Plants for a purpose: veg everyone should grow

Find more veg inspiration:

• Adam Frost's Grow & Cook podcast series
• Vegetable growing guides
• How to grow vegetables in pots
• Beginner veg to grow

Squash 'Tromboncino'

Chosen by Frances Tophill, Gardeners' World presenter

I love squash. They are the best autumn vegetable, in my opinion, because they are so versatile for cooking – you can roast them, fry them, make them into soup or a pie, mash them, and anything else you can think of. But also 'Tromboncino' grows really well. It climbs, is prolific, and you can eat the young squashes small, or let them develop into a large "trombone". Cure them like any other squash (leave the fruit outdoors in the sunlight or in a greenhouse for a week to 10 days) and they can keep for months.

• How to grow pumpkins and squash

Radish ‘White Icicle’

Chosen by Sue Kent, Gardeners' World presenter

If I could only grow one veg it would be the radish ‘White Icicle’. A great choice for first time veg growers, radishes are quick and easy to germinate and are ready to harvest in just six weeks. This particular radish's edible root is long, white and tapered and has a milder flavour than its red cousins. If left to bolt it produces edible seed pods that I use in salads or stir-fries, or alternatively I pick the seed heads for flower arrangements.

• Other radish varieties to try

Chilli peppers

Chosen by Chris Beardshaw, garden designer

My glasshouse is never without chilli plants, proof that they are a key ingredient in the kitchen. For a rapid turnover of fruit (two months from sow to harvest) and a compact plant, try the variety ‘Quickfire’. For the barbecue or grill, and to be served drizzled in olive oil or dusted in sea salt, I also love jalapeños – they're easy and reliable and plants overwinter well. For a variety that sets all who eat it aglow, you could try the curled cherry red fruits of ‘Bhut Jolokia’ or ghost pepper, one of the hottest chillies in the world, but handle with care and use sparingly as it's not for the faint-hearted.

• Twelve chillies to grow

Chard 'Bright Lights'

Chosen by Toby Buckland, Gardeners' World presenter

Swiss chard is my must-have veg as it’s harvestable all year round and is so versatile in the kitchen. Colourful rainbow chard 'Bright Lights' is the best variety as the leaves are both food for the table and the eye with its mixture of red, white and yellow stalks. This variety is great for a small garden and can also be grown in a container.

Sweetcorn 'Swift'

Chosen by Pippa Greenwood, Gardeners' Question Time presenter and plantswoman

Sweetcorn, in particular the variety 'Swift' is a must-have. Shop-bought sweetcorn simply never tastes so good, so sweet or so juicy. The great thing about 'Swift' is that it ripens, as the name suggests, earlier than many other varieties so, even when we're having (another) grotty UK summer, it still crops reliably and tastes wonderful. I grow it every year.

Beetroot ‘Golden Detroit’

Chosen by Sinead Fenton, Aweside Farm manager

The ‘Golden Detroit’ yellow beetroot is so deliciously sweet and tender, with a flavour unmatched by any other variety. This beetroot has the added bonus of not turning everything they touch pink as you prep them. I roast them, pickle them or use them raw in salads and their sweetness and unique flavour is always retained.

• Unusual beetroot to grow

Squash 'Crown Prince'

Chosen by Oliver Parsons, horticultural sub-editor

I don't think I can remember a year in the last decade when I haven't grown the reliable winter squash 'Crown Prince'. It yields massive green-blue fruits that last an age. Cut the leading stem when one or two fruits have set and they'll grow to enormous proportions.

• Types of squash to grow

Tomato 'Gardener's Delight'

Chosen by Jo Cloke, art editor

Great for anyone to grow, Gardener's Delight can be grown from seed in a greenhouse or you can buy established plants from the shops to grow outside. They are as happy in nice deep pots as in the ground, as long as they have lots of sunshine, regular water and are protected from the wind. There is nothing better than picking your own fresh and tasty tomatoes, and the vines smell amazing!

• How to grow tomatoes

Salad rocket 'Sky Rocket'

Chosen by Catherine Mansley, digital editor

Salad leaves couldn't be easier to grow, and peppery rocket is my favourite. You can simply sow the seeds direct and enjoy up to six months of harvests. It even looks pretty when it's bolted – mine does bolt as I always sow more than I should. It adds bite to salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes and so much more.