Pick and eat. Garden projects satisfy our hunger for fun, but what about real hunger? For that, I recommend a pick-and-eat garden, a fast-food spot that even a mother can love. I look for varieties that can go from vine to mouth with just a quick wash. Some favorites:

PEAS

I favor compact varieties that don't require trellising, like Sugar Ann or Improved Laxton's Progress.

POLE BEANS

Kentucky Wonder and Kentucky Blue are both dependable varieties that produce long, tender, stringless beans. We create a tepee of bamboo stakes for them to climb.

CHERRY TOMATOES

We like Super Sweet 100 because it's easy for small hands to harvest. Plus, it's sold as a seedling at my local garden center. Plant in cages or stake.

RADISHES

Kids may find them spicy to eat, but few crops grow faster. Plus, it's fun to yank them from the earth. We like the Easter Egg II variety.

STRAWBERRIES

Being perennials, these are a more long-term investment. But what sweet dividends. I like an Alpine or ever-bearing variety.