Gardening for the BBQ – Top 10 Vegetables & Herbs to Grow for BBQ

Growing your own fruits and vegetables does bring some satisfaction. With the summer grilling season coming, you want to add some fresh vegetables to your grilling sessions.

While you can’t raise chickens and turkeys in your average backyard, growing vegetables and herbs does make sense. After all, everything tastes a lot better when you make it yourself.

Looking to grow some veggies for barbecue? I’ll share with you ten must-grow vegetables for the BBQ. Keep reading below.

10 Vegetables to Grow in Your Garden for BBQ

1. Tomatoes

Tomatoes had to take the first spot on our list. They are versatile and can be used in our daily cooking. For grilling, tomatoes add flavor and color to your BBQ pop.

What’s more, they are popular and quite easy to grow in the garden, patio, and planters on the balcony. According to experts from Backyard Gardeners Network, ‘homegrown tomatoes have a much better flavor than store-bought tomatoes’.

However, if you want to grow the biggest and juiciest tomatoes, they require some important things to consider like spacing the plants properly, choosing high-quality fertilizers, watering the plants properly, and at least 6 hours of sunshine a day to name but a few.

For excellent grilling results, choose the sweet red, zebra, and cherry varieties to grow.

2. Pumpkin

Just like squash, pumpkins are easy to prepare and grill. The best thing about pumpkins is that you can grill them directly on the grates. Sugar pumpkins which are long, are among the best to grill.

Pumpkin is highly nutritious, with large amounts of potassium. You can be sure to add some juicy taste to your barbecue. 

Plant it in early spring, sowing the mounds ⅓ to ¾ inches deep. Pumpkins need space. So make sure you space them well and water them.

3. Zucchini

Zucchini is another excellent vegetable for BBQ. It makes a great combination when grilled alongside chicken breast. Furthermore, it is a low-calorie vegetable and one pretty easy to prepare.

You need to slice thin pieces and grill them alongside the chicken. Zucchini can also be grilled with herbs and spices.

Zucchini is grown the same way as pumpkin in early spring. Make sure the soil is fertile, and choose a sunny spot.

4. Potatoes

Grilled potatoes are quite yummy and a must-try summer barbecue. The experience even gets better when you grill your own harvested potatoes. You can grow potatoes in your backyard or in containers.

If using containers, choose big ones and harvest in late summer. Clean the potatoes, boil them, and then grill.

Cooking them directly over the grill can leave them dried, charred, or too crispy.

5. Corn

Corn is a perfect summer BBQ plant and one to consider planting. But it does require a lot of space. You need warm soil and good access to the sun for some sweet corn.

If you have a large backyard, plant at least three rows four feet long to ensure good pollination. Grill your corn immediately after harvesting it for tasty results.

6. Onions

Onions are a must-have for any summer grilling. The red, yellow, sweet, and white varieties as well as green onions are all delicious for BBQ. They are a classic topping for hot dogs and burgers.

You can grow onions from seed. But it takes quite some time before they mature. Therefore, consider growing them in sets when they have some little bulbs.

Choose cooler temperatures and grow them earlier in the season. Snip seedlings 6 inches deep.

7. Eggplant

Eggplants can be grilled as the main dish. They are the perfect BBQ for vegetarians. You can also serve them with cumin, fete, and garlic.

You can grow seedlings and plant them in your garden. They are more like tomatoes with a fruit hanging. Provide them with a stake for support.

Eggplants are ready for harvest in 16 to 24 weeks. 

8. Asparagus

Well, asparagus for BBQ is pretty delicious. But growing asparagus requires patience. It’s one of the few vegetables where you’ll need a long-term relationship. In the first year, you’ll only harvest a few spears.

However, they will be worth the wait. Once fully grown, you can be sure of harvesting usable spears for the next 30 years!

Asparagus is easy to grill. Toast it directly on the grates and add some salt and oil.

9. Basil

Basils make great toppings for your grilled meat. This fast-growing herb grows best in warm weather.

Basil needs to be used frequently as it grows best when you pinch some leaves off. So be sure to use it regularly.

10. Rosemary

Adding some rosemary to your grilled chicken or beef will for sure spice it up. The great aroma is enough reason to plant some rosemary.

You can grow rosemary in a pot by transplanting the seedling from your garden. Make sure you don’t plant it too deeply, as this can suffocate it.

Water the plant when only 1-2 inches of the soil is dry touch. Overeating rosemary can cause it to die.

Final Verdict

That wraps it from us! You now know the best vegetables to grow for barbecue. Growing and grilling your own vegetables is quite exciting. It does bring about a feeling of satisfaction. 

Don’t wait. Plant your vegetables in early spring and have them ready by late summer for some BBQ.