(photo: John Kasawa)

Well it looks like we have finally come to our last (and newest) blog column, Dirt & Shovel. Featured on the fifth week of the month (whenever it rolls around), we will take a stab at gardening and related matters. Now we must admit that we are not experts, but have been dying to dabble in gardening. With the weather officially awesome, many will head outside to check on their blooms and produce. Whether you didn’t plant ahead in fear of winter or didn’t know what to plant, get started now by growing veggies.

We all need veggies in our lives as they help keep us strong. Martha Stewart has a fabulous list of easy-to-grow vegetables that you can try in your own backyard. Below are five of our favorite edibles. Happy gardening!

‘Chioggia’ Beet

5 Easy-to-Grow Vegetables

1. ‘Super Sweet 100′ Cherry Tomatoes
2. ‘Kentucky Wonder Brown’ Bean 
3. ‘Early French Breakfast’ Radish
4. ‘Chioggia’ Beet
5. ‘Black Seeded Simpson’ Loose-Leaf Lettuce

‘Early French Breakfast’ Radish