Looking to grow some herbs, fruits or veggies this summer? If you didn’t start with seeds 6 weeks ago, don’t worry! You can still make it happen if you work with the growing space you have and pick plants that will thrive under those conditions.

First, you’ll want to consider what growing zone you’re in. Gardeners in Victoria BC are going to have different plant options than Timmins ON! Check out this plant hardiness zone map to see what kind of crops you should focus on.

Another important consideration is your yard orientation. You’ll first want to know if the place you plan to plant has full sun (6-10 hours per day), partial sun (morning or afternoon sun, around 4 hours per day), or full shade (little or no direct sunlight). Here are a few options for each condition:

Plants for full sun 

• Radishes

• Green beans

• Saskatoon berries

Plants for partial shade 

• Lettuce or kale

• Beets

• Cucumber

Plants for full shade 

• Mint

• Rhubarb

• Parsley

Bedding Plants 

What else should you consider when planting your edible garden? Well, what if you want it to both taste good AND look good? Normally a garden has a bunch of filler flowers, called bedding plants. Think of it like a flower garden, but swap the traditional flowers with flowering vegetables and fancy-leafed plants including swiss chard, basil, eggplant, lavender, hops, chives, arugula, and hot peppers.

Native Plants 

If you’re still struggling after all these suggestions, one of the most successful ways to get edible plants to take to your yard is by choosing something that’s native to the growing zone. Across most of southern Canada, popular native (and edible) options are leeks, violets, wild strawberries, fiddleheads, watercress, or sage.

Hopefully you found a new idea here for your garden this summer. If you grow any of these, I’d love to see a picture of the garden!