Explorer Momma

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Keto Recipes
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • About
search icon
Homepage link
  • Keto Recipes
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • About
×
Home » Food

What To Plant In Your Keto Vegetable Garden

Published: Feb 26, 2018 · Modified: Mar 27, 2020 by Lauren · This post may contain affiliate links · 13 Comments

931 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Is there such a thing as a keto vegetable garden? Gardens are educational for kids, relaxing, and give you a sense of accomplishment. Since I've started a keto way of eating I've tweaked what I plant just a bit.

Okay, I admit it. I love seed catalogs. No, not looking at a website online but a REAL, paper printed seed catalog with 20 varieties of pumpkins, berry bushes of all sorts, and pages of suggestions on herbs and seasonings.

Generally, they start arriving in the middle of January when we’ve been frozen in long enough to be craving Spring.

Truly, there’s something immensely satisfying in planning out your garden in the middle of a deep freeze. That's true if it’s three pots or an acre!

But what should I plant in a keto vegetable garden? What are ketogenic vegetables?

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

What to plant in a keto vegetable garden? Are you planning a keto garden, what is a ketogenic garden, and are there keto friendly vegetables? Yes! #ketogarden #ketovegetables

Seed catalog season

This year, the joyous magazines began to arrive, and I had to stop to think. Last year I was only exploring a ketogenic diet and had not yet started so it did not factor into my garden planting.

Now I’m thinking, okay, how can I best use my small garden space and grow the keto friendly vegetables we’ll actually use?

Is there such thing as keto gardening? What exactly is a keto vegetable garden?

Yes, I made that up. Keto garden: keto vegetable garden.

What I really mean is what vegetables and plants are eaten in the keto diet, and what should I plant and cultivate. I’ve come up with a list of ideal veggies for our garden, which is not huge, and am in the process of narrowing it down to exactly how many plants, packets of seeds, etc. we actually need. 

*Check out my resources and favorite seed catalog companies at the end of the post!

What should you plant in a keto vegetable garden?

Keto Vegetables

Two cucumbers with vines and yellow flowers

  • Lettuce blends and individual varieties 
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Asparagus
  • Tomatoes - Monsters, beefy, cherry, grape, jelly bean, Early Girl, Roma, hybrid, heirloom
  • Peppers - bells, Anaheim, sweet banana, jalapeño
  • Green onions - bunching onions
  • Garlic
  • Eggplant
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Green Beans
  • Zucchini squash
  • Cucumbers
  • Pie pumpkins. We don't eat a lot of pumpkin on a keto diet, but I certainly love them in fall! Can we say pumpkin spice?! 
  • Cinderella pumpkins - Rouge Vif d’Etampes

Keto Herbs

Overhead view of three pots in an herb garden

  • Basil
  • Cilantro
  • Parsley
  • Oregano
  • Tarragon
  • Mint
  • Dill
  • Sage
  • Chives
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme

Keto Fruits

Some people on a low carb or keto diet feel like they have to avoid all fruits. That's simply not true, and my sweet tooth often craves a good almond flour raspberry muffin. Berries are healthy and can be eaten in moderation just like anything on a keto diet.

Raspberries on a fence in the sun

  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Blackberries

What seeds have I cut out of my keto vegetable garden?

I chose not to include some of my usual staples this year because they don't aline with the keto diet. They are not keto plants. Most are high carb or high sugar content, and so not ones I want to tempt myself with or actually use.

  • Beets
  • Potatoes
  • Parsnips
  • Sweet peas
  • Carrots
  • Butternut squash
  • Sweet potatoes

Kids love to plant for decoration

  • Jack-be-little pumpkins
  • Gourds
  • Wee be little pumpkins

What are some of the flowers I love?

Aren't lupins beautiful?! My love of lupins stems back to one of my favorite childhood books, Miss Rumphius, who spreads lupin seeds around town to "make the world more beautiful". We adore flowers, and getting more in our yard this year is one of my big goals.

Purple lupins

  • Zinnias
  • Snapdragons
  • Lupins
  • Roses
  • Lantanas
  • Peonies
  • Phlox
  • Lilacs

Do you not have a garden, but an outside concrete space or balcony? 

No worries! You can have a garden too. There are so many options out there today and new methods of growing.

First, take a look at these possibilities, and then enjoy a trip out to your local garden center or farm. Gardening is great for kids and an awesome way to teach responsibility and a love of nature.

If you have an outdoor space, even a small one, you can get a few pots together to plant a few vegetables.

  • Pots
  • Tubs
  • Raised bed gardens
  • Tiered planters

Plan and prioritize your keto vegetable garden

What do you prefer to buy, and what do you love to see grow? If it's easier to buy cauliflower but you'd like to plant a high yielding zucchini plant, do that. Make a plan, experiment a bit, and enjoy it! Take a look at the websites I use in planning my garden.

Resources:

Jung Seeds Garden Planner This garden planner is a great online way to map out your garden space. It's easy to use and fun to work with and save from year to year. Of course, a good old pencil and paper work well too, but we all love technology! Jung has some of the best seeds for our Colorado region.

Gurney's Seed and Nursery Co. They send us some of my favorite seed catalogs!

Burpee More seed options.

Miss Rumphius 

by Barbara Cooney

This was one of my favorite childhood books with beautiful illustrations that inspired me to much of my planting. It would make a great gift for any young girl or even yourself!

Why should you plant a keto vegetable garden?

Why do I love gardens? So many reasons.

First of all, I love to see my kids plant and take care of the vegetables to see where they come from and the work involved to grow our food. I have my own fond memories of following my dad around the garden picking little pumpkins and miniature blueberries I determined he planted just to keep me busy.

Truly, there’s something spectacularly rewarding in tending to your garden, seeing it grow, and being able to pick and eat your results. Of course, it also gets us moving and outside in the beautiful sunshine!

Do you love gardening?

My garden is never perfect but always fun and a new way to explore nature. One year all my tomatoes died, the next year bunnies burrowed and had baby bunnies in the center of the garden, you just never know what you’ll get!

However, you always learn from it and enjoy the fruits of your labors.

What do you normally plant in your garden or what would you like to plant? Did you grow up with a garden or is it new to you?

Oh! One more question, what are your favorite books about gardening, fiction or non-fiction? I’d love some recommendations!

Pin this article for later here:

What to plant in your keto vegetable garden. Plan your keto garden for spring and reap the keto friendly vegetables you love! #ketogarden #ketogenicgarden

Keto Vegetable Recipes:

  1. Grilled Garlic Parmesan Zucchini
  2. Keto Zucchini Lasagna
  3. Keto Antipasto Salad
  4. Kale Crunch Salad
  5. Cream Cheese Keto Pumpkin Muffins

More Food

  • A white plate of keto peanut butter cups in a stack with the top one having a bite taken out.
    Easy Keto Peanut Butter Cups Recipe (Sugar Free & Low Carb!)
  • Boat style dish filled with homemade rich red cranberry sauce on a wooden platter with cranberries around.
    Easy Low Carb Keto Cranberry Sauce Recipe (with just 4 ingredients!)
  • A plate of Puerto Rican authentic food, pork, rice, and pasteles.
    Cooking Class in Puerto Rico: My Experience at Cocina Abierta
  • A stack of keto protein fudge on a glass dish
    Best Protein Keto Fudge Recipe

Comments

  1. Raluca says

    February 26, 2018 at 11:39 am

    Last year at this time I had set up my own little garden. It didn't work that well. I hope I will do better this year. I really enjoyed your article. Great job!

    Reply
  2. Michelle says

    February 26, 2018 at 12:08 pm

    I definitely don't garden, but --let me tell you-- asparagus is one of my absolute favorite vegetables around. However, in regards to the keto diet, I've heard a lot about it and it has been suggested to me by many a medical professional because of my digestive issues -- I'll have to look more deeply into it!

    Thanks for sharing! x

    Michelle
    dressingwithstyle-s.com

    Reply
  3. Jo says

    February 26, 2018 at 1:21 pm

    I recently bought some baby herb plants. They're really fun to grow. I wasn't sure what else I could plant, so I'm grateful for more ideas here. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Caitlin says

    February 26, 2018 at 7:00 pm

    What an amazing feeling to nourish yourself with something you nurtured and grew! And even more so when you know it aligns with your nutritional needs and goals. Great post!

    Reply
  5. Angela Hoyos says

    February 27, 2018 at 8:44 am

    Can't say I have a green thumb but my boyfriend does! He has been bugging me to start a garden. Thanks for the tips, this was insightful.

    Reply
  6. Stefanie says

    February 27, 2018 at 9:14 am

    I have concrete outside my home so I think I'm going to try options you suggested. I LOVE lupins!

    Reply
  7. Marcie says

    February 27, 2018 at 10:04 am

    That's good to know that berries are okay for low-carb diets. My husband is a big fruit eater, but now that he's diabetic, it's tricky for him to balance.

    Reply
    • ExplorerMomma says

      February 27, 2018 at 1:13 pm

      Cutting down on sugar was one of my main original goals when I started the ketogenic diet! I'm not a medical professional and share what's worked for me and from my own research. Wild berries tend to be the best in moderation, but I would definitely consult with your husband's physician before making any changes.

      Reply
  8. Afra says

    February 28, 2018 at 11:35 am

    My husband was doing this for a long time and stopped. If we had space we would try to do this more. I will show him this and maybe it will inspire him.

    Reply
  9. Nayantara Hegde says

    March 03, 2018 at 3:34 am

    This is a brilliant list. I dont have much space in my apartment block but i have grown spinach and some veggies quite easily. I love gardening.

    Reply
  10. Patricia Emery says

    January 10, 2019 at 11:16 am

    Curious as to if you eat some of your edible flowers, and if so, where do you find out their Total Carbs per serving to count in your daily Macros, please?

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      January 10, 2019 at 12:31 pm

      Patricia that is a good question. I do sometimes fry zucchini flowers, which have 0 carbs according to myfitnesspal.com. Other than that I haven't eaten edible flowers, but would think many would be similar to greens in carb content. Which flowers were you considering?

      Reply
  11. Cheverly Long says

    December 04, 2019 at 1:35 pm

    I just stumbled onto your blog after searching "keto garden". I'm starting to plan my garden for next year and will incorporate some of your tips. I'd like to say thanks for the book recommendation... I just used your affiliate link to purchase Miss Rumphius. I've never heard of it before, but the pictures are beautiful!

    Your keto recipes look great, too. I'm excited to try them and get back on track with my keto journey.

    Thanks!
    Cheverly

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome, friend!

Hi, I’m Lauren and a mom of two. I love to share the best keto and low carb recipes, awesome travel ideas, and my obsession with books to lead a healthy, full, creative life!

Let's dig deeper

Follow Explorer Momma

Popular Recipes

  • Creamy Keto Italian Sausage Soup
  • Best ever keto spice cake
    Best Ever Keto Spice Cake {Sugar Free}
  • Keto butter spritz cookies overhead
    Keto Butter Spritz Cookies
  • This tangy and delicious Keto lemon pound cake recipe is sugar-free, gluten-free, and 9 grams of protein a slice! Enjoy for a low carb breakfast or dessert. #ketodessert #ketobreakfast
    Cream Cheese Cake - Keto Lemon Pound Cake

Seasonal Favorites

  • View of green coffee beans on plants with lush green and mountains in the distance in southern Puerto Rico
    Coffee Tour in Puerto Rico: Culture and Sustainability
  • A large red serving bowl with Georgian satsivi and a dish of brussels sprouts in the background.
    Georgian Satsivi: A Low Carb Taste of the Caucasus
  • A keto zuccini brownie (low carb) on a blue and white plate with a fork next to it.
    Keto Zucchini Brownies (Low Carb)
  • Gluten free zucchini breakfast cookies in a stack on a desert rose plate with zucchini in the background and almonds on the counter
    Keto Breakfast Cookies Recipe (Low Carb & Gluten Free)

Footer

↑ back to top

FIND KETO RECIPES

  • Appetizers & Snacks
  • Breakfast
  • Desserts
  • Main Entrees
  • Side Dishes

NEWSLETTER

  • SIGN UP FOR EMAILS AND UPDATES

ABOUT

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Amazon Associates Disclosure: This post may include Amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

© 2025 Explorer Momma LLC. All Rights Reserved.