If you have the space, then vegetable gardening is a wonderful pastime and it can provide some absolutely delicious food for your table. If you’ve never had garden vegetables, then you’ll be shocked how much better they taste than the stuff you get from the store, and if you grow them yourself then you have 100% control on what pesticides (if any) they are exposed to. But, if you’re just starting out gardening, it can be a little intimidating to figure out where to start.
So, for all you beginner gardeners out there, here are six of the easiest veggies to grow. Most of these don’t require a lot of fussing and are perfect for your first foray into vegetable gardening!
Tomatoes
While you can definitely grow tomatoes from a seed, tomato plants are available basically everywhere and are pretty cheap. Buying a seedling rather than a packet of seeds can save you time. Plant your little tomato into some rich soil and leave it somewhere with lots of sun. Make sure that you don’t plant them too close together, though, and water deeply but not too often. It’s recommended to provide some support to the plant as it grows, either with a stick or wire.
Green Beans
There are various different kinds of green beans, including string beans, snap beans, etc. Some types of green beans require poles or something to climb on, while others do not, so make sure to read the label. Otherwise, they should be planted around an inch deep in rich soil that gets full sun.
Bell Peppers
There are a variety of peppers to choose from, some of which require warmer climates than others, but chances are there is a variety of pepper you can grow. Peppers require full sun and well-drained soil with regular watering. You can grow them in pots or in the garden, and they require some support, much like tomato plants.
Radishes
Depending on the kind of radish, it may need either full or partial sun. make sure that you remove big rocks from the planting area as the radish is a root and will need room to grow. Remember that radishes are cool weather plants, and should not be grown in the summer;usually they grow well when its around 60 or cooler.
Carrots
Carrots are taproots and require deep soil that is well drained and free of rocks so that the carrot can form. You won’t be able to replant them, so wait until 3-5 weeks before the last frost to plant, and water at least one inch deep once per week. They also require a lot of weeding to grow properly.
Lettuce
Lettuce requires well-drained soil that has lots of nitrogen and potassium (use compost to ensure this) and gets plenty of sunlight. If using seeds, they should be sown 1/4 inch deep and then watered; although you can start them inside and transplant them outside. These plants grow better in raised beds as they warm up faster and can grow longer.
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