If you want to grow vegetables and you are a beginner, then some vegetables are much easier to grow then others. It really doesn’t have to be as difficult as you think.
There are several vegetables that are easier to grow than others. When I started growing vegetables there were some vegetables that were easier to grow especially as a beginner.
Then once you have the hand of those you start to add other vegetables to your garden.
Easy Vegetables to Grow for Beginners
some of the easiest vegetables to grow are leafy greens.
Spinach:
Is easy to grow and the best thing is you can grow it in pots, containers, raised beds or just in a patch. You can sow it direct into the compost or garden soil. But if you want to start earlier then you can sow indoors and transplant the seedlings outside when the weather is warmer. This is the same with swiss chard. Swiss chard can be grown just as easy and the fun bit is that it can come in rainbow colours, which is great fun for children.
If you decide to sow indoors you have to remember that the seedlings are fragile and you have to handle them carefully.
Water the seeds only when the compost is dry, as overwatering is not good. The temperature is very important, so if the weather is cooler then it doesn’t need watering every day. But as the weather gets hotter you need to water every day. Read more here…
Rocket:
Is another easy vegetable to grow. You can sow rocket in succession from April to September. You can sow rocket in tub or containers or where you have space. If you sow it every 3 weeks you get a constant supply. Sow in compost or compost mixed with soil and sow thinly and cover it thinly.
Lettuce:
Is very easy to grow for anyone, it can be started indoors so that you can transplant them. I sow it in a small 4” pot, fill with compost and scatter some lettuce thinly cover it lightly with compost. Then when the plants are about 4cm, plant them out about 10-15cm apart depending on the type of lettuce you grow. My favourite is midget gems.
You can also sow lettuce straight in the garden, simply sow the seeds about 1/4 inch deep, cover lightly and water. It really is that simple! Space the sowings according to packet directions that are based on the size of the mature lettuce.
Lettuce seeds doesn’t germinate in soil that is 80 degrees F. or warmer, that’s why it’s better to start indoors and then planting out. Discover more here…
Radishes:
Are another easy to grow vegetable, choose what you want to use to grow them in whether this is a container, pots, raised beds, etc – put the compost in, water the compost and sow the radish seed, making sure it’s evenly spread, cover thinly with compost and then water when needed. And pull when the radish is ready, simple and easy! Read more here…
Watercress:
Yes…you can grow watercress yourself and it’s easy. My friend was growing it and I thought wow how cool. But I thought I couldn’t grow it, but finally I bought some watercress seed. And I found that it really is easy to grow watercress.
I got a large pot – 11” round, filled it with compost, sowed the seeds, they are very fine and small so make sure you scatter very thinly, gently add a very thin layer of compost.
My last lot I sowed, I brought the pot inside for it to germinate, as it was cold outside, within 2 weeks the seeds were up, once they were growing and were more established, I placed the pot outside.
Very important that ones the watercress is growing… is to put a water tray under the pot, this way they watercress has continues water. Then pick when it’s big enough. Last year’s plants went to seed and that seeded in the pot and I have more fresh watercress this year. Read more here…
And here are some other easy vegetables to grow
Cucumbers:
Are also easy to grow and soon you too can have plenty of cucumbers.
Because we love eating cucumbers I have several plants. Many people grow cucumbers on a trellis, personal I grow them in a small raised beds and let them trail over the grass.
It’s important to know that there are outdoor and indoor cucumbers. It’s essential to buy the right seed for the correct condition. Alternatively, if you are buying a plant from the garden centre make sure you buy the right one. You are wasting your time and money if you buy an indoor cucumber and plant it outdoors.
Cucumber don’t like cold weather so only sow the seeds 3 to 4 weeks before the last frost. I sow my cucumber seed at the end of March. I fill a small pot with compost water it and place one seed in each pot. Always plant one extra as it’s not unusual to have one seed not come up, or a young plant that dies off.
Plant the cucumber plant when its strong and healthy, usually about 6 weeks after sowing. Then make the area ready to plant the cucumber plant.
Tip: Cucumbers do have a high water content, which means they like water, but this is when they start producing cucumbers. But at the beginning do not overwater. Just water lightly and it depends on the weather. Hot water means more watering, cloudy or slight rainy days means less watering.
Cucumber plants love to grow in full-sun and they do like with well-draining soil. If you grow them up a trellis then weave the leaves through the trellis or tie them on with some string. Read more here…
Zucchini or Courgettes:
A very easy plant to grow. You can sow seed in a pot the same as a cucumber. Fill the pot with compost and put one seed per pot.
There are various varieties of courgettes, long variety or a round variety, green or yellow.
Zucchini or courgettes can be trailing or bush variety. Some people grow them in large containers or pots. Where we live it pretty windy so after we have planted the plants outside we give each one a protection, by making a wooden box to put around the plant. This way the wind doesn’t affect the plants. Read more here…
Carrots:
Are great for beginner gardening because they are so easy to maintain. Plus, carrots do well in container gardens as long as they are deep enough.
Carrot seeds are tiny and should be sown directly into the garden for early spring and late fall harvests. Carrots prefer cooler temperatures and loose, nutrient-dense soil.
I spread carrot seeds across rows about a foot apart to give them enough space, but not too much that I’d need to worry about weeding a big area. Weeds around carrots will draw nutrients from the soil and crowd the tender roots.
Carrots are another easy vegetable to grow, I actually grow them in large pots that are filled with compost. So the roots can grow deep and they aren’t disturbed by stone.
To sow, fill up a large 12-14” pot with compost and water, then scatter some carrot seeds very thinly on top, cover with a thin layer of compost. And water regularly. If you sow carrots on the 1st June you are supposed to get less trouble with carrots fly.
Carrots take 10 to 12 weeks to grow to an edible size. Usually, you can see the top of the carrot itself, and if that looks big enough then gently pull it up. Read more here…
All of these are easy vegetables to grow for beginners.
