8 Easiest Vegetables To Grow For Beginners

Starting a garden is one of the best things you can do for your health and for your self-sufficiency. But sometimes knowing what vegetables to plant first can feel overwhelming, as there are a ton of vegetables and varieties. These 10 easiest vegetables to grow for beginners will give you the confidence you need to get into the world of gardening and actually have a successful harvest. 

 

While there is no such thing as a no maintenance vegetable garden, with the right vegetables planted, the right soil, and the right spot, a lot can go in your favour. All of these vegetables can be grown in pots/containers and in raised beds.

Starting from Seed vs Seedlings

Some vegetables are better started from seed and they are quick growing and very hardy. Whereas, some are better started by seedlings as they require a longer growing time and can only be planted during the warmer months.

Seedlings or starts as some people call them are plants that have already been started indoors or in a greenhouse. They are usually about 4-5″ tall and ready to stick in the ground! I’ll go through all 8 easiest vegetables to grow and let you know which ones to start by seed and seedling.

8 Easiest Vegetables to Grow

1. Radish

This is one of the easiest and most satisfying vegetables to grow because it is often ready first. My favourite variety is ’18 day’ by Baker Creek Seeds, since they are ready in less than 3 weeks. Another reason I like radishes is because they are somewhat cold tolerant. You can plant these in April way before you plant all of your heat loving crops, or in the fall when all your tomatoes are finishing up.. You can plant their seeds directly into the garden. 

2. Lettuce

This is one of my favourite things to grow… you can’t compare homegrown lettuce with store-bought lettuce, because homegrown will always win! It’s the thing we look forward to the most (plus homegrown tomatoes). There are so many different varieties of lettuce: leaf lettuce, head lettuce, romaine lettuce, butter lettuce, etc. They’re all good!!

I’ve always found great success with ‘Marvel of 4 Seasons’ again from Baker Creek because it thrives in all seasons. Most lettuces like cooler temps and will bolt in the summer heat. Depending on the variety of lettuce, some will thrive in the cool spring weather, and others will need to be planted after your last frost. You can start by seed or from seedling, whatever is better for you. If you want a quicker harvest, start from seedlings!

3. Cucumber

I swear, you can’t kill cucumbers. They just grow, on their own, and with vengeance! Keep harvesting and you will keep getting more cucumbers. I really like the ‘Armenian Cucumber’ from Baker Creek Seeds, it is much lighter in flavour and the skin isn’t as thick as regular cucumbers. I recommend starting cucumbers from seedlings, as some varieties have a longer growing time than others and you are giving your plant a head start! Plant after your last frost.

4. Zucchini

Another super easy one to grow, often I plant a few too many plants and am overloaded with zucchini! You will definitely be giving some away to family and friends. This is a good one to plant from seedling again giving it a head start. Plant after your last frost. Another fun thing about zucchini is the fact that you can eat the flowers! They are delicious filled with ricotta cheese and lightly fried!

5. Beans

Beans are often on of peoples most favourite veggies! They are super delicious as a snack in the garden and can be frozen for winter use. They are super easy to grow and can be started from seed directly in the garden. Beans, however, unlike peas, are not cold tolerant so plant when all danger of frost is gone. They will also require some sort of trellis to rest on as they grow.

6. Peas

Finding the right sweet pea can be tough, I’ve gone through a lot of varieties looking for the perfect stringless sweet pea! I’ll let you know when I find it. But, peas are super easy to grow. You can plant directly into the ground and they are fast growing, sure to be a family favourite. Similar to beans, they will require a trellis to climb on. They also can be planted before your last frost, at the beginning of May perhaps, as they can tolerate cooler temps.

7. Tomato

Cherry is one of the easiest vegetables to grow, as they are least susceptible to blossom end rot (which is a calcium deficiency that causes the bottom of the fruit to rot). They do, however, crack easily if they are over watered so be sure to pick them often! Cherry tomatoes are are great beginner tomato and are ready sooner than others. You can also grow them easier in pots and containers. I would recommend planting these from seedlings to give them a jump start, and definitely after all scares of frost are completely gone. 

8. Kale

Kale is a super hardy, cold loving crop that you can get a number of harvests from! It’s great vegetable for salads, kale chips, and frozen kale for winter use. Kale can be planted from either seed or seedling depending on your time frame and it can be planted before your last frost! Much like lettuce, the kale varieties you can grow at home are much tastier!

So what did you think of the easiest vegetables to grow? I’d love to know in the comments below! Do you agree? Have you grown any of these?

Talk soon,
Abbagail