Rain or shine, if I’m home, there’s not one day that goes by where I don’t spend time in my garden. Although we live in an urban area, our yard is a bit more “country” than most. We allow areas to thrive as they would in the wild, welcome critters that share the land with us, and even have bee houses set up around the yard.
Yup, it’s our little sanctuary. However, if you told me I would have such a green thumb three to four years ago, I would’ve laughed. I couldn’t even keep a cactus alive back then.
Once I became more interested in the needs of plants (and what they provide both us and the environment), I began growing some of the “easier” plant species before graduating into a full-fledged gardener.
If you’re ready to spend more time outdoors, growing beneficial plants (many of which you can eat), here are some of the easiest species to grow.
Six of the easiest (yet rewarding) plants to grow as a novice gardener
Whether you have a spacious yard or a balcony, you can still grow fresh plants for consumption. As you continue your gardening journey, you will learn more and more about the needs of plants, expanding both your knowledge and bounty.
Related: Start A Food Garden With Little Space
The following six plants do need a little TLC. However, as long as you remain aware of their needs, providing them with sun and water, they’ll do their thing.
1. Salad greens
Being one of the least fussy plants to grow, lettuce and other salad greens grow quickly, are easy to harvest and packed with nutrients. Best of all, you can easily grow a wide variety of greens in containers, requiring very little space.
In most regions, lettuce and other greens grow best in the spring and fall (as they are what’s known as a cool-season crop). When planting seeds, make sure that the soil is well-drained and loose. Also, about one week before you seed or transplant, add organic matter to the soil. Learn more here.
2. Potatoes
Best grown in rows, you will need a bit of space for home-grown potatoes. The first step is to dig a trench (approximately eight inches deep and six inches wide). If you plan on digging more than one row of potatoes, space them approximately three feet apart. Before physically planting, mix in organic compost and/or rotted manure.
The best starters are seed potatoes — you know, those oldish potatoes that have “eyes” or buds. Cut these potatoes into pieces that are about the size of a golf ball (ensuring that there are at least two eyes per piece). Do this one to two days before you plant. You will then need to wait until they sprout before filling the trench. Learn more here.
3. Tomatoes
Once again, this fruit can be grown in small spaces — you can even grow tomatoes in hanging baskets. As a beginner, it is recommended that you begin with smaller varieties, such as cherry tomatoes. If you are planting from seed, start six to eight weeks before the average last spring frost.
When it comes to growing tomatoes, they need at least six hours of daily sunlight for northern regions and in southern regions, exposure to light afternoon sun will help the crop thrive. What’s interesting is that if you plant your tomatoes next to basil (another easy plant to grow), you will be able to naturally repel certain pests, including mosquitoes. Learn more here.
4. Peonies
Although not technically a common staple in American kitchens, peony petals can be used in salads, desserts, soups and more. As an added bonus, this beautiful flower also attracts pollinators, including bees and butterflies. Being a perennial, if well cared for, these plants can live for 100-plus years.
Hardy to Zone 3, growing well as far south as Zones 7 and 8, peonies typically grow best when exposed to full sun and planted in well-drained soil. Also, to promote good air circulation, plant them between three and four feet apart. Learn more here.
5. Green beans
Other than watering regularly, green beans or snap beans require very little maintenance. They germinate easily from seed and are also resilient to many diseases. Although both bush and pole beans are easy to grow, if you are growing beans in containers, bush beans are ideal (as they do not require as much support).
Growing best in full sun, you should not start these seeds indoors — as they may not survive transplanting. After the last frost (when the soil temperature is a minimum of 48 degrees Fahrenheit), plant seeds one-inch deep and two inches apart. Learn more here.
6. Radishes
Nothing beats fresh radishes, and lucky for you, they’re easy to grow! Due to their rapid growth, you can often enjoy many crops each season. Another cool-season plant, it is recommended that you plant seeds four to six weeks before the average last frost.
Crowded plants do not grow well. After you sow seeds (one inch deep and one inch apart) and they have sprouted, thin to approximately two-inch spacings. Most importantly, radishes need full sun. If they are shaded, they will use their energy to produce larger leaves. Learn more here.
Get started with these six plants today! Then, next year, who knows what journey your green thumb will take you on. Keep learning and most importantly, enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor.
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— Krista Hillis