Red Raspberry

Rubus idaeus

Rosaceae

LC Moderate

☀️SunFull Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade

💧WaterProvide 1-1.5 inches of water per week during flowering and fruiting. Use drip irrigation where possible to keep foliage dry and reduce fungal disease.

🗺️Zone3a-9b

📏Height4-6 feet (1.2-1.8 m), occasionally up to 8 feet (2.4 m)

Ideal pH5.5 – 6.5

Rhubarb, Garden Rhubarb, Pie Plant

Rheum rhabarbarum

Polygonaceae

LC Easy ⚠️ Highly Toxic

☀️SunFull Sun, Partial Sun

💧Water1-2 inches of water weekly during the active growing season; sensitive to drought stress and soil saturation.

🗺️Zone3a - 8b

📏Height2-4 feet

Ideal pH6 – 6.8

Rosemary

Salvia rosmarinus

Lamiaceae

NE Easy

☀️SunFull Sun

💧WaterWater deeply but infrequently. Allow soil to dry between waterings. Avoid wet foliage and poorly drained soil.

🗺️Zone8a - 10b

📏Height1-6 feet

Ideal pH6 – 7.8

Spinach, English Spinach, True Spinach, Leaf Spinach

Spinacia oleracea

Amaranthaceae

NE Easy

☀️SunFull Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade

💧WaterProvide 1-1.5 inches of water per week. Keep soil evenly moist but not saturated.

🗺️Zone2a-11b; grown as a cool-season annual

📏Height6-12 inches vegetative; 24-30 inches when bolting

Ideal pH6.5 – 7.5

Showy Stonecrop, Ice Plant, Autumn Stonecrop, Live-Forever

Hylotelephium spectabile

Crassulaceae

LC Easy

☀️SunFull Sun

💧WaterWater deeply upon planting until established; mature plants require no supplemental irrigation except during unprecedented droughts.

🗺️Zone3a - 9b

📏Height1.5-2 feet

Ideal pH6 – 7.5

Garden Strawberry

Fragaria × ananassa

Rosaceae

NE Moderate

☀️SunFull Sun, Partial Sun

💧WaterProvide 2.5-4 cm (1-1.5 inches) of water per week; drip irrigation is preferred to keep foliage dry.

🗺️Zone3a-10b

📏Height15-30 cm (6-12 inches)

Ideal pH5.5 – 6.8

Common Sunflower, Annual Sunflower, Mirasol

Helianthus annuus

Asteraceae

LC Easy

☀️SunFull Sun

💧WaterWater regularly during germination and early stem growth (1 inch/week). Drought tolerant once established, though consistent moisture yields larger blooms.

🗺️Zone2a - 11b

📏Height5-12 feet

Ideal pH6 – 7.5

Sweet Basil, Common Basil, Genovese Basil, Great Basil

Ocimum basilicum

Lamiaceae

LC Easy

☀️SunFull Sun

💧WaterWater when the top 1-2 inches of soil are dry. Avoid overhead watering to prevent foliar diseases like downy mildew.

🗺️Zone10a - 11b (Perennial); Annual elsewhere

📏Height12-24 inches (30-60 cm)

Ideal pH6 – 7.5

Sweet Pea, Garden Sweetpea

Lathyrus odoratus

Fabaceae

LC Moderate ⚠️ Highly Toxic

☀️SunFull Sun, Partial Sun

💧WaterMaintain consistent root-zone moisture; water deeply at the base early in the day to prevent powdery mildew spores from germinating on foliage.

🗺️Zone2a - 11b (Annual)

📏Height6-8 feet

Ideal pH6.5 – 7.5

Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum

Solanaceae

LC Easy ⚠️ Mildly Toxic

☀️SunFull Sun

💧WaterDeep water 1-2 inches per week. Avoid wetting foliage to prevent fungal diseases.

🗺️Zone9-11 (Perennial), Grown as Annual in 2-8

📏Height3-10 feet (Indeterminate)

Ideal pH6 – 6.8

Garden Tulip, Didier's Tulip

Tulipa gesneriana

Liliaceae

LC Easy ⚠️ Mildly Toxic

☀️SunFull Sun, Partial Sun

💧WaterWater thoroughly after planting in autumn to promote root establishment. Provide moderate moisture during active spring growth, then withhold irrigation completely once foliage begins to senesce in summer.

🗺️Zone3a - 8b

📏Height1-2 feet

Ideal pH6 – 7.2

Watermelon, Wild Watermelon, Kalahari Melon

Citrullus lanatus

Cucurbitaceae

LC Moderate

☀️SunFull Sun

💧WaterProvide 1-2 inches of deep watering per week during vine growth and early flowering. Reduce watering 1-2 weeks before harvest to concentrate sugar levels in the fruit.

🗺️Zone2a - 11b

📏Height1-2 feet

Ideal pH6 – 6.8