Easy Vegetables to Grow in South Zone 8

Early Season

• Radishes (Raphanus sativus) are one of the first vegetables planted in spring and extremely easy to grow. "French Breakfast" is a mild and tasty variety. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is another early spring vegetable suitable for zone 8. "Black Seeded Simpson" is a leaf variety that is easy to grow. You can also sow lettuce in a container, so you can have home-grown salad even if you don't have garden space. Edible-pod peas (Pisum sativum), such as "Oregon Giant," are tasty in salads or stir-fries or can be eaten right off the vine. Sow radishes, lettuce and peas directly from seed in January. Radishes and lettuce are considered invasive in some areas of USDA zone 8, so harvest the plants before they go to seed.

Mid Season

• Like peas, beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) can be eaten fresh or steamed. They can also be canned or frozen for future dinners. Bush varieties are easier to grow than pole varieties, because they don't need support. Carrots (Daucus carota ssp. sativus), such as "Danvers Half Long," are another easy, midseason crop. In USDA zone 8, plant carrots and beans directly from seed in February.

Late Season

• Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) are a popular choice for new vegetable gardeners. They can be grown in a garden bed but also do well in containers. Plant in late spring after the last frost date. There are many varieties of tomatoes available, but some of the easiest to grow are the small cherry tomatoes and the medium-sized varieties, such as "Early Girl." Plant from transplants in March when there is no danger of frost in USDA zone 8. Summer squash (Curcurbita pepo) is productive and easy to grow in the warm zone 8 summers. One plant can produce enough zucchini or yellow summer squash for a family of four, but putting in three plants will increase pollination. Heat-loving cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are delicious fresh in salads or made into pickles. Although they can take up a lot of space as they trail along the ground, cucumbers can be trained to climb a trellis or even a fence for support. Direct sow summer squash and cucumbers after frost is past in March.

Fall Crops

• Almost anything you can grow in the early spring can be grown again when temperatures cool off in the fall. That means that gardeners in USDA zone 8 can plant radishes, lettuce and peas again in September and enjoy another harvest throughout the autumn.