5 handy kits for a working kitchen garden

Planting a working kitchen garden is a wise investment. Not only does it mean you’ll have ready access to food in your own backyard, or back deck, or rooftop garden. It also lets you grow a quantity of foodstuffs with relatively low starter costs. Not to mention you can plant according to your own tastes: like chili peppers? Plant another row of habaneros. Upping your exercise routine? Grow superfoods to keep you boosted. You might not be harvesting bushels of beets overnight, but any one of these five gardening kits can get you started on the journey to a working kitchen garden.

Plant Theatre Pepper Seeds for Planting u2013 Seed Starter Kit to Grow Hot Chili or Sweet Peppers in Out/Indoor Garden u2013 Pots, Peat Discs, Plant Markers & 6 Varieties Included

If you’re going to eat what you plant, might as well make it exciting, right? This Plant Theater Pepper Seeds kit has both sweet and hot peppers, including a special Frying Mix and California Peppers for a tamer taste, as well as Jalapeno, Habanero, and Cayenne for a hit of fresh heat. Six pots, peat discs, and stakes (for identification) should get your pepper seedlings going.

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Plant Theatre Funky Veg grow kit

Another fun seed kit from Plant Theater, the Funky Veg collection includes a rainbow of healthy veggies: golden zucchini squash, Rubine Brussels sprouts, striped tomatoes, rainbow chard, and purple carrots (which really do taste different). In addition to seedlings, you’ll receive five pots with peat discs plus instructions for ideal growing conditions.

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Nature's Blossom Herbal Teas Garden Kit

If you’re not ready to try vegetables, this Herbal Tea Garden Kit from Nature’s Blossom is a more relaxed way to dive into grow-your-own. It comes with four herbs perfect for herbal tea—mint, chamomile, lemon balm, and catnip—as well as compressed potting soil pellets, biodegradable planting pots, labels, and a comprehensive guide.

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Nature's Blossom Gardening Kit - Includes 4 Types of Superfood Vegetable Seeds, Planting Pots, Plant Markers - DIY Seed Starter Kit for Growing Outdoor or Indoor Garden

Yes, “superfoods” are all the rage—they’re also fairly expensive. But not if you grow them at home! This simple Gardening Kit from Nature’s Blossom includes four “superfoods” that also happen to be tasty, useful ingredients in a healthy meal. You’ll get seeds for kale, leek, beet, and Brussels sprouts, as well as biodegradable planters (for when you transport them outside) and a detailed how-to.

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Nature's Blossom Onions Seed Starter Kit for Beginner Gardeners - Easily Grow Indoors or Outdoors 4 Different Onions from Seeds. A Full Gardening Kit for Nature Lovers (Allium Cepa)

Some people don’t like onions. But most functioning, working kitchens use onions on a regular basis. They’re incredibly versatile aromatics—used fresh or cooked—and have surprising health benefits. This Onions Seed Starter Kit from Nature’s Blossom includes four different kinds, for unique flavor profiles: green onion, shallot, purple, and classic yellow. Planting pots and a handy guide will take you from onion grass all the way to big, juicy bulb.

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There are lots of reasons to start your own kitchen garden these days. You might be spending more time at home, in your own kitchen, and cooking a lot more. And maybe you’ve noticed that decent produce is coming in at increasingly higher prices. While it’s an up-front investment, starting your own kitchen garden is ultimately low-cost and (once you get your thumb nice and green) high-yield. Not to mention you can guide your garden to follow your tastes, and keep your crew eating healthy, too.