Sweet potatoes have been cultivated for eons because they are tasty, nutritious and versatile. This tuberous root vegetable is easy to grow, and it’s easy to prepare.

If you haven’t tasted sweet potato pie, you probably have never visited the South. With the bright, rich orange interior color, soft, delicate texture and sweet flavor, sweet potatoes are popular as a side dish or dessert ingredient—and sweet potato pie is a dessert no one can resist. Sweet potato melds well with the flavors of cinnamon, honey, coconut, pecans, ginger, butter, and nutmeg, which is why it’s a great ingredient in many breads, puddings, custards, and baked desserts—and sweet potato is equally delicious blended with fruits like apples and berries in casseroles. More savory spices such as green herbs and chili peppers also complement the sweet vegetable in casseroles and stews.

Yams and sweet potatoes are sometimes used interchangeably, but yams have a coarse, rough skin, and sweet potatoes have a smooth, thin skin. They’re actually the products of unrelated families of plants. The cooked sweet potato flesh is moister than a yam’s. If you’re trying to increase your beta carotene intake, sweet potatoes are way ahead of yams. Choose potatoes with the deepest orange color for the most beta carotene content. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of Vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron, and although they’re carbohydrate and calorie dense, they’re low in fat and high in fiber.

Sweet potatoes were first discovered in South America but now they’re grown in the U.S., while yams are all imported from the Caribbean. If you buy sweet potatoes in the supermarket, choose plump, firm roots. Store them in a dry, cool place, but never refrigerate uncooked sweet potatoes. Cook them by boiling, baking, frying, char-grilling or broiling. Dishes prepared with sweet potatoes will generally freeze well. Cooked sweet potatoes can also be stored in the refrigerator for a week or more. Sweet potatoes can be canned and stored for months. Although not the healthiest option, sweet potato chips or fries are a very interesting variation from the traditional white potato chips and fries.

Growing sweet potatoes couldn’t be easier, as long as they have a 80-120-day growing season, and plenty of space to spread out. They thrive in most soils, including sandy to heavy clay. Sweet potato plants ‘slips’ should be planted a full 2 weeks past the last frost. Till the soil to a depth of 8 to 10 inches, then add compost to keep the soil loose, making it easier to dig out your treasures in the fall. Make sure plants have 12 inches of space between them. Keep soil moist with at least 1 inch of water per week.

When it’s time to unearth your produce, most of the potatoes will be in a tight cluster just below the main stem. However, some may spread out below the soil, so start digging 18 inches out from the stem and work your way in, being careful not to damage the stray roots. Once the potatoes have been allowed to thoroughly dry in the sun for a few hours, move them to a protected area for a week or 10 days. This allows the skin to toughen, to protect the potatoes for a long storage life. It’s best to wait 6-8 weeks after harvest before sweet potatoes reach peak sweetness when baked. The ideal temperatures for storage are 50 to 60 degrees, with 60 to 70 percent humidity. Proper curing and storage should help the potatoes last for several months.

Summer squashes (green and yellow) have a soft skin that’s edible, and they are meant to be harvested when the seeds and entire interiors are soft enough to eat, as well. Winter squash is different in that the seeds are mature and hard, and the skin is a rind—tough and hard, and not meant to be consumed. Remove the skin and seeds, and what’s left is flesh that is a culinary treasure. The hard outer skin on winter squash is what protects it and allows it to be stored over 3-6 months, through the winter and into the spring.

Squash is a vegetable that mostly grows on sturdy vines, but some can also be semi-vining or bushy plants. The most common types of winter squash are acorn, butternut and spaghetti—the one with the interior that becomes stringy like long noodles when it’s cooked. There are numerous specialized varieties, as well. Each has a unique flavor, and ranging from slightly sweet to peanuty. Some common seasonings used with cooked squash are butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup, and ginger.

The difference between winter squash and pumpkins is mostly nomenclature. Some people interchange the terms. And, some cooks interchange them in pies, with squash doing a superb job without being detected as a faux pumpkin. Winter squash can have skin that is smooth or bumpy, thin or thick, and in colors ranging from light yellow to blue-grey to dark green to vibrant orange. They also vary greatly in size and shape. All contain flesh that is light yellow to deep, rich orange.

Plant winter squash in the spring. It will mature over the summer and be ready for an autumn harvest, before the first frost. Most winter squashes will store wonderfully over several months in a cool cellar throughout the winter. Some varieties benefit from an initial curing stage immediately after harvest, kept at around 70 degrees for 10 to 20 days, then moved to a cool, dry place, with 45- to 60-degree temps.

For the health-conscious, squash ranks high on the charts of nutrition-dense foods. It is high in fiber, and also contains potassium, niacin, iron and beta carotene, which converts to Vitamin A in the body.

Winter squash will be the sweetest and mildest when prepared with the seeds scraped out before cooking. The skin can be removed either before or after cooking. The flesh can be boiled, broiled, baked, or steamed. Then, it can be cubed, mashed, pureed, or in the case of spaghetti squash, used in place of pasta, for a healthier, lower calorie and more flavorful base for marinara sauce.

Squash seeds can be roasted with a little salt or tamari (soy) sauce and eaten as a healthy snack. Butternut squash soup is simple to prepare, with most recipes calling for few ingredients, and it’s popular with meat and potatoes gangs as well as uber-gourmets. Cooked squash freezes well, whether alone or in prepared dishes and soups.

Most vining squash plants will require a lot of room, so plan your garden space accordingly, and try a few varieties, to keep a range of flavors to enjoy over the winter months.

Eggplant is a warm-weather crop that is easy to grow, and it’s a colorful, attractive addition to the garden. Fruits vary from small egg-shaped globes to heavy oblong teardrops to skinny foot-long Asian varieties, and the glossy skins can range in color from deep purple to light violet, lavender, yellow, white, green and pink.

You can start Eggplant indoors 8 to 10 weeks in advance and transplant to the garden, or plant seeds directly in the garden after the threat of frost has passed. Choose a warm, sunny garden spot. Soil should be well-drained, fertile and rich in organic matter. Eggplant needs calcium, so an addition of mineral lime to the soil before planting is beneficial. Allow a foot or two of space between plants, and water frequently to maintain moisture in the soil.

Begin picking eggplant as soon as they’re big enough to eat and keep picking them throughout the growing season, to encourage production of new fruit. They should be shiny and firm, but not hard to the touch. Always cut the fruits from the stems, rather than pulling or twisting them off. As the frost season approaches, you can pinch off flowers to encourage faster maturation of fruits already ripening.

Eggplant will keep in a cool, dry location one or two weeks after harvesting. Because eggplant is so easy to freeze or dry, canning isn’t the preferred method of preserving it. Eggplant needs to be blanched before freezing. It is a low acid food, so you’ll need to add citric acid or lemon juice to the boiling water, to prevent the discoloration of the flesh. After four minutes of blanching, slices can be separated with sheets of waxed paper before freezing for use later.

Methods for cooking this vegetable vary widely, and each will determine its flavor and texture, and consistency. Skin can be peeled or left on. Eggplant can be boiled, broiled, baked, breaded and fried, or roasted. Stuffed eggplant is a delicacy in many ethnic cuisines. One thing is for certain, garlic and eggplant are a winning flavor combination.

There are as many ways to serve eggplant as there are types of eggplant. Recipes abound for Indian pickles and chutneys, as well as Far East Asian gourmet pickled relishes and dips. For more traditional dishes, stuff with bread crumbs. Or, bake with cheese, pasta, tomatoes and onions. Mix with a variety of other veggies and sauces to create casseroles that are a huge hit served piping hot from the oven. Or, combine diced eggplant with wild rice and mushrooms for a hearty winter stew. Cooked into recipes, eggplant will freeze wonderfully for individual servings to be microwaved later.

With its firm and meaty texture, vegetarians and vegans love the diverse uses for eggplant, sliced and diced to make salads, veggie burgers, soups and entrees. Roasted, it takes on a rich, thick texture and nutty flavor. Roasted eggplant is one of the main ingredients of Middle Eastern foods like Baba Ganoush, a hummus dip.

Dehydrating eggplant allows it to be stored in a cool, dry pantry for months. To rehydrate, simply soak slices in warm water and add to recipes like fresh produce.

From the first bite, everyone gets hooked on kohlrabi. The stems and leaves grow out of sides of the globes, giving the vegetable an odd, choppy exterior shape and exotic appearance.  It looks like a root crop, but it grows above ground. The young leaves at the top are edible and extremely nutritious, like all greens, but this vegetable is most beloved for its crunchy interior. There are green, white and purple varieties, all with the same crisp white interior flesh that is similar to a water chestnut or a turnip but with a mild flavor that makes it an extremely versatile veggie.

Kohlrabi is the perfect diet food: one cup contains fewer than 40 calories but it packs a wholloping 5 grams of fiber!  It’s a good source of potassium and calcium, as well as vitamins A and C and folic acid.  Sliced and served raw with dip, it will disappear quickly from appetizer plates.  It’s popping up in recipes from basic to exotic, for cooking in curries and soups and casseroles. The texture is satisfying as a crunchy raw snack, and it’s mild enough to go well with most dressings and dips. Cooked, it acquires a soft texture and mixes wonderfully with butter or cream sauces, and nearly every seasoning. Kids love kohlrabi because of its sweet, delicate flavor.

Kohlrabi will store well in a root cellar or refrigerator for up to a month, but make sure to harvest or buy globes that are firm and fresh looking, with no yellowing on the leaves. The sweetest and most ideal size for harvest is 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter.

A cruciferous vegetable related to cabbage and cauliflower, kohlrabi is similar in flavor to broccoli stems or a very mild radish. Kohlrabi is simple to prepare: use a very sharp knife and peel carefully, as the outer skin can be tough and woody. Once the white globe is revealed, you can create all kinds of wonderful snacks, side dishes or entrees. Cut the raw flesh into round slices or long spears to munch on instead of starchy snacks. Coat cubes with olive oil and roast to get a caramelized glaze, bringing out the natural sugars. Mix julienned slices with raw carrots and mayonnaise for an inventive cole slaw.  Steam diced kohlrabi and top with butter for a satisfying side dish.

Sliced kohlrabi is firm enough to make excellent pickle spears. The stems and leaves can be cooked or mixed raw into dishes along with the white interior.

When harvesting kohlrabi or buying bunches in the supermarket, choose firm, heavy bulbs with no blemishes on the outer surfaces. The larger the globes, the tougher the outer skin.

Gardeners love how hardy kohlrabi is.  It prefers cooler temperatures and will produce a spring and fall crop in some growing regions.  Seeds can be sown as soon as the soil can be worked, or they can be started indoors and transplanted. They require very little space, needing to be spaced only 6 inches apart.  Kohlrabi grows quickly and can even tolerate some snow, for late fall harvests.  This vegetable is relatively disease and insect resistant and it will thrive in most well-drained soils. Mix a good organic compost into the soil and use a general purpose fertilizer to promote quick growth. Water generously throughout the growing season to produce the most moist and mild-flavored vegetable. Clip the green leaves any time to cook like spinach.

Beets are a food source that seems almost too good to be true. This root crop is super-easy to grow, and the produce adds bright color and delicious sweet flavors to meals. Beets are packed with so many nutrients they should be required eating! The globes and green tops are rich in vitamin C, folate, manganese, magnesium, potassium, iron, fiber, and loads of other compounds that fight cancer and heart disease.

Gardeners have many open-pollinated and hybrid varieties to choose from, with several sizes, colors and types available. There are shades of reds and purples, orange/yellow, and white with red stripes. Beets come in several shapes, including round, oblong or cylindrical, and they mature in sizes from miniature (silver-dollar diameter) to 3-inch globes.

Beets can be prepared in countless ways: raw (juiced or in salads); cooked (steamed, boiled, roasted); and preserved (canned or pickled). Both the green, leafy tops and the roots (the round bulbous part) are edible and are packed with nutrients. Snip the green tops and rinse in water, then prepare the same way as other edible greens like chard or spinach, by juicing, steaming, or tossing into casseroles and soups to add color and flavor.

Even amateur beet gardeners will enjoy bountiful produce with nearly no effort. Beets can be planted from seed or starter plants. The seeds are actually clusters of seeds within dried fruits. They should be planted in well-drained but moist soil, and spaced in rows a minimum of 12 inches apart. Plant seeds 1/2 inch into the soil, then thin to 3 or 4 inches apart, to allow room for the roots to expand. Beets do like nutrient-rich earth but they require little attention as they grow. The tops can be snipped for meals before the roots are developed, as long as 1/3 of the greens are left intact until root harvest.

Fresh beets are usually available year-round in the grocery, but they’re a great home garden staple, since they can be planted nearly a month before the last frost is anticipated, and they will grow well into fall. If you space the seed planting throughout the summer, you can spread out the harvesting over several months. You can gauge the maturity of the root by sight: they stick up out of the soil enough to see the diameter and you can poke the top to test the firmness. If they’re ripe, you simply grab the tops and pull them out of the ground.

Miniature round beets can be prepared whole, and larger beets can be sliced or diced for serving. Fans of pickled beets know that this veggie is the ideal complement to tangy pickling seasonings. Sliced beets and onions in either a sweet juice or a traditional sour brine are popular with all ages, because the vegetable keeps its crunch and dense texture.

Beet borscht is a Russian soup that is traditionally served cold with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream and a sprinkle of dill on top. It makes a great summertime appetizer because of its gorgeous pink color and refreshing flavor.

Beets and onions both caramelize when roasted, releasing their sugars and giving them a gorgeous outer glaze and striking savory and sweet flavor. It makes an excellent side dish for turkey or lamb meals.

Beets can be stored in a root cellar for up to a couple of months, or kept in sawdust or other dry packing material in a cool, dry place long past the garden’s last warm days.

One of the biggest benefits of gardening is being able to enjoy your produce long after summer has ended. What better way to enjoy a chilly fall evening than a dinner that includes your garden’s goods?

Brussels Sprouts are mini-warehouses of antioxidants (the cancer-fighting components of some foods) and nutrients. They’re a cruciferous vegetable, like cabbage, kale, cauliflower and broccoli, and they’re equally versatile and simple to prepare. Plus, they’re cute, looking like miniature heads of cabbage.

Since Brussels sprouts ripen late in the season, they’re the perfect vegetable for fall meals. They are hearty and can withstand cooler temperatures than most veggies—and even some frost. Harvest the bottom sprouts from stalks first, as they’ll be the ripest, and work your way to the top. When ripe, they should be approximately one inch in diameter and have a firm texture. With a sharp knife, cut straight across where they join the upright woody stem. Most plants will produce 20 to 40 sprouts and will grow 2 feet tall or more.

Before cooking, thoroughly rinse the sprouts to make sure there are no insects living in the outer leaves. Cut off any tough stem—and to allow the heat to absorb more uniformly, cut an X in the bottom of the sprout. They are usually cooked and served whole. They’re delicious hot, but also are a great addition cut into quarters and mixed into cold salads.

The entire sprout is edible and tender when cooked. You can simply steam them plain and enjoy their strong, nutty flavor with no seasonings. That’s also thought to be the healthiest preparation, as it helps the sprouts retain the most of their phytonutrients. Don’t overcook, or they’ll become limp and flavorless.

Remove from heat when they reach a semi-soft texture and the color changes from bright green to a more subtle olive-green hue. You can slow cook them in a saucepan with a little butter, or you can oven roast them with olive oil to caramelize their outsides for a rich, sweet flavor. Pretty much any flavors and seasonings that complement the other cruciferous veggies will work with Brussels sprouts. Who could resist any vegetable drizzled with a creamy cheese sauce?

A classic method of preserving Brussels sprouts for winter eating is pickling. There are many ways to pickle, from traditional sterile canning to faster, more modern techniques, and from basic dill flavors to exotic vinegars to sweet marinades. They can be stored long-term or eaten within a few hours, depending on the method you choose.

Brussels sprouts can be dried in a food dehydrator, for a quick and healthy snack. They can be blanched and frozen to store over an entire season. Entire stems with sprouts can be cut from the garden and stored short-term in a root cellar, or in small containers with proper ventilation.

Because of Brussels sprouts’ strong flavor and tendency to get limp when canned, that isn’t the most popular method of preserving. Freezing and drying are more common. If you are overloaded with sprouts and enjoy canning, experiment with pickling seasonings, to make a superb relish or cold side salad.

Summer Squash is one underrated vegetable. It only takes a couple of plants to supply a family with enough ripe squashes to last through summer, with plenty leftover at season end to freeze or save for fall and winter meals. Its mild flavor and soft texture make it an incredibly versatile food. Unlike winter squashes such as acorn or spaghetti, zucchini is a summer squash, with tender, edible skin. Best of all, it’s easy to grow and can be planted in gardens in every U.S. growing zone!

Zucchini plants produce a bountiful harvest throughout the summer months and sometimes into fall, especially in warmer climates. There are several varieties available, with different colors, shapes and sizes, and different harvest times. What’s left on the plant when frost time approaches can be frozen or dried for winter use.

Harvest plants when they’re approximately 7 or 8 inches long. They should be firm but not hard to the touch, with glossy skins. Wear gloves, as some varieties have prickly stems. Regular harvesting will promote continual production throughout the warm season.

Cut the fruit off at the stem with a sharp knife. Make sure to wash the squash well, to remove any traces of dirt from the soft skin, before readying it for cooking or storing.

You can prepare your dishes containing zucchini ahead of time, like soups, stews and casseroles, then freeze in individual serving sizes for quick re-heats of side dishes or entrees throughout winter. Or, you can prepare the squash cooked or uncooked, and freeze in the exact required quantity to be ready to thaw and add to future recipes.

Freezing zucchini couldn’t be simpler. There are many ways to do it, but the easiest is just to poke with a fork and then blanch or cook in a microwave for a minute to remove some of the moisture content, which prevents it from becoming mushy when frozen. Uncooked or blanched zucchini can be shredded, diced, cut into strips or sliced into rings for freezing and later use. Freeze in freezer bags, plastic containers or vacuum-sealed packets.

For some dishes, it’s preferred to remove the skin before freezing, like for deep frying. The breading sticks better to the flesh than the skin. However, the skin is where much of the nutrient content is, and if your vegetables will be mixed into other dishes, the skin also adds color.

Traditional canning works well with zucchini. It can be canned alone, either in chunks or pureed, or it can be combined with other ingredients to make zucchini marmalade, and tomato or mixed vegetable relishes. It adds the perfect background flavor to onions and bell peppers. For canning, many cooks prefer to remove the seeds, for a smoother, creamier consistency when cooked.

Zucchini is a staple in many ethnic cuisines, like Mexican and Korean soups that are served as entire meals…or parmesan-topped Italian casseroles. Combine squash with wheat flour, cinnamon and nutmeg and you can bake one of the world’s most popular dessert breads. Tiny diced squash can be turned into a sweet compote, or canned with pineapple juice to make a sweet treat, or preserved like traditional dill pickle spears.

Squash can be dried in a food dehydrator for later rehydration in cooking. Zucchini cut into thin slices can be dried then lightly salted, and make excellent chips to serve with dips.

Zucchini is one of nature’s finest offerings for a healthy diet. It is fat-free, low in calories and high in fiber, Vitamin C and potassium. There are countless ways to make your squash harvest last throughout the cold, blustery months, without a single, boring meal!