Introduction
The incredible feeling of satisfaction one gets after plucking fresh, crispy vegetables from their own backyard and putting them in the salad they are about to eat cannot be described in words. As mass-produced and shop-bought products become increasingly flavorless and nutrient-poor due to long distances traveled between their source and destination, home gardening appears to be the new revolution where people take full control of what they eat. Apart from obvious health benefits, which come from eating organic foods without harmful pesticides, growing a kitchen garden has become the new hobby that helps to decrease stress levels dramatically and become aware of the rhythm of seasons. However, there are many people who hesitate before growing their own garden at home due to the fact that they think they need a huge countryside farm, specific skills in farming, or a lot of time for doing hard work. Luckily, the threshold is rather low and there is no necessity to have naturally “green thumb”. The key factor in successful cultivation of any vegetable is choosing the right variety that is very resilient, fast-growing and tolerant to newbie’s failures and easily adaptable to confined spaces like pots or beds. This article will present the absolute easiest vegetables to grow at home.
Growing vegetables at home may become an easy but at the same time very interesting occupation regardless of your previous gardening skills and experiences. You do not need either a big backyard or special equipment to start growing vegetables. Numerous types of vegetables can grow easily in small gardens, in containers or pots, or on balconies and patios under appropriate conditions. Beginners can benefit from growing fresh vegetables along with getting basic gardening knowledge.
Choosing easy vegetables is a right solution since vegetables for beginners typically require rather simple care and yield results in a reasonable period of time. Such vegetables as lettuce, radishes, green onions, spinach, carrots, and beans may be considered depending on your climatic conditions, free space, and other factors. Moreover, there are vegetables which can be grown in containers being useful for people living in apartments or houses without backyards.
It is necessary to think of the amount of sunlight which your growing place receives before planting your vegetables since most vegetables need several hours of suitable sunlight per day. The precise requirement of vegetables to the amount of sunlight varies. Moreover, good quality of soil, good drainage, regular watering, and sufficient space can make a substantial contribution to growing of vegetables.
Start growing just a few vegetables in order to get acquainted with preparing the soil, planting the seeds or seedlings, watering of plants, and typical problems which may arise during your gardening process. Checking regularly your plants will help you find pests, weeds, or water stresses on time.
In this article, I am going to discuss several easy vegetables which can be grown at home. If you have a backyard, balcony, patio, or any suitable containers you can start your simple home vegetable garden.
Tomatoes
Growing your own tomatoes is a fun activity that can give you lots of benefits. Tomatoes are fruits that we use as vegetables and which are widely planted by beginners in home gardening. Tomato plants may be planted either directly into the garden soil or into suitable containers. If you don’t have much space outside, tomato planting in containers may be a great idea for you.
One of the requirements of tomatoes is a good amount of sun exposure. Pick a place that will be exposed to several hours of sunshine every day and which has a good ventilation system. You need to plant your tomatoes in soil that drains well and contains organic matter, as well as in a suitable container for a particular type of tomato. Small types of tomatoes are easier to grow in pots or other limited places.
The watering regime should be steady, but the soil should not be always wet. Water the soil well when it needs it and try to avoid regularly wetting leaves of the plant since it may cause particular types of diseases to appear on it. Cover the base of your plant with suitable mulch in order to retain soil moisture and prevent weed growth.
It is advisable to give a stake, cage, or trellis to tomatoes to support them. It will be helpful to keep them straight and avoid situations when some of the branches lay on the ground. Check the tomato plant for pests and diseased leaves and handle these problems regularly.
Growing your tomatoes takes time before the first fruits appear, but observing the development of tomato plants is very pleasant. Ripen fruits may be harvested when they reach required size and color. Some people prefer to gather their tomatoes a bit earlier and ripen them at home.
With sufficient sun exposure, suitable soil, constant watering, and tomato support, you will succeed in growing your tomato plants at home. Starting with a healthy seedling will help beginners in this activity a lot.
Lettuce
There is a wide variety of crops that one can start growing for the first time. One of those easy to grow crops is lettuce. The reasons for choosing this vegetable are its relatively quick growth and the fact that it does not need much space. It can be cultivated both in garden beds, containers and any other place where it will get the required conditions.
Firstly, choose a place with suitable light. Although lettuce does not need much sun, some protection from intense rays in hot days will be good. The soil should be loose and well-drained with the presence of organic matter. The roots of lettuce are relatively shallow, so the plants can grow even in rather small pots.
The seeds can be directly put into the soil and seedlings can also be planted. Observe the required distance between the plants. Provide them with constant humidity but do not overwater and avoid water standing at the root level of plants. Check the soil regularly, especially in warm and dry weather conditions.
Weeds should be taken away carefully as they can compete with lettuce for water, light and nutrients. You also need to check the condition of leaves regularly to observe possible pests or diseases. Make sure that your containers have the right number of drainage holes.
Lettuce can be harvested once its leaves reach the required size. Depending on the variety you can take the individual leaves or the whole head of lettuce.
With the proper soil, regular water and light, lettuce can become an easy crop to cultivate. Its compact growth will be a good choice for balcony or containers.
Spinach
One more vegetable that is recommended for cultivation for people who start growing vegetables is spinach. Spinach is a healthy plant which requires no considerable space for its development.
It is important to provide such conditions which would ensure sufficient quantity of light and absence of direct sunbeams and excessive heat in case of warm climate since spinach prefers cool climatic conditions. Therefore, the period of sowing spinach seeds depends on climatic conditions of the region. It is crucial to provide proper soil for plants – loose and fertile.
Usually, spinach seeds can be planted in the place where they are going to grow. One should follow instructions on seed packets while sowing seeds, providing distance between them. In case of spinach seeds, one should keep the soil wet at all times but it shouldn’t dry out excessively. Plants shouldn’t be exposed to excessive moisture, otherwise the roots won’t develop properly.
Weeds should be removed constantly because of their ability to deprive plants of nutrients and sunlight. In addition, one should control the presence of pests on plants and remove them as soon as possible. Plants should be thinned.
Harvesting of spinach plants is easy. The farmer can take only larger leaves or remove the whole plant if it has reached desired size. Regular picking stimulates plant growth.
The main advantage of this plant is the ability of being cultivated even in small spaces and without any special tools. Proper soil, temperature, humidity and care can guarantee successful harvest for a beginner gardener.
Green Onions
It is very hard to think about any vegetables that would be easier to grow in your garden than green onions. Thus, it is a good choice for the beginners of gardening since the plants do not require much space and can be grown in different types of gardens, from flower pots to balconies. The green stalks of these onions can be used in salads, soups, sauces, stir-fries, etc.
The first thing one needs to start growing this plant in his/her garden is to find a good garden plot or flower pots. The vegetables grow well in the soils that get enough sun during the day. Thus, it is better to use loose and rich soil. Moreover, it should be well-drained. In case the vegetables are going to be grown in flower pots, make sure that they have holes at the bottom.
There are some methods to cultivate green onions. You may either sow the seeds, bulbs, or root. Plant the bulb or root in the moist soil. The tip of the onion should be above the soil surface. Water the plant, but do not overwater it.
Maintaining the green onions requires minimal efforts. It is necessary to weed the garden where these vegetables are planted and from time to time check the leaves for bugs. If the plants become too crowded, make sure that they have enough space.
One good thing about the plants is that you can use their green stalks as soon as the vegetables grow enough. Leaving the remaining part of the plant in the soil, you may get new leaves; however, it does not happen every time. Sometimes it is better to start growing them anew.
In conclusion, these vegetables require only basic sunlight, appropriate soil, enough moisture and sometimes maintenance to grow in your garden. They are quite cheap and easy to cultivate.
Peppers
Peppers belong to those wonderful garden plants that add colors, taste, and different textures from sweet and crispy to spicy. If you enjoy using sweet bell peppers in your stir-fries or like spicy jalapenos and habaneros for your salsas, then growing peppers is not difficult because the cultivation of such plants is possible in small spaces and containers. Pepper belongs to the same family as tomatoes – nightshades and both of these plants love heat and sunlight. In order to get many peppers, it is important to place your pepper plants in a location where at least six to eight hours of full sunlight per day will be provided; the sunny balcony, patio, or even south window sill is a perfect option. When it comes to the soil for planting peppers, it is necessary to use a fertile, organic, and well-draining potting mix because the roots of peppers do not like being too wet and will suffer because of it. You need to know about the harvesting of peppers that although many of the peppers can be picked at the green stage of ripening, leaving them on the plant for a longer period of time will make them take their final colors which will help to enhance their sweetness or spiciness. Frequent harvesting of ripe pods will make your pepper plants bloom again. Regular watering of the soil and fertilization with organic fertilizer once in several weeks will provide you with plentiful yield during the whole summer period.
It may be interesting to try to grow peppers because there are various kinds of peppers available for beginner gardeners. Peppers are easy-to-grow vegetables and can be grown in garden beds, pots, and containers. There are lots of various forms, colors, sizes, and even degrees of hotness of peppers, so it is quite easy to select which one suits your preferences better.
For instance, peppers love warmth and need to receive enough amounts of sunlight. Consequently, find a location where your pepper plant would receive some sunshine and where there is a good air circulation. You should ensure that the soil that you use is fertile and drains well and if you grow peppers in a pot – then you should use a rather large pot with holes for water draining.
Continue watering your plant regularly and ensure that the soil does not retain too much moisture. It is dangerous for roots to stay wet all the time. On particularly hot days, check your soil several times because it can become very dry in a pot. Applying a mulch layer to the soil is useful to preserve moisture and protect the soil from weeds.
While your plants are growing, observe the state of leaves and stems and look whether there are pests or any diseases. Remove all diseased plant parts and keep your growing area neat. Sometimes there may appear a need for adding a support for large pepper plants that already have fruits.
Once your plants reached the desired size and developed their color, you can start picking them. Many kinds of peppers can be harvested before their ripening stage and still remain tasty while other kinds change their color after becoming ripe. While harvesting your plants, use garden shears or scissors.
In conclusion, having warm weather, enough sun exposure, regular watering, and proper soil, you can grow peppers without great difficulties. Growing them yourself will allow you to conduct experiments using fresh peppers in your meals.
Herbs
Yet another easy way to begin gardening is through the growing of herbs. The majority of the herbs are relatively easy to plant in small pots, containers, windowsill planters or garden beds. Therefore, it is not necessary to have big garden outside of the house in order to grow herbs. Basil, mint, parsley, coriander, chives and rosemary are just some of the herbs that can be used to provide flavors and greenery in your everyday dishes.
First of all, it is important to pay attention to the lighting that will be provided to your herbs. Most of them need several hours of proper sunlight a day, although this need may vary from herb to herb. Appropriate location for the herbs planted in the containers may include bright windowsills or sunny balconies. It is necessary to use containers with the drainage holes and appropriate potting mix that allows excess water to drain.
It is also essential to water your herbs depending on their requirements and to check the soil condition before watering. Avoid keeping soil wet all the time as excessive amount of water may cause troubles with the roots. On the other hand, herbs that require constantly moist soil should not be kept dry for a long period of time. It is also necessary to ensure that there is appropriate ventilation around the herbs.
The regular harvest might contribute to the growth of the new leaves. In order to do that, it is necessary to use clean scissors and remove too many leaves at once. It is also important to remove the yellow or damaged leaves and inspect the herbs on the insects regularly.
In case of growing mint, this herb tends to spread very fast. It will be much easier to plant such herbs in separate pots. If your herbs are growing in the house, it is necessary to find a proper spot that will receive enough lighting. The containers should be turned occasionally.
Herbs seem to be ideal option to start gardening, since they are useful and easy to maintain in a small space. With enough sunlight, proper watering, drainage and harvesting everyone may have fresh herbs in the season.
Container Gardening
Container gardens are a perfect solution for growing vegetables at home without a huge garden. Container vegetable gardening enables to grow fresh fruits and vegetables even on a balcony, patio, windowsill, rooftop or any other suitable area. The beginners can start from one or two pots and then expand the garden as needed according to their experience. When using proper containers, soil, sunlight and watering, there is no reason why vegetables cannot thrive in pots.
To begin with, choose proper containers that will be able to accommodate your plants. For example, some small leafy vegetables and herbs can be planted in smaller containers while such plants as tomatoes, peppers and others should be planted in deeper containers. Remember that each container must have drainage holes to ensure proper water drainage. Without good water drainage, the roots will develop unhealthy condition and will become harder to take care of.
It is better to use quality potting mix instead of ordinary garden soil to have good drainage and healthy root development. Place your containers in places where your plants can get proper amounts of sun exposure. As a rule, most vegetable plants need several hours of proper sunlight per day, but requirements differ from crop to crop.
Water your plants regularly but check the moisture level of soil before watering instead of sticking to some schedule. Potted plants dry out faster than those that are grown directly in garden beds, especially in hot season. But you should avoid having permanently wet soil.
Pick vegetable plants that can grow in your space. Such vegetable plants as lettuce, spinach, green onions, herbs, peppers and other small tomato varieties can be chosen as appropriate according to container size and conditions of growth.
Eliminate weeds and other plant debris from your containers. Regularly check your plants for possible diseases and pest infection.
Container vegetable gardening makes growing vegetables at home accessible to anyone who has a sunny spot at hand.
You might also be interested in reading:
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How to Keep Plants Healthy Naturally: 9 Proven Tips
Save Water at Home: 7 Easy Ways to Reduce Water Waste
Plants: How Often Should You Water Indoor Plants? 9 Proven Tips
Conclusion
Gardening your edible kitchen garden at home is an extremely empowering process that will teach you that you do not require large areas of land or knowledge of agriculture to grow your own delicious food. By choosing durable and productive vegetables like tomatoes and peppers for your garden, you will be able to skip the complicated processes of agricultural care and get immediate success. No matter whether you have a large area of backyard to develop your garden in or a sunny balcony with containers, all you will need is to deal with proper drainage, sunlight and regular watering and your harvest will become very prolific. Gardening your own food not only allows you to avoid several shopping trips, but also gives your kitchen unique nutrition and flavor, connects you with nature and gives an excellent opportunity to relax from the hustle and bustle of daily activities. Seeing how your seedlings grow into fruits will help you gain self-confidence. Using the simple recommendations provided in this article and being patient enough, you will grow a good home grocery and get satisfaction of consuming the fruits of your labor.
