In these hard times, growing your own food is one of the most rewarding things you can do. Check out these 10 easy to grow vegetable garden plants!
But first, what are the benefits to derive from growing your own vegetables at home?
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What are the benefits of growing your own vegetables
There are lots of benefits to growing your own vegetables or food at home.
First, it can save you money. Homegrown vegetables are often cheaper than those bought at the store since you don’t have to pay for packaging or transportation.
Second, it’s more environmentally friendly. Store-bought vegetables may have been shipped long distances, using fossil fuels and contributing to pollution.
Third, homegrown vegetables are often fresher and tastier than those bought at the store.
Fourth, it’s a great way to get exercise and enjoy the outdoors.
And finally, it can be a fun and rewarding hobby.
If you are looking to start a vegetable garden in your home to enjoy the benefits listed above, then the list below contains the best easy-to-grow vegetables you can grow in your garden.
Easy to grow vegetable garden plants
Below are a list of the easy to grow vegetables in either your backyard garden, balcony garden or homestead garden.
- Tomatoes: Tomato is one of the easy to grow garden vegetables. One of the requirements to grow tomato is a spot in your vegetable garden where your tomato plant can have at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight during the day.Tomatoes also need the right amount of water to grow. So ensure not to overwater your tomato plants. Fertilizing your tomato plants is another way to care for them so they can yield lots of fruits.Basically, good care of your tomato plants from starting your seeds to harvest is needed. Read more in the article Grow Tomatoes At Home Without Fail (Secret To 8x the results).
- Lettuce: Another vegetable garden plant that is easy to grow is lettuce. It can be grown in your garden, in containers on your balcony, etc. Lettuce needs moist, not wet soil to do well. Soil should be loose and also drain well.The lettuce plant needs at least 5 -6 hours of sunlight during the day. These and other needs of lettuce plant when in place will see you harvesting fresh and delicious lettuces.
- Radish: You can go wrong growing radishes. There are also easy vegetable plants you can grow as a beginner. Soil should be loose, drain well and moist to support its fast growth.Radish plants do well in a cooler temperature. When taken care well, your radish would be bigger than those of most gardeners.
- Cucumber: Eaten raw or in salads and other dishes, cucumber is another vegetable that is easy to grow. As a full sun vegetable, cucumber does well in warmer climates usually in temperatures between 75 and 85 °F.Regular watering is needed by cucumber especially during its fruiting stage. To harvest healthy cucumbers you can provide a trellis for your cucumber vine to climb so the cucumber will hang in the air and not lie on the ground
- Pepper: All varieties of peppers are easy to grow. A viable seed, organically rich well-drained soil, enough sunlight during the day, a good watering schedule, and plant care are all you need to grow peppers.
- Garlic: Garlic is very easy to grow. It also does not require much space. It is possible to grow garlic in pots. Garlic is propagated using cloves. Garlic does well in a well-drained soil, and warm environments, and should be placed in spots where the garlic plant gets full sunlight during the day.
- Kale: Kale can be grown in pots, and raised garden beds just as in open soil. Kale is also a full-sun vegetable so ensure that your kale plants are grown in spots in your garden where they have sunlight for the greater part of the day.It also does well in well-draining soil. With good care for your Kale plants, you should be harvesting fresh Kale vegetables for that delicious meal you are looking forward to.
- Carrots: Starting from seeds carrots can be easily grown in your garden. Carrot is the most popular root crop and grows best in cool weather but they take a little longer to mature than some other vegetables.It is best to start carrot seeds indoors, then transplant the seedlings outside since they will have a better germination rate when started at a warm temperature.You can directly sow carrot seeds outside, but we recommend starting your carrot seeds indoors and transplanting them after they have grown a few inches tall.
Carrots need to be kept moist and should be watered regularly. Carrots are ready to harvest when they are about 1 inch in diameter. You should be harvesting your carrots about four months after planting.
- Beet: Beet is another easy to grow vegetable that is started from seed. Beet seeds should be planted directly in your garden as they are easily susceptible to transplant shock.Beet seeds require moist soil in order for the outer seed coat to soften so your seeds can germinate. Due to the hard seed coat on beet seeds, you will have to give the seeds a few days more compared to pepper and tomatoes seeds to germinate.Just enough watering is needed for beets and only water beets when the soil feels dry to prevent overwatering your beet plant.
With proper beet plant care, you should harvest juicy beets about two months after planting.
- Broccoli: Broccoli do well in cooler weather, so you can start planting in early spring. Or, if you want to wait a little longer, plant in late summer for a fall harvest.
- Cabbage: Cabbage also does well in cooler weather. For an early spring crop, start cabbage seeds indoors then transplant your cabbage after about 6 weeks of sowing the seeds. Cabbage can be grown in garden beds or containers or pots that are large enough.You should be harvesting crisp cabbage heads in about three months after planting.
How to get started growing your own vegetables
If you’re interested in healthy eating and being more self-sufficient, you may be considering starting your own vegetable garden. Growing your own veggies can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it does take some effort. Here are some tips to help you get started.
1. Pick the right spot
Vegetables need a spot in your yard that gets full sun (at least six hours of direct sunlight per day). Avoid shady areas, which can encourage mold and mildew to grow on your plants. If you don’t have a sunny spot in your yard, consider planting your veggies in containers that can be moved around to follow the sun.
2. Prepare the soil
Vegetables need nutrient-rich soil to thrive. To get your soil ready for planting, mix in some compost or other organic matter. This will help improve drainage and provide nutrients for your plants.
3. Choose the right plants
When picking out plants for your garden, it’s important to choose varieties that will do well in your climate. Talk to your local nursery or extension office for advice on what to plant.
4. Plant at the right time
Timing is everything when it comes to planting vegetables. There is a right season for every fruit and vegetable you will grow in your garden.
Tips for growing successful vegetable gardens
Growing a successful vegetable garden requires some planning and effort, but the rewards are well worth it. Here are some tips to help you get started:
- Start with a plan: Decide what vegetables you want to grow, how much space you have, and when you want to plant them.
- Choose the right location: Vegetables need full sun and well-drained soil. Make sure your garden has plenty of sunlight and is in a well-drained spot
- Prepare the soil: Amend the soil with compost or other organic matter to improve drainage and nutrition.
- Plant at the right time: Check your local planting calendar to find out when to plant each type of vegetable.
- Space plants properly: Give each plant enough room to grow to its full size.
- Water regularly: Don’t starve your vegetable plants of water. Water your plants regularly. Be careful however not to overwater your plants.
You can read more tips here –> https://gilmour.com/vegetable-garden-tips.
The most common problems with vegetable gardens
If you’re having trouble getting your vegetable garden to thrive, you’re not alone. Here are some of the most common problems people run into, along with tips on how to fix them.
One of the most common problems with vegetable gardens is that they require a lot of work. From tilling the soil to planting the seeds, it can be difficult to find the time to tend to a garden. Additionally, pests and diseases can quickly ruin a crop. Some common easy to grow vegetables include tomatoes, peppers, and beans. With a little planning, a vegetable garden can be a great addition to any home.
- Lack of water
- Poor drainage
- Lack of sunlight
- Soil compaction
- Poor soil quality
- Pests and diseases
To avoid these problems, it is important to choose easy to grow plants. However, there are times when you cannot avoid these problems and the only thing left to do is to fix them.
How to solve common problems with vegetable gardens
There are a few simple tips you can follow to solve common vegetable garden problems.
First, make sure to uproot weeds regularly. This will prevent them from taking over your garden and competing with your vegetable for water and nutrients.
Second, when needed apply fertilizer to help your plants grow. It is advisable to use organic fertilizers. You can prepare your own fertilizer using kitchen scraps.
Third, mulch your vegetable plants to retain moisture in the soil, keep weeds suppressed, and prevent soil erosion.
Four, consider fencing your garden to keep pests out. Some pests destroy the seedlings and produce of vegetables and so putting up a fence will prevent your plants and produce from getting destroyed.
Finally, choose easy-to-grow plants for your garden. The vegetable garden plants listed above are all easy to grow and yield high amounts of produce. By following these tips, you can have a successful vegetable garden in no time.