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The best-value vegies are the ones your household will actually eat, that suit your local season, and that keep producing without demanding more space or work than you can give them. The 12 crops below come from Better Homes & Gardens Australia’s 16 May 2016 list. They are useful starting points, not a universal planting calendar or a promise of guaranteed savings. Your climate, soil, water supply, available space and supermarket prices will change the result.
Use the list to assemble a mix: a few quick crops, several repeat harvesters, and one or two long-lived or hard-to-buy specialties. Start with modest quantities, record what you harvest and plant more of the winners next season.
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How to judge “best value” before you plant
Garden value is broader than the price of a packet of seeds compared with a supermarket receipt. A crop can earn its place by providing a long harvest, producing heavily in a small area, replacing an expensive specialty item, tasting better immediately after picking, or giving you a variety that local shops rarely stock. A crop that rots because nobody eats it has poor value, even if the seed was inexpensive.
University of Florida IFAS Extension notes that saving money by growing food is possible but challenging. Its practical advice is to grow what you eat, choose crops suited to your location, begin with seed when practical, and plan succession planting or preservation so surplus is not wasted. As the guidance puts it: “The most inexpensive way to grow plants is to start from seed, either by direct sowing or by starting transplants from seed indoors.”
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Virginia Cooperative Extension also cautions against a single universal ranking: “Judging the economic value of crops grown in the vegetable garden is difficult due to the different lengths of time they require for maturity and harvest, the availability of varieties and vegetable types not generally found in the marketplace, and the lack of comparison values for vegetables that are not acceptable by commercial standards (cracked tomatoes, crooked cucumbers, etc.), but which are perfectly useable for the home gardener.”
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Compare each candidate on these questions:
- Does it fit your local temperature and planting window?
- How soon can you begin picking, and does harvest continue?
- How much space, support, water and attention does it need?
- Will your household use the crop fresh, cooked or preserved?
- Is the variety difficult or costly to buy locally?
- Can you store or preserve a surplus before it spoils?
At-a-glance comparison
| Crop | Harvest pattern or timing | Why it can be good value | Main planning point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry tomatoes | Timing not stated in the 2016 feature; harvest over the warm season | Many small fruits from supported plants; specialty varieties | Sun or partial shade, regular tomato feed and vertical support |
| ‘Golden Nugget’ pumpkin | Feature claims one vine can bear a dozen or more mini pumpkins | Small fruit is easier to use than a large pumpkin | Train the vine onto a lattice to reduce ground use |
| Silverbeet | Outer leaves can be picked repeatedly; feature says a plant may last 12 months or more | Leaves and stems are edible, with a long picking period | Harvest from the outside so the centre keeps growing |
| Tree onion | Perennial; no first-harvest time stated | Edible green leaves and small bulbs above and below ground | Reserve a permanent place and protect it from severe cold |
| Loose-leaf lettuce | Bunnings Australia (2024) estimates first picking in 7–8 weeks | Cut outer leaves while the centre regrows | Use succession sowing for a continuous supply |
| Asparagus | Leave crowns undisturbed for 12 months before spring harvests | Returns for years once established | It is a long-term bed, not a quick crop |
| Jerusalem artichoke | Timing not stated; harvest underground tubers when ready | Uncommon in shops and productive from a tall planting | Choose a sunny, wind-protected site and plan for fresh use |
| Gourmet potatoes | Timing varies by variety; no figure stated | Kipfler, Pink Fir and Purple Congo may be hard to find in supermarkets | Plant seed potatoes and earth up as plants grow |
| Beetroot | Baby beets can take about eight weeks from planting | Roots and leaves are edible; unusual colours add specialty value | Sow into sunny, prepared soil |
| Lebanese cucumbers | Summer crop; no harvest interval stated | Climbing growth can use vertical space and fruits are picked young | Keep roots moist, foliage dry and flowers pollinated |
| Sorrel | Pick leaves as needed; divide clumps every three years | Lemony leaves are useful fresh and are rarely stocked | Use quickly because leaves wilt soon after picking |
| Zucchini | A couple of plants can provide plentiful summer harvests | High output from few plants; flowers are edible | Pick fruit young and plan how you will use the supply |
The 12 trouble-free best-value vegies
1. Cherry tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes are a strong choice when you want repeated handfuls rather than a few large fruits. The Australian feature specifically names ‘Tommy Toe’ and ‘Yellow Pear’, both useful if you want something beyond the standard supermarket tomato. Plant in sun or partial shade, feed regularly with a tomato fertiliser and provide vertical support before the stems become heavy.
The 2016 feature says cherry tomatoes do not get fruit fly. Treat that as the article’s claim at the time, not as a guarantee of pest immunity. Inspect fruit regularly and respond to whatever pests occur in your area. Their value is highest when you eat them frequently, preserve a surplus or prefer varieties that are difficult to buy locally.
2. ‘Golden Nugget’ pumpkin
‘Golden Nugget’ is presented as a smaller, more manageable pumpkin. Better Homes & Gardens Australia says one vine can bear a dozen or more mini pumpkins; that is a source claim, not a guaranteed yield under every soil, climate or watering regime.
A lattice lets the vine climb instead of occupying the whole bed. Check that the support is strong and that developing fruit is secure. Choose this crop when you have vertical room but limited ground area, and when small pumpkins suit your cooking routine better than one very large fruit.
3. Silverbeet (Swiss chard)
Silverbeet earns value through duration. You can eat both the leaves and stems, and the feature says a plant can last 12 months or more. Pick the outside leaves first and leave the central growth point intact; this gives a continuing supply instead of removing the whole plant at once.
Plant enough for regular picking, but not so much that mature leaves outpace your kitchen. Silverbeet is especially useful for households that cook greens often, because a small harvest can be taken whenever a meal needs it.
4. Tree onion
Tree onion is a cold-tolerant perennial that produces small bulbs above and below ground as well as edible green leaves. Its permanent habit can reduce the need to replant a bed every season, provided you have a location where it can remain undisturbed.
Use it as a dependable source of onion flavour rather than as a bulk substitute for storage onions. Because the feature does not give a first-harvest date or yield, judge its value by how often you use the leaves and whether perennial crops fit your garden layout.
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Loose-leaf lettuce gives value through quick, repeat picking. Harvest the outer leaves and allow the centre to continue growing. The feature names Lollo Rossa and Oak Leaf types, which also add colour and texture to salads.
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Bunnings Australia, in a 2024 estimate, says loose-leaf lettuce can begin harvest in seven to eight weeks. The same source describes a mixed packet containing 500 seeds, a stated minimum germination rate of 80 per cent and about 400 individual plants for a few dollars. Those figures depend on seed viability, conditions and the actual packet contents; they are not a promise of 400 harvestable plants.
Sow small batches at intervals rather than planting the whole packet at once. That spreads harvests and reduces the chance of a glut that wilts before it reaches the table.
6. Asparagus
Asparagus is a patience crop. Plant crowns, then leave them undisturbed for 12 months before taking spring harvests, as the Australian feature recommends. The initial wait can feel expensive in a small garden, but an established bed can continue producing for years.
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7. Jerusalem artichoke
Jerusalem artichoke forms underground tubers on a tall plant. The feature recommends a sunny, wind-protected position. The tubers are uncommon in shops, which can make home growing worthwhile if you enjoy their flavour and can use them promptly.
They do not store well once removed from the soil, so harvest only what you plan to eat. This crop is valuable for freshness and availability, not for long-term pantry storage. Its height can also provide a useful screen, but place it where it will not shade smaller vegetables.
8. Gourmet potatoes
Growing potatoes lets you try varieties that may be difficult to find in supermarkets. The feature names Kipfler, Pink Fir and Purple Congo. Plant certified or otherwise sound seed potatoes, then earth up as the plants grow so developing tubers remain covered.
Choose this option when flavour, colour or a particular cooking quality matters more than buying a standard bag. The article supplies no universal harvest time, because maturity depends on the variety and conditions. Plan the bed and lifting date around the variety you actually obtain.
9. Beetroot
Beetroot is one of the quicker entries on the list. The feature says baby beets can take about eight weeks from planting to harvest. Sow seed in sunny, prepared soil, and remember that the leaves are edible as well as the roots.
Golden beetroot and ‘Chioggia’ are named as alternatives to ordinary red beetroot. These colours can provide specialty value when local shops do not carry them. Pull roots at the size you will use, and sow successive short rows if you want baby beets rather than one large batch.
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10. Lebanese cucumbers
Lebanese cucumbers are summer crops that reward consistent care. Keep the roots from drying out, avoid wetting the foliage when watering to reduce fungal-disease risk, and support climbing plants so fruit and leaves are easier to manage.
The feature also suggests hand-pollination: transfer pollen between male and female flowers when natural pollination is inadequate. A small, soft brush can make that transfer precise. Pollinate early in the day, then watch developing fruit so you can identify whether the issue is water stress, disease or incomplete pollination rather than simply adding more fertiliser.
11. Sorrel
Sorrel supplies lemony leaves that are best picked as needed because they wilt quickly after harvest. It is useful when you cook with a sharp, fresh flavour that is rarely available in a supermarket bunch.
Clumps expand over time. Divide them every three years, as the feature recommends, to keep the planting manageable and to create new sections without buying more plants. Grow only as much as your household can use promptly.
12. Zucchini
A couple of zucchini plants can produce plentiful summer supplies, according to the feature. Pick fruit while it is young for a tender texture, and use the edible flowers as well as the zucchini themselves. ‘Golden Zucchini’ is the named specialty variety.
The main value risk is surplus. Two healthy plants can outproduce a small household, so decide in advance whether you will share, freeze, pickle or cook the excess. If you cannot answer that question, start with one plant and expand only after seeing your actual harvest.
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1. Match crops to your local season
Australia contains many climates. A sowing date that works in one region can fail in another, and the 2016 feature is not a climate-neutral calendar. Check local frost, heat and rainfall patterns before buying seed. Treat “summer crop” or “cold-tolerant” as a useful characteristic, not a complete schedule.
2. Build three harvest layers
- Quick return: beetroot and loose-leaf lettuce can provide earlier picking than asparagus or perennial onions.
- Repeat harvest: silverbeet, lettuce, sorrel, tomatoes and cucumbers reward regular picking.
- Long-term or specialty: asparagus, tree onion, Jerusalem artichoke and gourmet potatoes occupy space for a distinctive payoff.
This mix prevents a garden from being all waiting crops or all short-lived gluts.
3. Start with what the household eats
Write down the vegetables your household bought or cooked over the previous month. Prioritise those, then add one specialty crop such as ‘Chioggia’ beetroot, Purple Congo potato or sorrel. A theoretically productive crop has little value if it is not used.
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4. Buy seed and plants deliberately
Starting from seed is usually the lowest-cost route, according to UF/IFAS, but it is not automatically the easiest in every season. Use seed for crops that establish reliably in your conditions, and buy crowns or established plants when the crop’s long-term performance justifies the initial cost. Label varieties so you can identify which ones deserve another season.
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5. Reserve supports and water
Tomatoes, pumpkins and cucumbers need planned support if you want to save ground space. Place lattices and trellises before vines become tangled. Group thirsty summer crops near a reliable water source, and keep cucumber foliage as dry as practical while watering the roots.
6. Plan the surplus before sowing
Succession-sow lettuce and beetroot rather than planting every seed at once. Decide how you will use extra zucchini, tomatoes or greens. Jerusalem artichokes and sorrel are particularly poor candidates for casual overproduction because the former does not store well once dug and the latter wilts quickly.
7. Keep simple records
Record sowing date, first harvest, approximate quantity, pest or disease problems and what was actually eaten. After one season you can compare real value in your garden instead of relying on a generic ranking.
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Bunnings Australia’s March 2024 guidance gives several useful estimates, but it describes them as conservative and says crops in optimal conditions may produce more. Bianca Boman of Mr Fothergill’s is quoted with an estimate of about 60 g of spinach per plant from a 350-seed packet. The same article estimates 150 g or 40–50 pods per snow-pea plant, with harvest beginning in eight to ten weeks, and says a broccoli head may take 10–16 weeks to form depending on variety.
Those crops are not part of the 12-crop feature, but the figures illustrate why a single “best value” winner is misleading. Yield depends on plant count, maturity time, growing conditions, harvest style and whether you use every edible part. Bunnings’ lettuce estimate likewise depends on the stated germination rate and on seedlings surviving to harvest.
Common problems and practical fixes
The crop grows but nobody eats it
Reduce the next sowing and switch space to a vegetable already on your household list. Preserve or share surplus before expanding. Value is measured at the kitchen bench, not only in the garden bed.
Plants occupy too much ground
Use vertical support for tomatoes, cucumbers and ‘Golden Nugget’ pumpkin where the structure is safe and strong. Keep tall Jerusalem artichokes where they will not shade lower crops. Do not install a support after a vine has already spread if doing so would damage stems.
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Stagger sowings of lettuce and beetroot, and limit zucchini and cucumber plant numbers until you know your household’s capacity. A small, regular harvest is usually more valuable than a large, wasted one.
Leaves wilt before cooking
Pick sorrel only when needed and move it quickly to the kitchen. Harvest outer silverbeet and lettuce leaves as required rather than stripping every plant in one session.
Fruit or tubers disappoint
Check the basics first: correct season, adequate water at the roots, suitable support and appropriate harvest size. For cucumbers, examine flowers and use hand-pollination if male and female flowers are present but fruit is not setting. For potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes, verify that the planting site and harvest timing suit the variety; the supplied feature does not provide one universal maturity date.
Which crop should you choose first?
| Your priority | Start with | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Fast, small harvests | Beetroot or loose-leaf lettuce | Baby beetroot is described at about eight weeks; lettuce estimates begin at seven to eight weeks. |
| Harvests over many months | Silverbeet, lettuce or sorrel | Outer-leaf or as-needed picking extends use, provided you harvest correctly. |
| Maximum output from a few plants | Zucchini or cherry tomatoes | The feature highlights plentiful zucchini from a couple of plants and repeated cherry-tomato picking. |
| Vertical gardening | Cucumber, tomato or ‘Golden Nugget’ pumpkin | Supports can move growth off the ground and make limited space more productive. |
| Hard-to-buy varieties | Gourmet potatoes, specialty beetroot or sorrel | Named varieties and fresh leaves may be uncommon in local shops. |
| A permanent bed | Asparagus or tree onion | Both are long-lived choices, although asparagus requires a 12-month establishment wait. |
| Freshness over storage | Jerusalem artichoke or sorrel | The feature notes poor post-harvest storage for Jerusalem artichoke tubers and rapid wilting for sorrel. |
Begin with two or three crops that match your season and meals, then add another after you have measured the real harvest. That approach turns “trouble-free best value vegies” from a fixed ranking into a garden plan that fits your Australian conditions.
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