Are you trying to have your own garden where you can grow healthy vegetables for personal consumption? Hey, you’re in the right place. But, before I explain to you what easy to grow vegetables you can grow, I want to tell you that it’s not as hard as you might think.
Remember that it can be overwhelming at first. But once you know some basic knowledge about gardening and vegetables, it’s going to be smooth sailing from there. And here is the list that you’re looking for.
Zucchini squash
Squash is one of the best vegetables that you can grow in your garden, especially zucchini squash. Zucchini squash is relatively easy to grow but there are some things that you should know. First, make sure you plant squash at least 2 feet apart from each other, squash bugs and squash vine borers are your main enemies and don’t plant too much or you’ll end up with more zucchini than you can store.
I say that because during the peak season, each plant can produce several squashes every day. So, make sure you calculate this before planting. There are two types of squash that you can plant: summer and winter squash. Summer squash has edible skin and short shelf life. Winter squash has inedible skin but longer shelf life.
Cabbage
I love the feel of fresh cabbage, that’s why I put it on the list. But cabbage isn’t really an easy vegetable to grow. Please keep that in mind. It’s common to start plating the seeds indoor for 6 to 8 weeks, before moving them outside.
Distance between seedlings is important. Usually, you want 12 to 24 inches apart. The smaller the distance, the smaller the cabbages will be. The main problem you want to watch out for are pests. And you get bugs or diseases like clubroot, cutworms, aphids, and cabbage loopers. They’re the main reason why growing cabbages is difficult.
You can start harvesting once the heads have grown to the size that you want, by simply cutting each cabbage head at the base with a knife.
Lettuce
Do you know that homegrown lettuce is superior to store-bought one? This is why lettuce is one of the most popular vegetables for home gardens. Lettuce seedlings are also more resilient to frost compared to others.
Choose a spot where the sun is directly visible and make sure to prepare the soil beforehand. Plant the seeds ¼ to ½ inch deep and 12 to 15 inches apart from each other to make sure they can grow nicely.
You can harvest once the lettuce has grown to full size and just before reaching maturity. This way you can taste the lettuce when it’s at its best. Some pests that you should watch out for are aphids, woodchucks, rabbits, and cutworms.
Carrots
I can’t get enough of the flavor and texture of homegrown carrots. Carrots are easy to grow, have a long shelf life, and can handle many climates. Make sure that the soil is loose and sandy before you start planting. Don’t forget to spread them 2 to 3 inches apart from each other. This way the carrots can grow without any obstructions.
Direct sunlight is also very important for carrots, but they can handle a bit of shade too. Just don’t be surprised when your carrots aren’t straight like the ones you find in supermarkets. Don’t worry, your carrots will taste good despite their appearances.
You can harvest your carrots during the summer or fall. You can pretty much decide when you want to harvest them yourself. The ideal carrot should be as wide as your thumb. Biggest carrots usually taste better too. Watch out for carrot rust flies, wireworms, and aster yellow disease.
One more thing that you should know is that carrots may take two to three weeks to germinate. Many beginners believed their carrots died or something because they don’t grow. But don’t worry, this is normal.
Start with the easy vegetables
All the vegetables on this list are easy to grow and taste good. If you’ve improved your gardening skills, you can start diversifying your garden with more vegetables. Maybe you can even challenge yourself by growing rare and difficult to grow vegetables.
If you aren’t successful after trying a few times, don’t give up. Gardening is also about patience and determination. And believe me, the results are worth it.
