If limited to growing just five plants for food in a raised garden or pots, my choices would be tomatoes, lettuce, green beans, basil, and potatoes. Each offers unique benefits for sustainability and nutrition.
Tomatoes are versatile, yielding juicy fruits for salads, sauces, or snacks, and thrive in pots with ample sun. Lettuce grows quickly, providing fresh greens for salads year-round with successive planting. Green beans are prolific, easy to grow vertically, and rich in fiber, making them ideal for small spaces. Basil adds flavor to dishes, grows well in containers, and pairs perfectly with tomatoes. Potatoes, nutrient-dense and filling, can be cultivated in deep pots, offering substantial yields.
These plants maximize variety, nutrition, and yield in limited space while being relatively low-maintenance. They provide a balanced mix of vitamins, carbs, and flavors, ensuring a small garden delivers big results for home cooks.
The Chill Barn 