What Are The Vegetables That Grow Above Ground?

Growing vegetables is fun and great for knowing exactly what we’re eating. My favorite time of year is vegetable season, and I have always made sure to pop home and spend time with my parents during the harvest period, because those homegrown root vegetables like carrots and beets are amazing when eaten the day they’re harvested.

For some of us who have limited space, we’re stuck with container gardening for our veggies, and that is where vegetables that grow above the ground come in handy – it means we don’t miss out on tasty homegrown vegetables.

Vegetables That Grow Above Ground

There are many different types of vegetables, with some growing below ground and others growing above. In this article we will be taking a look at some of the vegetable types that grow above the ground that will make nice additions to your vegetable garden!

It’s important to note that there are some differences in growing veg above ground vs growing root vegetables, and I’ll be covering that towards the end.

Bell Peppers

Bell peppers are a fantastic choice for your garden. They’re the perfect addition to lots of recipes and can be eaten in a number of ways. My favorites are stuffed, in a stir-fry or raw in a salad.

These brightly coloured vegetables will continuously produce throughout the summer season and while they can be somewhat trickier to grow than other veg, bell peppers can be quite rewarding when the time comes to harvest them.

Broccoli

Broccoli is another very nutritious veggie that grows above the ground, and is very versatile as it can be eaten stir-fried, steamed or even raw!

Broccoli is a vegetable that can also be grown in pots or containers as well as directly in the ground. Larger pots or containers around 15 gallon size will be perfect. This miniature tree looking veggie thrives in cooler weather.

Brussel Sprouts

My all time favorite vegetable, my family frequently chuckles at the amount of sprouts that I cook and put on my plate during their season! There is, in my view, no such thing as too many!

Brussels sprouts have the appearance of baby cabbages, which they are, as they are part of the same family. They are grown above ground and can take quite some time to fully mature, around 3 to 4 months to reach their prime.

It may be useful to note that Brussel Sprouts can grow quite large and so containers are not always the best place to grow them. While they will benefit from being planted directly in the ground, I myself do love to try growing them in pots!

Cabbage

Cabbage comes from the Cole vegetable family, and it also has several varieties, for example Green, Red and Savoy. Cabbage’s are also quite useful as they can be included in dozens of recipes from different countries worldwide. The preferred garden environment for cabbage includes fertile soil and a balanced temperature.

The downside to growing cabbage is of course that you don’t always get to eat your harvest – the cabbage white butterfly is very fond of cabbages too, and may just beat you to it!

Cauliflower

Not only can Cauliflower be eaten cooked or raw as an addition to a number of recipes but it is also a great low-carb substitute for rice making it a highly nutritious above-ground vegetable. Cauliflower can be grown in containers and pots, takes up minimal space and can be harvested all season long.

Corn

Due to its requirements, farmers consider corn or maize to be quite a greedy crop. Therefore, corn is mainly viewed as a farm vegetable, but there is no reason not to try growing a couple in your garden, especially if you would like a bit of a challenge.

You should keep in mind that corn needs more fertilizer than other crops, and you need to properly prepare the soil before planting.

Corn stalks will grow vertically up to eight feet, and harvest can be done three to four months after planting the seeds. Make sure to plant corn during the summer, as it loves and thrives in warmer weather.

I remember my dad actually grew corn one year when I was not yet 10 and it was great fun picking the corn and getting to eat them that day – gently boiled with lashings of butter on them. Yum!

Cucumbers

While technically a fruit, cucumbers are commonly considered a vegetable and they grow on vines that climb up fences and trellises. Cucumbers are pretty easy to grow and are a  good option for beginner gardeners.

Each cucumber (depending on its variety) can grow up to eight inches long, and you can start harvesting it between 50 to 70 days after planting.

In the summer of 2021 my dad had grown cucumbers in his greenhouse again for my mum, and as she was hospitalized and unable to eat them, they grew rather large! She would have loved them had she been able to eat them.

Eggplants

Eggplants – also known as aubergine – are such a delicious vegetable, especially grilled. They prefer warm weather and like to be placed in a location with full sunlight which will help it to thrive.

Make sure to keep the garden soil moist, and you should have a great harvest after 60 to 80 days.

I haven’t grown these myself because I can get them very inexpensively from the organic veg store near me.

Green Onions

Also called scallions or spring onions, this onion type grows up from the soil. They’re an easy vegetable to grow in pots or in the ground and make a great addition if you happen to like them. I grow green onions for as long as I can, and pop them into salads, stir fries and sandwiches too!

Kale

Kale is a versatile dark-green leafy vegetable that grows above the ground. You can plant it in your garden bed or containers/pots, so you are able to grow it even if you don’t have a large garden.

Additionally, Kale is a hardy vegetable that can withstand harsh winters and adapt to various environments, which allows it to thrive and grow in conditions other than its perfect one.

Lettuce

Another very popular vegetable that grows above ground is lettuce. Several well-known varieties of this leafy veg include the iceberg (crisphead), romaine, red-leafed, and butterhead.

Lettuce is best suited in cool weather locations and can be planted in containers or pots. Lettuces kept in temperatures between 60 to 65°F (15 to 18 °C), will produce a good harvest after they have been growing for between 30 to 70 days, but be aware that if you have a period of intense heat, they will wilt and die quickly!

Okra

Delicious and nutritious, okra can survive in hot, dry climates as it generally only requires a minimum of an inch of water per week. However Orka can be pretty hard to grow. Remember that okra needs a decent amount of room in the garden as it tends to spread as it grows.

For best results, plant it in soil with a neutral pH level (6.7 to 7) and ensure it gets plenty of sunlight.

Peas

I’m growing peas in containers this season, and while they are gorgeous to look at, I also can’t wait for them to be ready to pick and eat. While I do not like peas that have been frozen or canned, I absolutely love fresh-from-their-pod peas, eaten raw, as I’m picking them. So tasty!

Pole Beans

Another vegetable that grows above ground are pole beans, also called runner beans. I have to say, my dad is the kind of beans, and grows them every year without fail. The saddest day of veggie season is the day when the beans have finished.

One of the great things about beans are that you can pop them in the ground (or pots) quite late in the season compared to other vegetables, and you’ll still get a good harvest. And have I mentioned how much I love to eat these beans raw too? Right off the vine? Yum!

Pumpkins

A classic Halloween season fixture, pumpkins are native to America and are a member of the gourd vegetable family. They grow on vines and can take up a lot of space, so pumpkins are best suited for large gardens that can provide around three to five feet of space per plant.

Pumpkins will need up to three to four months to grow, and they do prefer warmer weather so plant your batch between early May to June.

Spinach

Known to be Popeye’s favorite veggie, spinach is packed full of nutrients and is relatively easy to grow. It doesn’t do well under full sunlight – ask me how I know! – which is why it is best grown during spring, late summer and autumn, rather than the summer months.

Too much exposure to heat can significantly reduce its fresh flavor, so start planting in August and September for the best-tasting results.

Tomatoes

If you were to ask someone to name one vegetable that grows above ground, tomatoes are almost guaranteed to be the vegetable that everybody thinks of, and are by far the most popular to grow. There are many varieties of tomatoes and hybrids to choose from for your garden, and you can grow them in the ground, in a grow bag or even in containers if they’re large enough. Growing tomatoes is also quite easy, and they thrive in sunny environments. Depending on the tomato variety, harvest can be done between 60 to 100 days after planting.

This year my dad had almost 50 tomato plants by May – he grows so many as he likes to give quite a few away to family and friends, which we all appreciate enormously!

Above Ground Veggies I’m Growing

At the time of writing this, I have a few above ground vegetables that have been planted in containers and showing progress:

• Peas: flowers started appearing a week ago, and today I spotted three peas on my main pot!
• Turks Turban: not a pumpkin, but a type of squash that is gorgeous to look at. I planted three seeds quite late (the beginning of June!) and they’ve all three come up and are making progress.
• Lettuce: as well as round lettuce, I also have some general salad greens that are trying to stay alive. The heat is crazy hot at the moment, and like me, they’re not fans of hot and humid either.
• Climbing Spinach: this is a new one for me, as the regular spinach I grow just collapsed from the heat and died. I’m hoping this variety will add a bit of greenery to my open screen area as well as some tastiness to my salads and stir fries.
• Green onion: for the reasons mentioned earlier, these are so easy to grow and I love to eat them.
• Brussel Sprouts: this is obviously a no-brainer being that I love sprouts so much.

My tomato seeds never materialized so I’m out of tomatoes this year – sob – but it does mean that we have a little more space for other above ground vegetables that are new for me to try out. I’ll let you know how they pan out later in the season!