source of citrus fruit, to no avail - lots of flower, no fruit. Would definitely recommend this if I could get it to work!

If I lived in shagri la, I think the most useful things to grow would be:

garlic
onion - or chives, which are super easy around here.
a hot pepper suitable for powdering
ginger
potatoes
a citrus for flavor - lemon or lime
two or three eating fruits (stone, apple, citrus, berry, sweet melon, fig-family depending on taste)
3-4 favorite herbs. mine would probably be mint, basil, rosemary and oregano.

broccoli
peas
green beans
salad leaves
cooked leaf - beet, spinach, turnip, chard, collard depending on taste
salad extras - cucumber, radish
carrot
squash - zucchini, yellow, crook neck, or mexican gray
bell peppers

In addition, I think I'd grow a cut flower and maybe a scent herb like lavender. Grace at the table.

[flowerseverywhere]

tomatoes, garlic, basil, onion, lettuce, summer squash, winter squash, green beans, peas, peppers (hot and sweet), cucumbers

with an extended area I would add fruit and berries. Raspberries and blueberries once they get established are little care, however yield year after year.
then I would do strawberries, rhubarb and asparagus, potatoes, carrots and other root vegetables.

[ApatheticNoMore]

We are trying to design a demo garden that includes the top 12 types of garden produce that people would like to have for their kitchens. What would be your top 12?

Tomatoes
Chard
Lettuce
Green Beans
Onions
Garlic
Basil
Zucchini
Lemons

I could live off this :) - combined with protein sources and fats etc.

Fruits I'd most like beyond lemons:
Limes
Bananas
Mangoes
Cantaloupe and honeydew melons
(not all these things grow that easily here. I've seen all "attempted" in local gardens :D but only the citrus is going to come easy).

Yep that's my taste summed up. I love Mediterranean inspired foods for which we do have the climate, but have some craving for tropical fruits (so carby or so sweet mmm, gosh guavas and coconut are good too .... guy at the farmers market sold guavas, so it's possible somewhere somewhat locally). The only fruit fruit I actually eat regularly beyond citrus (mostly the sour stuff) is bananas. I'll just throw an occasional other fruit in when it's in season (apples in the fall, raspberries when I can get them etc.) or looks good (sometimes this will be the tropical stuff)

[Blackdog Lin]

Onions; garlic; tomatoes; zucchini; cucumbers; hot peppers; bell peppers; green beans; spinach; lettuce; basil; and dill.

[Amaranth]

Thanks everyone for your ideas. Anyone else want to add a list? We are in the process of finalizing the plan and would like the grow the things that the most people would like to have in their garden pantry.