Easy Vegetables to Grow in Raised Beds | Beginner Gardener Part 2

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We’re diving into the fun stuff today with some easy vegetables to grow in raised beds!

Welcome back to Part 2 of our Beginner Gardener series. In this series we are walking you through step by step, from creating your first raised bed all the way to harvesting your bounty! If you missed part 1, you can check that here.

Today we’re covering 12 easy vegetables you can grow in raised beds. I’ve selected these 12 not just because they are easy. These 12 veggies are production power houses, even on a small scale. What I want you to take home from this (other than growing a garden!) is that we don’t need loads of space to have a successful garden. We can start small (and stay small if that’s best for you) and still have loads of success.

Last Frost Date

Before a single crop goes into your newly constructed raised bed, you need to figure out your last frost date.

Your estimated “last frost” is a rough date as to when your area stops receiving freezing temperatures at night. In Pittsburgh, I use May 15. It’s an estimated date as our last frost can be April 25 or May 31. But I like mid-May as it’s right smack in the middle of the month.

To get your “last frost” date, simply enter your zip code here. The Old Farmers Almanac will give you a date based on your zip code. It isn’t fail proof. The date is about 30% accurate. I like to add 2 weeks to the date given to be more certain we won’t get hit with a late frost…it happens!

Why Your Last Frost Date is Important

While this date is an estimate, it’s very important. But why?

Heat Loving Vegetables

Summer vegetables, like tomatoes, peppers and basil, like hot, hot weather. But not only that, they will absolutely melt in a frost. When your nighttime temperature hits 32 degrees, your plants will die instantly. So it’s really important to make sure your last frost has passed. I start checking my 10 day forecast on May 1.

Watch those nighttime temperatures. When you see your lows are no longer dipping below 40, you can start planting out your summer vegetables. I like to wait until the nighttime lows are above 50, however. It’s a safer bet and the soil is warmer which is better for summer crops. Right around May 15th our lows in Pittsburgh are in the 50’s.

12 Easy Vegetables to Grow in Raised Beds

We are going to skim the surface of each of these crops. In later parts of this series, we will cover each crop in more detail. Onto the 12!

1. Snap Peas
2. Lettuce/Greens
3. Carrots
4. Onions
5. Garlic
6. Potatoes
7. Beans
8. Radish
9. Peppers
10. Tomatoes
11. Zucchini
12. Herbs (Okay so not a vegetable, but we are lumping it in here because every vegetable garden needs some herbs!)

How Many Vegetables Can I Grow in Raised Beds?

Each vegetable has its own requirements as to space. But with raised beds, I like to follow a closer planting method.

I like to maximize production by growing plants close together, growing larger plants vertically (like zucchini) so they take up less room, and using every square inch of space available.

When the bed is full, there is less room for weeds to grow. Also, the soil is shaded, thereby staying cooler and keeping your plant roots hydrated longer (less watering for you!).

In parts 3 and 4 of our series, we will cover each of these vegetables in detail and go over how many you can grow in your raised beds based on size. Until then, I want you to make a list of what you want to grow this year. Put your list in order of the most important vegetables to the least. When we cover spacing next, you can decide how important each vegetable is to you based on its space requirements.

Remember, you don’t have to grow everything! Grow what you and/or your family will actually eat. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to see how quickly kids will hork down veggies when they were fresh picked from the garden. It’s a sight to behold! Okay I can’t just say kids here. I am far more inclined to eats beans I grow versus beans from the store. It’s just more fun!

If you’re new here, be sure to check out all parts of our Beginner Gardener Series to get you growing your best raised bed vegetable garden ever!

Remember to do your homework, and I’ll see you back here in 3 days!

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