What makes a vegetable easy to grow? Probably something I can throw into the ground as a seed, water occasionally, and a few weeks later it will fruit with abundance. This would be the ultimate low-maintenance gardening.
If you’re a beginner gardener, start easy and gain momentum rather than discouraging yourself from the start! You don’t have to know anything about growing anything. Start small and underwhelmed with these easy vegetable gardening tips.
4 easiest vegetables to grow
Based on the below criteria, these are the winners after breaking it down by categories including those which grow quickest, those which produce most prolifically, etc.This will depend on what kind of garden setup you’re working with. But notice I included in my search those which are easiest to grow in small spaces, so really these 4 top this list in all ways!
Greens
Grow a salad (greens / lettuce)
Greens are super easy to grow, some easier than others. Plant some kale and mustard seeds and you should have a bed of greens on your plate in no time.
Tomatoes
There are so many varieties these days! And sometimes I just can’t get rid of them – tomatoes seem to pop up every season in the yard, somewhere unexpected.
Cherry tomatoes quicker than larger-fruiting varieties
They make an excellent vertical garden if you’re limited on space.
Cucumbers
Also a great candidate for vertical gardening, cucumbers will grow upward if you provide a trellis or some other support.
Radishes
They grow quick, plus they double as greens – the top parts are great sautéed.
Easy and quick vegetables to grow
Looking for a quick harvest? Here are some of the quickest growing vegetables from time of planting to harvest.
- Greens – arugula, spinach
- Radishes
- Cucumber
Easy and abundant vegetables to grow
Looking for a LOT of harvest with just a little up-front work? Here are some easy veggies that are great at delivering abundance. If by ‘easy’ you’re thinking less work for more crop, here are your top picks.
- Potatoes
- Beans
- Cucumbers
- Okra
- Tomatoes
Easiest vegetables to grow in small spaces
Climbing veggies are great for small spaces. Just provide a trellis of some sort for them to climb up and voila!
- Cherry tomatoes
- Peppers
- Cucumbers
Easy low-maintenance vegetables to grow
- Longevity spinach – the name’s quite accurate. It just keeps growing almost like a groundcover or very low shrub depending on your maintenance/pruning habits.
- Beans – just throw ’em out there and you’ll have trees in no time.
- Yucca – I planted a yucca – just a piece of the root (the part known as the vegetable – the yucca itself) and it started growing! You should probably err on the side of watering your plants, but I did not even water these, they just came up! Super easy once you get your hands on some yucca.
Conclusion: The easiest food to grow
The winner of the easiest-veggie-to-grow competition appears to be… TOMATOES!