6 EASY TO GROW VEGETABLES FOR THE BEGINNER GARDENER
New to gardening? Worried that planting your first edibles will turn out to be a fruitless labor? Fear not, novice gardener! While not totally foolproof, certain plants are ideal for gardening neophytes who want to increase their chances of gardening success. Here’s a list of the top 6 easiest vegetables you can grow, regardless of skill level or age.
6 EASY-TO-GROW VEGETABLES FOR THE BEGINNER GARDENER
As a beginner, I’d recommend you start with some easy-to-grow, tried and true vegetables. These are ones that grow well and give you a great first-timer experience. Each variety of vegetable has slightly different plant spacing requirements and harvest times. But all of them will work well together.
RADISHES
Radishes are great for beginner gardeners because they grow fast and insects don’t like them. They are typically the first thing to pop up and are really hard to kill. If you have a “brown-thumb,” you won’t with radishes.
Plant the radish seeds about a 1/2 inch into the soil, spacing the seeds about 1 inch apart. Water 1-2 times a day to keep the ground moist.
CARROTS
Carrots are really fun to grow and aren’t likely to attract insects.
Plant carrot seeds about 1 inch into the soil, placing two seeds into each spot, spacing the holes about 3 inches apart. As they grow into seedlings, you’ll need to thin them out (that means you’ll pull some of the new seedlings so there is about 4 inches between each seedling). Water about 1-2 times a day to keep the ground moist.
LETTUCE
Lettuce is fast growing and seems to pop up almost immediately! You can cut off some lettuce, and then they will keep growing. They’re resilient little things!
Plant lettuce seeds about 1/2 inch deep in a 3-inch-wide band. Space each planting about 8 inches apart. Water about 1-2 times a day to keep the ground moist.
SUGAR AND SNAP PEAS
Sugar snap peas are a fun thing to grow in the garden because they produce a lot of pods and can be eaten right away. Kids love these! To produce a good harvest, be sure to place them in soil that drains well, and be sure to plant early in the season. They do visibly better in cooler weather.
Plant sugar or snap peas 1 inch deep in the soil, spacing them out every 4 inches. Water about 1-2 times a day to keep the ground moist.
BEETS
Beets are my favorite to grow, because their deep green leaves are delicious sauteed in a little butter and cream. We eat the leaves throughout the season until we finally harvest the beet roots. Good times!
Plant beet seeds 1 inch deep in the soil, spacing them out 4 inches apart. Water about 1-2 times a day to keep the ground moist.
Cucumbers
If you let them, cucumber plants will sprawl, so provide your plants with ample space to stretch their roots. Try smaller varieties to make your own homemade pickles! Be sure to avoid planting cucumbers until all danger of frost has passed. My favorites are Diva, Straight Eight and Salad Bush Hybrid.