If you want an easy gardening experience (at least the growing part will be easy, you’ll still have to get on your knees to weed), some vegetables are more agreeable than others. Here is a list of the best veggies for lazy or beginner gardeners to plant.
Carrot
Carrots are virtually no-fail veggies for first-time planters. They prefer light, sandy soil and full sun. Suggested varieties include Nantes, Chantenay, Touchon and Short n’ Sweet. They can be sowed as soon as the ground can be worked, and more seeds should be planted every few weeks throughout the summer.
Lettuce
Lettuce is a popular choice for gardens of all types. It can be planted throughout the growing season but prefers early spring and autumn since the hot summer weather doesn’t agree with it. There are many varieties, but avoid head lettuce if you’re going for ease of growing. You can keep harvesting the outer leaves of a plant and leave the centre to increase the plant’s growing time.
Radish
Radishes may peek out of the soil as early as four days after planting. They are often called the easiest veggie to grow and can be harvested within four to five weeks. They should be sowed in early spring or fall. Cherry Belle, White Icicle, Scarlet Globe and Sparkler are common varieties.
Tomato
Tomatoes are the most common vegetable appearing in home gardens. They should be started from seed indoors and placed outside after all risk of frost has passed. You can also buy seedlings from a greenhouse. Try these popular kinds: Celebrity, Brandywine, Cherry or Beefsteak.
Cucumber
Cucumbers love hot weather, so wait to plant them when the weather warms up. If you have minimal space, some cucumbers can grow on trellises, and there are also dwarf varieties available.
Green Beans
Green, or string, beans are easy to plant and produce plenty to harvest. There are bush and pole varieties, the latter of which requires trellising. Beans do not do well in cool temperatures, especially if the soil is moist. Almost all kinds are delicious, but Blue Lake and Kentucky are some of the most popular.
Onion
It can be difficult to time planting onions, especially from seed properly, so it is suggested that they be grown from small bulbs called ‘sets’. The green shoots can be used for salads when they are a few weeks old.
Peas
Peas are early developers and prefer even moisture to prosper. They require little care and are happy when grown next to a fence or trellis so they can climb as they grow.
Pepper
Planet peppers and tomatoes from seedlings in early spring take some time to develop. Peppers love the heat, so wait until all possibility of frost has passed before putting them outside. Try bell, banana or cayenne peppers.