Top Crops: Mid-Atlantic

Little-known gems find a home in the Mid-Atlantic.

April/May 2009
By Barbara Pleasant 
Mid-Atlantic region
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The Mid-Atlantic gardening region.
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I garden in the Mid-Atlantic now, where I often find myself feeling frenzied by the intensity of seasonal relay plantings coupled with the sheer number of worthwhile minor crops. It’s not just me. This region has a very long list of “sleeper” crops — vegetables that are not widely grown by gardeners, but are beloved by those who do. From mâche in late winter to spring asparagus to rutabagas in the fall, food gardeners in this region often juggle dozens of crops in the course of a six-month growing season.

RELATED CONTENT

Let’s say you’re trying to decide how much space to allot to chard and beets — two closely related crops favored by Mid-Atlantic gardeners from beginners to old hands. Take note: As years of organic gardening experience increases to more than 20 years, chard builds a significant lead over beets — good reason to make sure your chard supply is ample before going overboard with beets.

Speaking of chard (and kale, collards, turnip greens and a global array of mustards, for that matter), hundreds of responses to the “how easy is it to store?” question indicate that many people in all regions don’t realize that leafy greens are as easy to blanch and freeze as snap peas. Many can be dried as well. On the other hand, gardeners in many different climates are doing so well with shallots that these hardy, fine-flavored, storable onions may soon become as popular here as they are in Europe. Think about it: A few net bags bulging with shallots to hang alongside your garlic may be just the thing your homegrown food supply has been missing.

Top 10

  1. Slicing tomato
  2. Sweet pepper
  3. Cherry tomato
  4. Pole snap bean
  5. Bush snap bean
  6. Garlic
  7. Potato
  8. Snow/snap pea
  9. Summer squash
  10. Bulb onion

Other Highly Rated Crops

Cabbage family: Broccoli, cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi

Cucumber family: Cucumber, winter squash

Leafy greens: Arugula, chard, lettuce, mâche, mustard (all types), pac choi, sorrel, spinach, turnip greens

Legumes: Asparagus/yard-long bean, bush lima bean, dry soup bean, edamame, snow/snap and shell pea, Southern pea

Root crops: Parsnip, radish, rutabaga, shallot, sunchoke, turnip

Tomato family: Eggplant, pepper (all types), tomatillo, tomato (all types)

Miscellaneous: Asparagus, leek, rhubarb, scallion, sweet corn

Read The Best Crops for Your Garden to find top crops for other U.S. gardening regions.

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