Understanding vegetable families makes sifting through all the varieties easier and ensures you grow what will satisfy everyone in your household.
Although we often use the word “family” in an abstract sense, these veggie-growing fact sheets use it more practically.
Tomatoes
Like other members of the Solanales family, tomatoes are warm-season vegetables that require ample sun and high-quality soil for successful cultivation. When planting tomatoes, it’s best to do it when the ground and air temperatures have warmed up and nighttime temperatures stay above 55 degrees; otherwise, the fruit won’t set.
Step one in growing healthy tomatoes is to clear away weeds and other competing plants that harbor diseases that affect tomato plants, including any that harbor diseases from them. Step two should include performing a soil test and amending with agricultural lime as needed (please refer to the soil section for details).
When planting tomato seedlings, choose a sunny garden spot or container. Tomatoes require at least six hours of direct sunlight daily; map out where there’s ample sunshine in your yard or garden so you know where to place them!
Tomato plants come in many shapes and sizes but generally divide into two categories: bush and vining/cordon varieties. Vining varieties reach 3 feet (1 meter or higher) and produce fruits along one long stem; bush tomatoes tend to produce fruits in clusters along their smaller stems, which can be staked to form upright bushes or trained onto trellises, although these produce far fewer fruit overall.
Amend the soil with compost or well-rotted manure to help your tomatoes establish solid roots and access a consistent source of major and minor plant nutrients. Also, at planting time, mix in a balanced fertilizer, such as Miracle-Gro Performance Organics Edibles Plant Nutrition Granules, and continue feeding as instructed on the label throughout the growing season.
Water regularly during the growing season to maintain moist soil conditions and prevent fungal disease. Apply water directly to the root zone rather than wetting foliage, as this could spread fungal disease. Mulching with untreated hay, straw, or grass clippings helps retain soil moisture and reduce watering needs.
Be wary of pests such as large green caterpillars known as tomato hornworms and other leaf-feeding insects, including aphids, thrips, and sap suckers that feed on sap. Picking off any you see and dropping them into soapy water cans is one way of controlling them, or sprays of neem oil or insecticidal soap can also help.
Peppers
Peppers come in various vibrant hues and shapes, boasting numerous nutritional benefits that help prevent colds while strengthening immune systems and aiding digestion. Plus, they contain fewer calories! They are rich in Vitamin C, A, other essential minerals, and numerous beneficial antibacterials! They make delicious side dishes for lunch or dinner; they add to anyone’s diet!
Pepper plants require full sun and warm weather to flourish and produce fruit. They also require well-draining soil with a moderately fertile profile with plenty of organic matter, a low pH (about 6.5-7), and well-draining properties. Pepper plants thrive best in environments with good drainage, ideally with neutral to slightly acidic pH levels (6.5-7).
In most areas, pepper seeds must be germinated indoors before sowing outdoors at the last frost date. Depending on the variety, this process could take eight weeks from indoor sowing until they’re ready for transplanting into your garden.
Indoor seed trays or containers must remain warm and humid until seedlings are ready to move outdoors. To minimize transplant shock and protect from wind gusts, gradually increase their time outside each day and place them in a protected sunny location; this process, known as “hardening off,” helps lower risks related to transplant shock and severe temperature shifts that could hinder growth.
Before transplanting, ensure the soil is warm enough for human touch and weed-free. Test pH levels to adjust as needed; mulch with hay or compost to retain soil moisture while suppressing weeds that compete for nutrients or provide refuge sites for insects.
Once transplanted, use shade cloth or row covers to protect plants from heat stress and sunscald (exposure to direct sunlight during hot weather can cause pepper leaves to burn). Also, keep the soil from weeds to reduce competition and disease pressure.
When fertilizing begins, use a balanced liquid fertilizer according to soil test recommendations. Directly applying fertilizers to the surface soil expedites their absorption and enhances their effectiveness compared to incorporating them into the topsoil layers. Regular picking will promote flower and fruit production while ensuring that your plant doesn’t produce too many!
Eggplants
The eggplant (Solanum melongena) is an ornamental and nutritious addition to flower beds, veggie gardens, and containers. Packed with fiber and potassium, eggplant belongs to the Allium or onion family, alongside garlic, leeks, and chives. Like tomatoes and peppers, it requires full sun and fertile soil. Conduct a soil test for optimal growth before following a crop rotation schedule to protect against disease.
Like other Nightshade or Solanaceae plants, eggplants are susceptible to several serious diseases that threaten crops. Verticillium wilt, bacterial wilt, and Phytophthora blight are just three problems that may attack eggplant plants. When planting eggplants, choose well-draining soil with lots of organic matter for the best results.
Eggplants require at least an inch of water each week during their growing season; more is often necessary during periods of extreme heat. Water deeply to allow it to soak into the soil rather than runoff on all sides; inconsistent or inadequate watering could result in small, bitter fruit; an automated drip irrigation system provides even moisture distribution while helping reduce weed growth; check soil moisture several times each day and supplement supplemental water as necessary.
Bushy plants typically yield more significant results than tall, spindly varieties. To encourage branching, pinch the top bud when plants reach 10 inches and stake as needed so the fruit doesn’t weigh down the plants later in the season.
Select an eggplant variety suitable for your climate. Short-season varieties that ripen quickly will be harvested in the North before any cold snap arrives. Green Knight early hybrid eggplants yield long, glossy, jade-green fruits, while Black Beauty heirloom eggplants yield large, dark purple fruits 74 days post-transplant. When selecting any variety from nightshade plants (i.e., eggplant), never consume their leaves and blossoms, as these contain solanine, which can be toxic in large doses, regardless of the variety chosen!
Cucurbitaceae
Cucurbitaceae (gourds), or cucurbits, are a varied group of plants with great agricultural significance. Common species include cucumbers (Cucumis sativus), zucchini (Curcuma zucchini), pumpkins (Cucurbita maxima and Cucurbita moschata), wax gourds (Benincasa hispida), pointed or ash gourds (Trichosanthes dioica), snake or ridge gourds (Luffa acutangula), and watermelons (Citrullus lanatus).
While many plants in this family share common enemies, each family can differ depending on which pests it’s susceptible to. Cucumbers and squash are particularly vulnerable to fungal diseases like blight and pests like flea beetles and aphids.
Genomics efforts have proven valuable in studying crop domestication among cucurbits. Still, traditional systematics and herbarium specimens remain invaluable tools for understanding species’ natural geographic distributions and climate adaptations.
Brassicaceae
Understanding the family characteristics of each vegetable species can make all the difference when growing vegetables. Knowing its specific requirements, such as soil and light needs and pollination types, helps ensure each one has what it needs for optimal success. You’re also better able to plan a crop rotation strategy that prevents disease.
The Brassicaceae family, also known as the Cruciferae family, is famous for having a lot of phytochemicals, vitamins, and isothiocyanates. These chemicals have been used to make functional foods and improve the nutritional content of food matrices.
Recent WOS analysis of research on Brassicaceae plants examined keyword clustering data from two periods, 2002–2011 and 2012–2022, to compare keyword clustering information between them. During this second period, the analysis revealed that the research focus for this family had shifted away from taxonomy toward phylogenetics, and an increase in countries publishing on this topic followed suit.
Brassica oleracea
Brassica oleracea is an important vegetable crop in temperate regions. A biennial plant produces a thick rosette of leaves in its first year before blooming in its second. Due to its rich nutrient content, Brassica is a vital source of vitamins, antioxidants, and anticarcinogenic compounds—essential components of life!
Cultivated varieties of cabbage, such as cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts, differ considerably from their wild relatives due to their long cultivation. Yet all three exhibit similar traits due to selective breeding that exaggerates certain features of their ancestral species.
Although B. oleracea cultivars exhibit significant genetic variation, phylogenetic analyses indicate that its progenitor species was an Eastern Mediterranean wild species. This aligns with previous research, which suggests domestication is a complex process involving multiple progenitor species.
Amaryllodaceae
These bulbs produce showy flowers with radial symmetry that form umbels at the end of a leafless stem. Their coronas contain allyl sulfide compounds, which emit their characteristic oniony aroma.
This subfamily encompasses spring bulbs like Narcissus (daffodils) and Crocus sativus, as well as allium species like garlic and leeks. Alliums are perennial plants with long, narrow, strap-like leaves originating in bulbs or rhizomes.
On a garden scale, crop rotation within plant families is critical to avoiding nutrient depletion and decreasing pest populations. Understanding your garden plants’ families allows you to plan an efficient planting strategy; you can download a vegetable family chart here to assist with this effort and display which ones should be planted together and which should not.
Brassica rapa
High levels of erucic acid and glucosinolates in both oil and seed meal restricted traditional B. napus oilseed crops; however, research has dramatically decreased these levels (for instance, lowering to 40 mmol/g), making these crops suitable as both human food and animal feed.
Oilseed crops grown as annuals can have an enormous effect on habitats, particularly agricultural areas. They may compete for space with primary colonizers and interfere with essential ecosystem processes like pollination, nitrogen fixation, and toxin removal in disturbed environments.
Brassica rapa shares close affinities with B. napus and other Brassica crops such as savoy cabbage, mustard, and kale; consequently, genetic transfer between farm plants and their wild relatives may occur (Bing et al., 1991).
Turnip (B. rapa subsp. rapa) and field mustard (B. juncea) are two of the most cultivated subspecies as crop plants and are among the essential subspecies cultivated as crops; field mustard is an invasive weed in some locations that can hybridize with either of these two crop species.
Brassica sativa
Brassica crops offer home gardeners an assortment of vegetables ideal for quick harvests. Their seeds are easy to save and fast-growing, making them an excellent choice for an active gardener’s schedule. To ensure a healthy harvest, gardeners must sow these seeds in well-draining soil with sufficient light and water availability.
Brassicaceae vegetables have special chemicals called secondary metabolites that give them flavors and bioactivities. These chemicals include organosulfur compounds like glucosinolates and their bioactive breakdown products, such as isothiocyanates. Furthermore, their high antioxidant capacities due to phenolics make Brassica crucifers exceptionally nutritious and delicious!
Kale and broccoli have a higher antioxidant capacity than spinach, carrots, or potatoes due to their abundance of indole-3-acetic acid and cytokinins, as well as phytoalexins, which have been shown to promote soil health and suppress plant diseases. Farmers use cover crops containing Brassicas, such as turnips, which produce bulbs that break up topsoil compaction. In contrast, like radishes and mustards, others have root systems that can break apart deeper compaction for reduced fumigant use; some, like turnips, produce bulbs. In contrast, other varieties have root systems that break up deeper compactions.
Brassica crucifer
Cruciferous vegetables belonging to the Brassica family are an indispensable addition to any garden. They are known for their abundance of glucosinolates, which detoxify xenobiotics and prevent DNA methylation. Crucifers also contribute significantly to soil health and fertility.
Brassica family plants include Brassica oleracea (cole crops such as kale, collards, broccoli, and cauliflower), Brassica rapa (turnips), Brassica napus (canola or rapeseed), Radish (Raphanus sativus), and Armoracia rusticana (horseradish). All are easy to grow in home gardens and offer many nutritional benefits.
Buckwheat plants are popular cover crop rotation options because of their fast fall growth rate and capacity to absorb nitrogen (N). Their roots help manage erosion, improve tilth, reduce compaction, and enhance soil water infiltration. Furthermore, their high moisture content helps prevent fungal diseases while increasing yields; these crops also generate large amounts of microbial biomass, helping control soil pathogens and improving plant vigor.
Brassica juncea
Brassica juncea is an important cruciferous vegetable crop, widely utilized as leaf crops (bok choy, chard, collards, and kale), stem crops (kohlrabi and turnips), culinary seeds such as mustard (mustard), as well as canola oil production. Brassicas may also serve as winter or rotational cover crops to provide a suitable seedbed for subsequent crops.
This species has become widely naturalized worldwide and thrives in various soil types and climate conditions, from boreal wet to tropical thorns to tropical damp forest life zones.
Farmers have developed numerous varieties of Brassica juncea to produce various leaf crops and oils, with cultivars of this species classified based on physicochemical and phytochemical characteristics. These may differ depending on cultivation practices, agroclimatic conditions (such as nutrient management practices, irrigation needs, and long-term weather patterns along the elevation gradient), and correlation analysis showing significant correlations between its physicochemical characteristics and phenotypic traits.
Brassica rhododendron
Gardeners who wish to explore the wonders of vegetable gardening will have many varieties to select from. When making decisions, remember that even seemingly disparate vegetables may belong to one group, simplifying the selection. Furthermore, this approach makes cross-pollination less likely and thus guarantees predictable seed generations in subsequent generations.
Gardeners still rely on the term ‘family’ as a general way of categorizing related plants; one such family includes broccoli, cauliflower, radish, and kale as examples of this classification system.
These vegetables contain beneficial compounds like glucosinolates, coumarins, and S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide. Furthermore, they’re an excellent source of vitamins A and K and other vital minerals. Because of their health-giving properties and environmental advantages—helping reduce carbon dioxide emissions while supporting soil health—they are widely grown worldwide as staples of healthy diets and an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Potatoes
Potatoes are one of the most beloved and rewarding home vegetable crops to cultivate, and for good reason. Potatoes, a staple worldwide, provide essential nutrition while remaining relatively easy to grow, even for beginners. Not to mention, they come in thousands of varieties to choose from!
It’s easy to grow potatoes; just a few practical tips can simplify the process from seed to table. Step one should be selecting an ideal variety. Potatoes come in various varieties, from russets with brown skins to red and white varieties with starchy or waxy flesh. Step two involves planting them correctly. To achieve optimal harvests, it’s critical to cover the soil around plants with compost or organic matter, such as peat moss, for maximum moisture retention and less evaporation from soil surface areas around plants. To reduce evaporation from soil surface layers while maintaining consistent levels of moisture in soil layers around plants for the best harvest,
We also recommend adding mulch around your planting space to help retain soil moisture and suppress weeds like any other planting area. Furthermore, it is advisable to regularly inspect potatoes for insects or fungal diseases to safeguard them against potential disease-related issues and prevent disease outbreaks.
For optimal results when growing potatoes, harvest should occur 10–12 weeks post-planting, when all flowers have opened fully and tubers have reached an edible size.
Once potatoes are ready for harvesting, they exhibit signs of preparation. When it’s time to harvest, wilted and yellowing leaves often topple over.
Harvesting potatoes requires care in terms of both digging them up without damaging the roots and then storing them for two weeks in a cool and dry location. After that time has passed, your hard work can begin paying dividends in your kitchen, with many delicious dishes created using these nutritious tubers! It truly makes growing them worth your while at home!