Ever wonder why some veggies are hard to grow, but others do well easily? If you’re new to gardening or just want easy plants, we can help. Gardening should be fun and rewarding, with these easy veggies, it will be.
We’ll show you veggies like quick-growing radishes and tasty tomatoes that are perfect for beginners. Want to make your backyard a source of fresh food? Let’s start!
Gardening at home is easier than you think. You can grow fresh food yourself. These veggies are nutritious, easy to grow, and make gardening satisfying. Want to enjoy gardening without much fuss? Let’s check out the easiest veggies for starters!
1. Bell Peppers: Your Colorful Choice
Bell peppers are great for beginners in gardening. They need little care. They bring a rainbow of colors to your garden and meals. This boosts the look and nutrition of your food.
Bell peppers take two to three months to grow after you plant them outside. It’s important to pick them as soon as they’re ripe. This helps more peppers grow. Keep picked peppers at 45°F and 95% humidity to stay crisp and tasty for up to five weeks.
To grow bell peppers well, your garden soil should have a pH of 5.8 to 6.5. Make sure the soil drains well and gets six to eight hours of direct sun daily. Also, keep the soil moist by watering your plants deeply.
Bell peppers pollinate best when it’s 60°F to 90°F. But, high heat or low humidity can cause flowers to drop, stopping fruit from growing. To keep pests away, use reliable pesticides like Sevin. Sevin has protected gardens for over 50 years. It fights pests and diseases.
Growing bell peppers is simple and rewarding. With some care, you can enjoy homegrown peppers. They will make your garden and dishes colorful and tasty.
2. Sweet Strawberries in Your Backyard
Strawberries are a great choice for many gardeners because of their sweet taste and low upkeep. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or a newbie, you’ll find growing strawberries simple and fun.
These fruits belong to the Rosaceae family, known scientifically as Fragaria x ananassa. It’s best to plant them in spring when the ground warms up. They do best in slightly acidic soil, with a pH of 5.5 to 6.8, and need plenty of sunlight to bear fruit.
Properly spacing your strawberry plants is key to their success. You should plant them six inches apart in rows that are a foot apart. This prevents crowding and boosts growth. For June-bearing strawberries, which can create lots of new plants, spacing is especially vital. Keep them 12 to 18 inches apart and water them often for top results.
Dealing with pests and diseases is important for a thriving strawberry garden. Removing flower buds early on can strengthen the plants. Consistent watering and spacing, along with cutting off runners, help keep your plants healthy. To enjoy your strawberries longer, try growing strawberries at home. You can even preserve them by freezing or making delicious jam.
3. The Versatile Zucchini
Zucchini is great for those new to gardening. It easily adapts and grows well. You can plant it at the end of spring for lots of fruits and flowers.
Anyone can have success with zucchini, whether you’re seasoned or new. The steps for growing zucchini are simple. With some water and care, you’ll have fresh zucchini for all kinds of meals.
Zucchini grows fast, making gardening exciting. It’s easy to grow and adds flavor and nutrition to meals. Start planting zucchini and enjoy the results!
4. How to Grow Cucumbers Successfully
Growing cucumbers is rewarding and great for beginners. You can use containers or garden beds. They need a little care to thrive.
Plant cucumbers in late spring or summer, after the frost. Soil should be at least 65°F for seeds to sprout. They love full sun and need lots of water—aim for one inch per week.
Wait for the soil to stay above 70°F to improve pollination. Using a trellis, whether in the ground or a container, keeps plants healthy. It prevents diseases and makes picking cucumbers easier.
For container gardening, pick big pots for root growth. Make sure they drain well. Using containers helps control pests. Companion plants also keep bugs away. Good drainage stops diseases like Powdery mildew.
Pick cucumbers when they’re young, around 4 to 10 inches. Doing so makes plants produce more. Try easy-to-grow varieties like Marketmore76, Boston Pickling, and Picklebush. They’re great for salads or pickles.
5. Tomatoes: Juicy and Sweet
Tomatoes make the top 10 list of easiest veggies for rookie gardeners. They don’t need much space and grow in many ways. You can use decorative pots, raised beds, or regular garden spots. There are determinate and indeterminate types, each with its perks. Determinate ones stay compact, but indeterminate ones keep making fruit until the cold hits.
Starting tomatoes inside is best done six to eight weeks before the last frost. This gives your plants a good lead. Once the frost threat is gone, they’re ready to move outside. Pick a sunny spot with good soil that drains well. The soil should have a pH of 6.2 to 6.8. Tomatoes love warmth, doing best at 70-80°F (21-27°C) for sprouting and growing.
Make sure the soil temperature is over 50°F (10°C) when you plant your seedlings. First, get them used to the outdoors gradually. Using supports like stakes or trellises helps tomatoes grow strong and makes picking them easier. Mulch keeps the soil moist. Water them twice a week, more when it’s very hot, to keep the soil just right.
The writer lives in Zone 7, Dallas, Texas, where tomato season is long. They plant tomatoes in a full-sun raised bed. Every three weeks, they add Seaweed Magic to boost taste. They get 1-2 cups of tomatoes daily from six plants. It’s good to pick tomatoes from new plants early on. This helps the plant focus on growing strong roots first, which is key for more fruit later.
6. Crisp and Refreshing Lettuce
Growing lettuce is a joyful task, especially for new gardeners. It’s a cool-season vegetable that grows well in pots and garden beds. Enjoy a constant flow of fresh leaves for salads and sandwiches.
Lettuce grows quickly, which is exciting. For example, Looseleaf needs about 60 days to mature. Butterhead lettuce takes 50 to 70 days. Romaine and Iceberg lettuces mature in about 60 to 70 days.
Start by planting seeds in moist, well-drained soil. This gives your plants a great start. Lettuce seeds can sprout in soil as chilly as 40°F. In 4 to 6 weeks, you’ll see your reward, ready for fresh salads.
Having lettuce in your garden is very beneficial. It’s satisfying to grow your own food and have fresh greens on hand. Whether you’re experienced or new to gardening, lettuce is a wonderful choice.
7. Flavorful Carrots
Carrots are a top pick for beginning gardeners because they are versatile and yield plenty. They grow best in cooler seasons, planted from late summer to early fall. You should plant the seeds directly in the garden. Carrots can’t be moved once planted. For the best growth, keep the soil moist and not too tight.
Carrots love sandy soil. It’s important to make sure there is nothing blocking their growth. These tasty veggies are ready to eat in about ten weeks. They are much fresher and healthier than what you find at the store.
Nowadays, gardeners have many carrot types to choose from. You can find them in colors like purple, white, yellow, and red through online shops and farmer’s markets. Each type has its own benefits, like different sizes, shapes, and how long they can be stored.
For carrots to thrive, keep the soil well-watered and fertile. You might grow ‘Paris Market’ carrots quickly, in around 50 days, or choose ‘Dragon,’ which takes longer. Knowing when they’re big enough to pick is easy. Just look for a diameter of about ¾ inch at the top. Happy gardening!
8. Radishes: Quick and Easy
Radishes grow very fast, usually maturing in just 4 to 8 weeks. Imagine planting them in early spring. By mid-spring, you can harvest fresh, zesty radishes. This quick growth is great for those short on time, making radishes an ideal quick crop for any garden space.
For successful radish growth, plant your seeds closely in soil mixed with aged compost and manure. They need a lot of sun, but a little shade is okay too. Watch out for aphids and some nibbles from caterpillars and snails late in the season. Regular watering helps keep the radishes sweet, avoiding the bitterness sometimes found in summer varieties.
There are many radish varieties, like Pink Beauty, Watermelon, Cherry Belle, and Daikon. They offer different tastes and looks for your garden. Radishes not only grow quickly but also add a spicy touch to meals, enhancing dishes with their zesty flavor.
Container gardening works well with winter or Asian types, like Japanese mooli. While radishes don’t stay fresh for long, they’re full of vitamin C, iron, and fiber. They add key nutrients to your diet.
9. The Hardy Kale
Growing kale is exciting for anyone, especially if you’re just starting a garden. It’s sturdy and packed with nutrients. This makes it perfect for beginners. Kale loves fertile soil, should be planted 18 to 24 inches apart, and needs 1 to 1.5 inches of water weekly. It’s best to plant it 3 to 5 weeks before the last frost. Kale can handle cold well, making it a top pick for cold-weather gardening.
To grow well, kale likes soil with a pH between 6.5 and 6.8. Using continuous-release plant food is key. Adding aged compost to your soil will also make your plants healthier. Some of the top kale choices are Dwarf Blue Curled Scotch, Lacinato, and Red Russian. Red Russian is known for its ability to handle winter and its sweet taste.
If you’re in zones 7 to 10, kale can grow through winter, always giving you new leaves. In zone 5, using mini hoop tunnels or cold frames lets your kale grow all year. Cooler weather even makes kale taste sweeter after a frost.
For those without gardens, the Miracle-Gro® Twelve® Indoor Growing System is a great choice. When harvesting kale, start with the lower leaves, especially after a frost. These leaves are rich in nutrients and keep well in the fridge in a loose plastic bag for days.
Kale is great for any dish, like salads, soups, casseroles, and pastas. Protect young plants from cold winds with a cover, and they’ll grow strong. Follow these tips for a great harvest from this beloved garden vegetable.
10. Swiss Chard: A Nutritious Addition
Swiss chard is a bright and nutritious veggie from the beet family. It’s great for beginners because it grows in both cold and warm weather. You can pick it many times, even into the winter, for fresh greens.
‘Bright Lights’ Swiss chard can get really tall and wide. It won an award in 1998 and loves well-drained soil. It can handle frost and heat. Plant them 6 inches apart, and keep rows 18 to 30 inches apart for a healthy garden. Proper planning and organization are key to a good greenhouse garden.
Keep the soil’s pH between 6.0 and 6.8 for Swiss chard. It needs 1 to 1.5 inches of water every week. This helps keep bugs away. In places without extreme cold, it can grow back for years. Swiss chard’s sustainability and rich nutrients make it a must-have in your garden.
