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Learning to garden can be a daunting task. For beginner’s it is always best to start with the easiest plants to grow. Not only does it give you confidence, but it allows you to gain experience gardening without becoming too overwhelmed. That’s why I created a list of the best and easiest vegetables to grow for beginners.
How to Choose the Easiest and Best Vegetable to Grow for Beginners
Planting your first vegetable garden can be so much fun, especially if you are successful. There is nothing more discouraging to a new gardener than to have all your plants die, or produce little fruit. Take it from me, some plants will die, and some plants will not grow well. However, choosing vegetables that are easy to grow will help improve the success of your garden.
Tomatoes
A favorite of both the experienced gardener and the beginner gardener, tomatoes grow well in almost any zone. Even though tomatoes are actually fruit, they are treated like a vegetable, so we’ll throw them into the list.
Tomatoes love sunny, warm environments, and because there are so many variations, you’ll be able to find a tomato variety that will grow well in any zone.
Be sure to give your tomatoes plenty of space, as air circulation is crucial for your plant to produce tomatoes. Tomatoes also love fertile, well drained soil, with extra calcium. Also consider planting these with marigolds as they encourage healthier plants and improve your tomato yield.
Check out this awesome Beginner’s Guide to Growing Tomatoes, if you need more information.
Potatoes
Potatoes are a staple in so many homes and many can be produced with only one potato. These root vegetables are easy to grow and incredibly budget friendly. They are the perfect option for an emergency food supply.
Once your potatoes begin sprouting eyes, simply cut your potato up where each eye is growing, and plant them in a partially shaded area. As the potatoes grow, add dirt gradually leaving only a small amount of foliage on the top, this will encourage more potatoes to grow. Once your foliage begins to yellow, the potatoes are ready to be harvested!
Pulling the potatoes out of the ground is so much fun and a great activity to do with kids! If you need more information on potatoes, check out These 5 Easy Steps to Growing Potatoes.
Cucumbers
These vegetables are really easy to grow. They grow well in a full-sun environment and like to be planted with a trellis or fence as they are vining plants. Cucumbers like fertile, well drained soil. A
These vegetable plants will grow well as long as they have sun, fertile soil and are watered frequently. Cucumbers are tropical plants, but can be grown in cooler places if started indoors first. These plants can provide vegetables between 45-55 days, they are a good choice for colder climates that notoriously have short summers.
Carrots
Carrots are a favorite around my home. We grow them every year and always have a large harvest. Carrots like loose, almost sandy soil. They enjoy partially shaded areas and need to be watered frequently. Be sure that the soil drains well, as too much water will rot your carrots.
These sweet root vegetables can be ready to harvest in as little as 55-60 days. Another tip, be sure to stagger your planting, this will allow your carrots to be ready a different intervals throughout the summer and into the fall. Home grown carrots are so much more flavorful than store bought, and easy to grow as well!
Zucchini
This is the probably one of the easiest vegetables to grow for beginners! Zucchini likes full-sun and fertile, well-drained soil. As long as it’s given those three things, this vegetable plant will produce more zucchini than you will be able to eat.
Be sure to water this plant under the leaves, or the moisture will produce white mildew, which is extremely difficult to get rid of and will infect neighboring plants. Start these seeds indoors and plant the seedlings once it averages 70 degrees Fahrenheit outside. You’re sure to be successful with this vegetable.
Lettuce
This cool weather plant is easy to grow in the right conditions. Plant lettuce in a partially shaded area (preferably morning sun), and in fertile, well-drained soil. This is the perfect vegetable for both spring and fall, as lettuce has a hard time with direct sunlight, especially afternoon sun.
Lettuce sprouts will grow quickly and should be ready to harvest in about 60 days. Although some varieties may take up to 70 days.Lettuce also grows great in small areas, like pots and even rain gutters, so it’s perfect for small space gardening as well.
Pole Beans
Beans are an incredibly easy vegetable to grow. This vining plant requires full-sun and a trellis to allow for the most vegetable production. Beans enjoy fertile, well-drained soil. There are other types of beans, such as bush beans and stringless beans, which are also easy to grow.
Be sure to sow seeds once the soil reaches as least 60 degrees Fahrenheit (70 is preferred). Beans will be ready to harvest in 50-60 days.
Peas
Peas are a cooler weather vegetable and a perfect for both spring and fall gardens. These vegetables can do well in less than fertile soil conditions, as long as they are watered regularly and do not get too hot. When the temperature reaches 70 degrees Fahrenheit, peas will stop producing and will begin to die off.
Peas can handle a slight frost, so they make the perfect cool weather plant. These vegetables are ready to harvest in 60-65 days.
Growing the Easiest Vegetables For Beginners
Growing vegetables can be fun when you start with vegetables that are easy. These 8 vegetables are common, popular and easy to grow, making them the perfect choice for the beginner gardener. If you’re searching for the best and easiest vegetables to grow for beginners, start with this list, and grow a successful vegetable garden this season!
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