Skip the farmers’ market: 10 superfoods to grow at home

We’re not all blessed with a green thumb. While some seem to have the magic touch, others’ experience of gardening is littered with dead leaves and withered branches. But a cost-of-living crisis has made gardeners of us all, as the idea of harvesting food in your own backyard grows in appeal.

Yates horticulturalist Angie Thomas says the good news is that growing your own food, nay, growing superfoods, is within reach of most households, whether you have a backyard garden, a courtyard, or a balcony. And there’s no time like the present.

“Now is the time to get the seeds into the ground,” she says. “Most people don’t expand what they are growing at home to things that take a bit more time, but it’s really rewarding.”

Here’s the top 10 of surprisingly easy superfoods you can grow at home this season.

Autumn is the perfect time of year to prepare your garden for a winter crop of vegetables.

Kale

People either love or loathe this blue-green leafy vegetable known for being high in vitamin C and E, as well as calcium and beta-carotene. You can add this versatile leaf to everything from smoothies to sautes. It is ridiculously easy to grow either in a pot or in the ground, and loves a sunny spot in nutrient-rich, well-drained soil.

Thomas says you can pick leaves as required, which will encourage continued growth.

“Kale is so hardy,” she says. “I love the blue-green of Tuscan kale – it’s quite ornamental. It’s delicious with a little oil, garlic and parmesan in the air fryer.”

Kale is a versatile green in cooking packed with vitamins and minerals.

Spinach

Like so many leafy greens, the beauty of spinach is the ability to harvest it over an extended period of time. Rich in vitamins A, C and K as well as iron, magnesium and calcium, it has been considered a superfood well before the term entered common usage.

“Silverbeet and spinach love the cooler weather, and you can grow it in the shadier parts of the garden or on your balcony,” Thomas says. “It can manage on about four hours of sunshine a day.”

Blueberries

Valued almost as much for their good looks as for their fruit, these shrubs love a sunny spot and produce an array of pretty flowers. They can take a couple of years to start producing good crops but, says Thomas, they are worth the wait. Just watch out for uninvited guests.

“They need regular feeding and watering and protection from birds, who enjoy them as much as people do,” she says.

A good source of fibre, vitamins C and K, as well as manganese and potassium, blueberries are prized for their high levels of antioxidants.

Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants.Credit: iStock

Brussels sprouts

It’s a great time of year to sow Brussels sprouts from seed. Choose a spot in full sun that holds moisture well. High in vitamins A and C, as well as folate and fibre, they are typically ready to harvest in early winter. Look for sprouts that are green and firm, about 3 centimetres wide.

Leeks

Members of the allium family, which also includes garlic, onions and chives, leeks are high in fibre and rich in vitamins A, C, K and B6, iron and magnesium, as well as a good source of folate.

Easy to grow as long as you feed them and keep them moist, Thomas says the beauty of leeks is their extended harvest period.

“Leeks take a few months to grow so you need a bit of patience,” she says. “However, you can harvest them at any stage – they don’t need to grow as large as those in the supermarket for you to enjoy them.”

Cabbage

This versatile member of the brassica family is a good source of vitamin C, calcium, potassium, manganese, and an excellent source of fibre. Like other brassicas such as cauliflower and broccoli, cabbage is straightforward to grow, enjoying a rich, well-drained soil in a sunny position.

Thomas says the biggest challenge with cabbages is keeping a watch for cabbage white butterfly, which lays its eggs on leaves and can do extensive damage.

“Check for them regularly. You only have to turn your back for a little while for them to take hold.”

Radishes

If patience is not your strong point, radishes are the superfood for you. Rich in antioxidants, calcium and potassium, as well as a good aid for digestion, they take as little as four weeks to be ready for harvest. Don’t leave these in the ground too long because they will lose their sweetness. They are ready to harvest when their little red tops start poking through the soil.

Radishes are not just superfoods, they’re super fast to grow.Credit: iStock

Peas

The biggest challenge with these family favourites is getting them to the kitchen. The temptation is to eat them straight off the vine. Suitable for growing in pots or the ground, peas are rich in antioxidants, magnesium, potassium and calcium. Thomas says there are several varieties to choose from. Plant seeds in a sunny spot and 60 to 80 days later, you’ll be happy you gave peas a chance.

Microgreens

The beauty of these mini plants is that you don’t need a garden at all. They will grow perfectly happily on the windowsill, as long as you keep them watered and fed. Packed with vitamins and minerals, their main claim is they have 40 to 50 per cent more nutrition compared with their full-sized versions. Cut them as needed to add to salads, sandwiches or anything that could do with a nutritional supercharge.

Pomegranate

You may need to play the long game with this ruby-coloured fruit, a favourite in Middle Eastern cuisine. Young trees may take a few years to fruit and do best in sunny locations in well-drained soil. They are reasonably drought tolerant, but appreciate regularly watering, especially when fruit is developing over summer. The pay-off? Delicious red seeds (known as arils) which are rich in antioxidants, as well as folate, potassium and magnesium.

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