Vegetables have always been one of the most popular garden plants for those growing both indoors and out. Nothing beats reaping the rewards of your hard work like biting into a fresh tomato or building a salad with freshly picked leaves of lettuce. Unfortunately, many beginner gardeners can be a bit apprehensive about growing vegetables and may see them as difficult to do. Today, we want to dispel this myth and show that growing vegetables is within reach for every level of gardener, even complete beginners. Here are 5 of our top picks for easy-to-grow vegetables you can start with today!
Note: if you’re interested in learning more about any of the below vegetables we’ve linked to our full article from each one. In each of those articles, you’ll get all the info you need to grow that specific plant including advice on varietals, light, water, and more.
Lettuce
First up we have lettuce which is a very hardy and easy-to-grow plant. Lettuce grows quite well in cool weather, so it’s okay to plant this in early spring to get a jumpstart on the growing season. It can survive a little bit of frost, making it very forgiving if you mis-plan it’s planting time.
Lettuce is also extremely space efficient and you can easily grow a decent amount with very little space. Many gardeners put lettuce in between flowers, or even under taller plants. This also makes lettuce one of the most popular vegetables for indoor gardeners who are space-conscious. There are also several different lettuce varieties to choose from giving you plenty of options depending on your goals. Most other leafy greens are also quite easy to grow, so you can swap our lettuce for things like spinach or kale if you prefer.
Tomatoes
Probably the most popular veggie to grow is the tomato. While tomatoes are technically a fruit, they’re usually considered a vegetable for culinary purposes which is why they are included here.
Tomatoes are a light-hungry plant and getting enough light for them to grow is the biggest challenge of growing them. The more sunlight they get the faster and bigger the tomatoes will grow, so pick the sunniest spot you can for this plant.
A typical tomato plant can take up a good deal of space, so, for indoor growing, choose a smaller variety that is more compact. Cherry tomatoes are a great choice, but there are several other varieties that are suitable for an indoor garden.
Radishes
For a quick-growing vegetable that is also easy to grow check out radishes. These are very hardy and can produce edible food in only a few weeks from planting.
Take care to ensure that they have adequate sun. Too much shade and the plant will put more energy into larger leaves than vegetables. Plant in a sunny spot and you’ll be able to harvest several times over a single summer.
Like tomatoes, radishes also come in a wide range of varieties that can vary in size. For indoor gardening, choose a small, more compact variety like the Cherry Belle. While you can grow larger varieties indoors expect them to take up far more space.
Green Beans
Green beans are another very easy veggie to grow. When looking for indoor plants, choose ones labeled as a “compact” or “bush” variety. These varieties take up less space and are easier to manage when space is a concern.
Green beans are fairly average in terms of care needing a decent amount of sunlight and routine watering. They tend to grow fairly quickly, so you should be able to harvest them multiple times throughout the season. Take care to harvest regularly so that the plant continues to produce beans.
Bell peppers
Last up we have bell peppers. Bell peppers are delicious veggies and are quite hardy and easy to grow. They do enjoy bright light, so make sure they are grown in a sunny spot or supplemented with a grow light. You’ve also got a number of options to choose from here, all of which have their own unique flavors.
The only problem with bell peppers is their long growing period, usually 2-3+ months. For this reason, if you do plan on growing outside, it’s smart to start them indoors. This can give them a few extra weeks of growing, which can help get more harvests out of a season. Don’t let this discourage you though, during this time you’ll enjoy a low-maintenance plant that won’t require much effort on your part.
Final Thoughts
You really can’t go wrong with any of the above vegetables. Each of them is relatively easy to grow and will produce some delicious vegetables over the course of their growing season. Even if you’re a beginner, all the above plants will be a perfect way to get into the world of gardening.
