At North Spore, we cultivate food. It might surprise you to know that we freakin' love growing things like veggies and flowers right alongside the mushrooms. Just like you, we're busy folks who aim to grow things that are easy, resilient, tasty, and that maximize nutrition. So while it's lovely to have a garden full of lettuce and tomatoes, it isn't enough. The heavy-hitting nutrients like vitamin D, fiber, and protein come from a mix of crops. These are just a few champions that can keep you well fed and nourished throughout the season. In other words, everyone should be growing these!
1. Kale
Kale is one of the most efficient vegetables you can grow. It produces for months or even years, handles cold very well, and keeps coming back after repeated harvests week after week.
It's packed with:
- Fiber
- Calcium
- Vitamin K and antioxidants
What makes kale especially valuable in a mushroom-integrated garden is its structure. Those broad leaves create shade and help hold moisture at the soil surface — exactly the environment fungi prefer.
2. Shiitake
Shiitake brings something to the table that vegetables (and honestly most other mushrooms) simply don't.
This mushroom contains lentinan, a beta-glucan (prebiotic fiber) studied for its role in immune support. It also delivers B vitamins and a surprising amount of protein. With a bit of sunlight exposure before harvest, shiitake can even produce vitamin D, making it one of the only garden crops that can.
From a growing standpoint, shiitake is about stability. Once you inoculate logs, you're setting up a multi-year food source that produces with very little ongoing work. There's no better way to utilize hardwood logs and shady areas of a property.
3. Oyster Mushrooms
Oysters grow quickly and aggressively, often producing within weeks, and they thrive on materials like straw or wood chips. Nutritionally, they carry real weight:
- Higher protein than most vegetables
- Rich in beta-glucans
- Contain ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant
They also close the loop in your garden. The leftover substrate after growing oysters can be returned to your beds or used as mulch, where it improves soil organic matter, microbial activity, and nutrient availability.
This is one of the clearest examples of turning waste into food and then back into better soil.
4. Beets
Beets are one of the most complete crops you can grow. Both the roots and the greens are worth harvesting, and they perform well across a wide range of conditions.
They're known for:
- Dietary nitrates, which support blood flow and endurance
- Fiber and antioxidants
- Reliable yields in small spaces
Beets are often an early player in the garden. They establish quickly while longer-term crops are getting going. These delicious roots make you feel absolutely amazing and should be a regular part of any healthy diet. Pickled beets have really become a staple in my house.
5. Beans (Bush or Pole)
Beans are one of the easiest ways to grow meaningful protein in a garden. There are a million types and ways to prepare them, but they all provide:
- Plant-based protein
- Fiber
- A steady, high-volume harvest
Beans work with soil microbes to fix nitrogen, making it available to other plants in your garden. This top-notch companion can also provide excellent shade to understory mushrooms!
What This Really Adds Up To
- Leafy greens like kale create shade and structure
- Mushrooms bring vitamin D, functional compounds, and decomposition power
- Root crops like beets fill space and provide early yields
- Beans add protein and improve soil fertility
These are just a few powerhouse species that can — and should — be top contenders for spots in your garden.
Research continues to show that integrating mushrooms into garden systems can increase organic matter, microbial activity, and overall soil fertility, supporting better yields over time. Treat them as the stellar crops they are, just as deserving of attention as the veggies, and they'll give that love right back.
Have a bountiful season! Ready to add mushrooms to your garden? Shop our Plant & Grow Starter Blocks