It also made me think more deeply about what nourishes me. And if there’s one nutrient the world seems fixated on right now, it’s protein. Every other product at the supermarket screams “high-protein” or “protein-packed”, gym culture has practically rebranded it as a religion, and new research keeps surfacing about how essential it is for our health.  

This blog isn’t here to shame your protein powders or tell you to ditch your favorite snack bars, do what feels right for your body. But if you have access to a garden and want to add something amazing to both your nutrition and your soil, keep reading. 

Firstly, What is Protein?  

Let’s break it down. Protein is one of the three macronutrients your body needs in large amounts (the others being carbs and fats). It’s made up of building blocks called amino acids and these little molecules are what your body uses to: 

• Build and repair muscle, tissue, and skin 
• Produce enzymes and hormones 
• Power your immune system 
• Keep every single cell functioning properly 

So yeah, kind of a big deal! No wonder it’s talked about so much lately.  

Your body needs 20 different amino acids to function properly. It can make most of them on its own, but 9 are “essential”, meaning you have to get them through food. Animal proteins (like meat, eggs, and dairy) contain all 9 in one go, which is why they’re called complete proteins. Most plant-based sources don’t have the full set on their own, but that’s not a problem. Your body can combine amino acids from different plant foods throughout the day to get everything it needs. By eating a variety of beans, grains, nuts, and seeds, you can meet your protein needs fully from plants. In doing so, you’re not just nourishing your body: you’re also being gentler on the earth, lighter on the soil, and kinder to animals along the way. 

Disclaimer: this is supported by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which confirms that well-planned plant-based diets provide all the protein your body needs, at every life stage. 

What Counts as Protein in the Garden? 

When we talk about protein, we’re usually thinking beans (and beans are stars) but they’re not alone. Protein in plants comes from a whole cast of characters: 

• Legumes like peas, chickpeas, and lentils. They are also nitrogen fixation plants!  
• Seeds & grains like quinoa, amaranth, and peanuts 
• Nuts (if you’ve got the space!) 
• Leafy greens that chip in smaller amounts 

Some have complete proteins, others don’t but together they build a well-rounded cast for your diet.  

What to Grow, Where: Protein Crops by Climate Zone 

Whether you’re gardening in chilly Maine or sunbaked Arizona, there’s a protein-rich plant waiting to thrive in your zone. 

Cooler climates (USDA Zones 3–5)  

• Lentils – Hardy, drought-tolerant, and nutrient-dense. A great early-season crop in northern zones. 
• Fava Beans – One of the most cold-hardy legumes, with a rich, meaty flavor. Best planted in early spring or fall. 
• Quinoa – A complete protein and gluten-free seed often treated like a grain. Grows well in cooler, drier climates. Short-season varieties like Cherry Vanilla are ideal for Zones 4–5. 
• Kale & Spinach – While not high-protein (about 3g per cooked cup), they add valuable nutrients and support overall protein intake. 
• Peas – Cool-weather champs. Snap, snow, or shelling varieties are easy to grow

Temperate climates (USDA Zones 6–8) 

• Soybeans (Edamame) – Thrive in warm summers and are rich in complete protein (~17g per cooked cup). Harvest young for edamame. 

• Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) – Prefer hot, dry summers and well-drained soil. Protein-rich (~15g per cooked cup) and good for small-scale growers. 

• Runner Beans – Heat-tolerant, vining, and beautiful. High yields and moderate protein (~13g per cooked cup). 

• Sunflower Seeds – Grown for seeds, not the flower! ~6g of protein per ¼ cup shelled seeds. Full sun and space to grow tall. 

• Amaranth – Both the leaves (protein-rich greens) and seeds (complete protein) are edible. Adaptable and ornamental. 

  

Warm climates (USDA Zones 9–11) 

• Pigeon Peas – Perennial in the tropics, annual in mild climates. Popular in Caribbean, African, and Indian cooking. Great nitrogen fixer. 
• Moringa – Fast-growing tree with edible leaves high in protein (~2–3g per 100g fresh). Also rich in vitamins and minerals. 
• Peanuts – Technically a legume, not a nut! Grows well in sandy, well-drained soil. ~25g protein per cup (roasted). 
• Sesame – Grown for its oil-rich, high-protein seeds (~5g per tablespoon). Needs a long, hot growing season. 
• Cowpeas (Black-eyed peas) – Extremely drought-tolerant and thrive in heat. ~13g protein per cooked cup. 

Backyard Protein Hacks 

• Go vertical: Beans and peas love to climb. Save space with trellises or garden arches. 
• Mix it up: Try the Three Sisters method. Corn, beans, and squash grown together to support each other. 
• Let it dry: For storage crops like lentils or chickpeas, leave pods to dry on the plant before harvesting. 
• Save seeds: Dry beans and grains store well all year and can be replanted. 

Bonus fact: Many legumes, including soybeans, chickpeas, peas, lentils, and fava beans, are nitrogen-fixers. That means they work with bacteria in the soil to pull nitrogen from the air and convert it into a form plants can use. This natural fertilization reduces the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, which are energy-intensive to produce and can pollute water systems!  

Start small, experiment wildly, and celebrate the fact that your dinner might start from a single sprout. 

And hey, if you name your soybean plant “Beanoncé,” we fully support that.

‘Curry’ is actually a loose, catch-all term that doesn’t properly refer to any specific dish. In its originating culture, each dish would have its own unique name. That being said, many dishes that could be loosely grouped as ‘curry-style’ dishes can be created using many of the same core plants in the garden. Let’s explore some potential ways to plan a culinary curry garden in Planter!

Curry garden base plan

Our sample curry garden base plan starts with a standard 4’ x 8’ garden in Planter. We’ve filled the garden with uber-versatile plants that form the backbone of many great curry dishes:

• Garlic
• Ginger
• Cilantro
• Hot peppers
• Tomatoes
• Onions

Garlic and cooking onions were placed on the outside because they are slow growers and need to be harvested by pulling or forking them out of the soil. Two hot pepper plants might not seem like a lot, but they’ll likely be prolific enough to provide your family with ample chili harvests (of course if you’re major spice lovers feel free to add more!) While cilantro is associated with cuisines from some of the hotter parts of the world, it actually can’t take the heat all that well and has a tendency to bolt. Because of this, you might want to plan to plant your cilantro in successions.

Roma tomatoes were chosen because they are a nice meaty tomato that work well for cooking. Ginger is kept in containers because a) it grows slowly and needs to be started indoors well in advance if you live in a cooler climate and b) the containers can be moved and positioned around the garden so the plants receive dappled sun- ginger loves the heat but not direct, scorching sunlight.

When choosing locations for the plants in your own plan, be sure to position them so they’ll be easily accessible for harvesting and where they won’t shade each other out unintentionally. This base plan is just a starting point that you can adapt to your unique garden conditions.

If you happen to have some more space to play with in your garden, consider branching out into some specific cuisines:

Thai curry garden plan

Thai food is vibrant and features an array of different veggies. To prepare some tasty Thai dishes, the following plants were added to the base plan:

• Peas
• Eggplant
• Carrots
• Lemongrass
• Thai basil
• Thai mint
• Peanuts
• Dwarf lime

The Thai curry garden plan incorporates most of the plants from the base curry garden plan and adds on from there. The serrano chiles were swapped for Thai chiles, and more garlic and onions were added. Lemongrass is a staple ingredient in many Thai dishes- its included in a container so it can be started early indoors and easily transitioned outside. Mint was also added in a container to prevent it from spreading and taking over the entire garden! Basil plays more nicely so it can be incorporated right into the garden bed. If possible, try to find Thai varieties of mint and basil for a more authentic flavor.

For something slightly more adventurous peanuts and a dwarf lime were added to the plan- these ingredients are often incorporated in Thai dishes or used as accompaniments. Peanuts can grow well even in somewhat northern climates as long as you select an appropriate variety and ensure they are planted with enough time to mature. Limes on the other hand are frost sensitive, but dwarf varieties can be grown as container plants that can be brought inside over winter. If overwintering a lime tree seems like too much work, forgo it and plant something else instead- just be sure not to fill the middle of the garden space with plants that will be hard to reach.

Indian curry garden plan

The Indian curry garden plan also works off the same base curry garden plan, but includes some unique ingredients favored in Indian cooking:

• Turmeric
• Cauliflower
• Potatoes
• Okra
• Kidney beans
• Mustard
• Spinach

Turmeric is a plant that spreads and grows by rhizomes, similar to ginger. Since turmeric isn’t available in Planter (yet!) one workaround is to create a custom variety of ginger and name it turmeric (turmeric isn’t technically a ginger variety but this is just a quick fix). Like ginger, turmeric is grown in pots so it can be started well in advance and moved around in the garden to capture the perfect balance of sun and shade.

Cauliflower and potatoes are included in the plan as core ingredients in the popular and delicious dish ‘aloo gobi’. Okra is added as the key component of ‘bhindi masala’, and the kidney beans can be used to prepare delicious ‘rajma’. With drying beans you’ll want to have several plants to get a yield that is substantial enough to make bean-based dishes. Rounding out the list we have spinach and mustard- spinach can be used to make a mouth-watering ‘saag paneer’ and along with mustard greens (and other mixed greens) can be used to create delicious ‘saag’ curries. And if your mustard bolts and goes to seed no worries- mustard seed is also a key spice in many Indian dishes!

We hope these curry garden plans have provided some inspiration to plan a fun and practical cuisine-themed garden! Having all the veggies at hand to create a whole range of dishes will help you make the best use of your garden produce in the kitchen. Planter makes it easy and fun to explore garden design possibilities to compliment your culinary adventures!

What are Legumes?

Scientifically speaking, legumes are members of the ‘Fabaceae” family. They include beans and peas, as well as some plants you might not have realized, like peanuts and clover (this article focuses on beans and peas). Legumes have the amazing ability to ‘fix’ their own nitrogen. Their roots form a relationship with bacteria in the soil that allows them to capture and use nitrogen from the air. In the garden we can take advantage of this effect by planting crops that are heavy nitrogen feeders in an area that has been previously planted with legumes.

Legumes are grown for various edible plant parts. In the case of peas, there are ‘shelling peas’ also known as ‘garden peas’ or ‘English peas’, which are grown for their peas but not the pods. Some types of shelling peas are grown to be dried and there are also ‘field peas’ which are specifically for drying. There are ‘snap peas’ which are grown for both their pods and the peas inside. With ‘snow peas’, the pod is the prize as the peas inside should be very small when harvested. The shoots of pea plants can also be harvested and eaten fresh or cooked.

With beans, there are ‘snap beans’ or ‘string beans’ which is what we would generally think of as green or yellow beans. There are ‘shelling beans’ which are typically shelled and then eaten fresh, and there are ‘drying beans’ which are grown primarily for storage.

One of the advantages of growing your own beans and peas is there are so many unique varieties available. Check Planter to find some neat varieties to add to your garden!

How to Grow Legumes

Beans and peas are not too fussy about their growing conditions, and as they can generate their own food they should not need fertilizing unless they show signs of deficiency. Peas prefer cooler weather however; their growth slows dramatically when summer heat hits.

Depending on the type, your beans and peas may need a trellis or support system. With beans, there are pole beans and runner beans which do require a trellis, and bush beans which can grow without support. There are also half-runners which don’t absolutely need a trellis but do prefer having something to climb. Peas come in pole and bush varieties, although bush peas still do best with a bit of support.

To trellis, you can use sturdy wood or bamboo sticks arranged in triangular shapes, you can buy or assemble your own wooden or metal trellis, or you can pound u-post into the ground and use string to ‘weave’ around the plants as they grow. Secure the plants gently to the structure - avoid using wire or other tough materials that could cut the vines as they sway in the wind. Whatever method you choose, make sure the supports are sturdy and the plants are well secured to avoid them toppling over in a storm.

Refer to Planter for detailed information on growing peas and beans:

You may find you need to protect your tender peas and beans from hungry critters such as rabbits - chicken wire shaped into a fence or cage can serve this purpose. If you are struggling to direct-sow peas and beans, it is possible to give them a head start indoors and carefully transplant them outside.

Harvesting Legumes

The trick with harvesting legumes is determining when they are ready to be picked. This depends on the type of pea or bean you grow. Testing a few is the best way to check! For garden peas, the peas should be mature but still sweet. Snap peas should be harvested when the pods are tender and the peas inside are round. Snow peas are harvested when the pods are full-size but still flat. Snap beans should be harvested when the pods are full-size and the beans inside are not too mature and round. Shelling beans can be harvested when the beans inside have reached maturity but are still soft. If you are going for a drying-type pea or bean, harvest when the pods are fully dry.

Harvest the peas and beans that are at their prime regularly to keep the plants productive. Be careful not to yank or tear the plants - two hands can be helpful to hold the plant and pinch off the pea or bean pods.

Peas are best enjoyed as soon as possible after harvest (nothing quite compares to a freshly picked pea!) Beans can cause an upset stomach if eaten raw in large quantities, so they are generally cooked before eating.

Try your hand at growing peas and beans, for a garden-fresh flavor that just can’t be found in stores!