I believe that anyone can grow anything if they set their mind to it. But, there are some things that are easier to grow than others.
I always wanted to start a garden, but I felt so intimidated because there is so much information. If I’ve learned anything in the past two years it’s just do it! So that’s what I did. Through trial and error, I learned a lot. I live in southeast Louisiana (zone 9b), which is considered an almost tropical climate. I can pretty much grow anything all year long. In fact, I have tomatoes still going in November! So before you start planting, be sure that you look up your zone and be aware of your climate. Some of these plants are cold tolerant, and some of these are considered spring crops.
Here are my top five easiest veggies to grow:
5. Potatoes
Potatoes are surprisingly easy to grow. They don’t need the best quality soil and they are very little maintenance.
To start, all you need to do is go to your local feed store or tractor supply and ask for “seed” potatoes. If you can’t find any, you can go to the grocery store and buy organic potatoes. Be sure that they are organic because regular potatoes are sprayed with a sprout inhibitor to make them more shelf-stable for the store. Select the variety that grows well in your climate. In Louisiana, red potatoes and Yukon golds do well, while the Russet variety doesn’t.
Put your potatoes near sunlight and let them sprout. Once they have sprouted, you can fill a grow bag or large deep pot with potting soil and compost. Then, dig holes the same height as the potatoes and place them sprout up and cover with soil. Water them well, and cover with straw or leaves to keep the soil from drying out. Water them about once a week unless you live in a really wet climate. you can check to see if the soil is dry by just placing your finger about an inch or two deep. If the soil is really dry, give them a good water. You should see some growth appear above the soil in a week or two.
Potatoes need around 100 days to grow so make sure you plant them well before a frost. You can tell they are ready to harvest once the leaves turn yellow and die back and you might see a potato or two come above the surface. My son really loves digging them up, it’s almost like a treasure hunt!
4. Carrots
Carrots are great for people that live in apartments or small spaces because they can be grown in pots or containers.
They need to be planted in deep, loose soil and be watered fairly regularly. Be sure to not have any rocks or hard clumps in the soil or your carrots will be misshaped.
Carrots are a cool-weather crop and do not tolerate hot weather well. In Louisiana, we have to plant them in the fall or early spring, but if you live in a milder climate then you can probably get away with planting them throughout spring into early summer.
They will be ready to harvest in about three months and can store for a fairly long time if kept somewhere cool. How do you know when they are ready? The tops of the carrots will begin to pop out of the soil. You can also take your finger and move the soil around the carrot and see if the vegetable is formed before you pull up the entire plant. My son loves pulling them out of the ground and seeing the different sizes and lengths. Every carrot comes out unique, which makes it extra exciting because you never know what you’re going to get!
3. Cucumbers
For cucumbers to grow well you need a trellis, plenty of water, and sunlight. They are very fast-growing and can be quite prolific. One time I went on vacation for a few days and came back to 5-7 cucumbers just waiting to be picked!
My favorite variety is the pickling cucumber. Believe it or not, there are slicing varieties and pickling varieties. The slicing cucumbers are what you would typically find in the grocery store. They are usually used for salads and fresh eating, while the pickling cucumbers are smaller, firmer, and have bumpy skin. If you were to try to pickle a regular cucumber, they would turn mushy pretty quickly (trust me it’s pretty gross).
I’ve had the best luck planting the seeds directly in the garden in the spring after the last frost. They need around 6-8 hours of sunlight and regular watering every few days. Cucumbers are mostly made out of water so when they begin to fruit, they might need a little extra watering. You can tell if they need water by the look of their leaves. If the leaves look wilted or discolored then it probably needs more water. Otherwise, give them something to climb on and your cucumbers will take over and produce all spring and summer long. I’ve had to give cucumbers away because I couldn’t eat them fast enough!
2. Green Beans
Green beans were one of the first veggies that I ever grew. There are two main varieties-bush and pole (which I didn’t know at first). Bush beans grow . . . well . . . like a bush. Pole green beans grow like a vine and need something to help them climb.
I prefer the pole variety because I feel like they produce a lot more and they save space because they grow up (on say a trellis). You can use whatever you have available as a trellis. I’ve used a couple of old T-posts and chicken wire and even just an 8ft fence post. Pole beans will wrap themselves around pretty much anything.
Also, I feel like the bush variety are more prone to be eaten by rabbits and other predators. Last spring a rabbit ate all of my bush beans down to the root, I was quite upset to say the least! I’ve never had that problem with my pole beans because I grow them in bags that are raised and the beans themselves grow up on trellises.
Plant the seeds in the spring after the last frost in full sun. Keep the soil moist until you see the first few leaves appear and then you can water them once a week. If you notice the leaves are wilting or looking dry, water it a little more. Green beans are very fast growing and you should pick them regularly and often to keep the plant producing until the fall.
- Radishes
Radishes are by far the easiest thing I have ever grown. Even my three year old can do it!
Sprinkle the seeds in some soil, water and watches them grow! The best part about radishes is that they are very fast growing and you can plant them very close together. In fact, if you have any empty spaces in your garden, you can sprinkle radish seeds there and have radishes in as little as 30-45 days. They can also be grown in pots on your patio if you live in an apartment.
Radishes are pretty cold tolerant and don’t really like it when it gets too hot. In Louisiana, I can only grow them in the fall and early spring.
Fresh radishes are actually pretty sweet and mild with a little spicy note at the end. They are so much better than the ones you buy at the store. My son likes to pull them straight out of the ground, wipe them off and eat them (and he’s my picky eater). Give them a try and I promise you wont regret it!