Who can say no to a delicious slice of pizza—especially one that’s hot from the oven, with toppings fresh from your garden? The best part about pizza gardens is that you can customize your ingredients just how you want them, and hand-pick them yourself, no delivery needed!
You can plant in raised garden beds, containers, or even a pot on your kitchen windowsill, as long as you provide your herbs and veggies plenty of sunlight, water, and fertile, well-draining soil. Here are some of the best and fastest-growing plants for a phenomenal pizza garden:
1. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a key ingredient to a tasty pizza and can be used in your sauce and topping! A tomato plant’s growing time depends on your chosen variety, but they’re typically ready for harvest in around 60 to 90 days.
You’ll know your tomatoes are fully ripe when they have an even color, firm texture, and tangy fragrance and pull easily from the stem. Most tomato varieties work well for pizza gardens, but Romas and Amish Pastes are top favorites because of their sweet taste and pasty consistency.
2. Onions
Whether you like your onions fresh, cooked, or caramelized to perfection, there’s no denying the irresistibly sweet, juicy flavor and light crunchiness they add to a pizza. Thankfully, this speedy veggie can be ready in just 55 to 65 days if transplanted, or 90 days if grown from seed.
Signs that your onions are good for harvest include top parts that are brown, dried out, and falling over. Since they aren’t that big, you can fit quite a few of them in your pizza garden, around nine bulbs per square foot is ideal.
3. Spinach
Get your greens in by sprinkling some freshly harvested spinach on your pizza! Aside from being nutrient-rich, this leafy plant adds texture and a lovely dark green color to your meal, making it look and taste delicious.
Generally, spinach is fully ripe 45 to 50 days after seeding and should be harvested when the leaves are fully formed before they turn yellow. Like onions, nine spinach plants can fit in each square foot of your pizza garden—if you have extra, you can always turn it into a salad.
4. Bell Peppers
What’s great about colorful and crunchy bell peppers is their mild, sweet, and juicy flavor that doesn’t overpower all the other toppings on your pizza. They taste amazing when roasted and served with a small char.
Bell peppers take 60 to 90 days to grow to maturity, and you’ll know they’re ripe when they change color, release juice, and are firm to the touch. These big sweet fruits come in a rainbow of colors, from red, orange, and yellow, to green, purple, and more!
5. Basil
Basil is a beloved herb and a prime ingredient of pizza—especially Margherita pizza! In addition to being aromatic, basil brings out the rich, peppery, and classic Italian flavor of pizza, whether you use it in your sauce or as a topping.
The good news is you can harvest basil even before it reaches complete maturity, which usually takes 65 to 75 days. Another advantage of growing this healthy herb is that it’s low maintenance, and harvesting leaves or sprigs now and then encourages new growth.
6. Oregano
If you’re looking to add a strong, spicy flavor to your pizza, then aromatic oregano is a must-have, or in this case, a must-plant! This leafy green is considered a classic pizza herb and a staple in Italian cooking, as a bit of oregano usually goes a long way in adding flavor.
Oregano plants grow to maturity 80 to 90 days after you sow your seeds, but you can start harvesting leaves for your pizza as early as 45 to 60 days. One telltale sign that your oregano leaves are good to go is when the plant reaches a mature height of 4 to 6 inches.
7. Arugula
For many pizza lovers, as soon as the pizza comes out of the oven, the arugula goes on top, and then it’s time to eat! This delicious leafy green adds zesty freshness to your pizza and works wonderfully with mozzarella, ricotta, or any soft creamy cheese you choose.
Arugula is a fast-growing plant that you can harvest soon after sowing. Depending on the variety of arugula in your pizza garden, you may be able to harvest 20 to 50 days after sowing.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.