5 Easy Garden Plants That Won’t Fail You

Gardening is a wonderful activity for the whole family. Whatever your time schedule, physical ability or level of expertise, there will be a way for you to grow some of your own food. Even beginners can have success by starting with easy garden plants. Here are 5 easy food crops for you to grow and growing tips to help you succeed.

With food prices increasing and families needing to stretch their budgets further, growing some of your own food offers a solution. Eating fresh, seasonal produce has health benefits too and might entice you to be more creative in the kitchen. By growing some of your own food you can increase your intake of organic produce without increasing the amount you spend. Teaching kids to garden to also a great way to impart a life long interest and skill.

Easy Fruits And Vegetables To Grow

Growing your own food can be rewarding and cost-effective. Here are some easy-to-grow food plants that are great for beginners. If you’ve never grown anything before why not start with one of these fail safe crops?

• Tomatoes
• Zucchini
• Potatoes
• Radishes
• Strawberries

Tomato Growing Tips

Tomatoes are another brilliant food crop if you don’t have a garden! You can buy special varieties of tomatoes that tumble which means you can grow them in hanging baskets. Small cherry tomatoes are irresistible with their sweet taste and juicy flesh and you can let your children pick them whenever they want. Tomatoes need regular watering, but apart from that are fuss free. Tomatoes are delicious off the vine or you may want to try them in this fresh tomato and pesto pasta recipe.

Zucchini Growing Tips

Zucchini and potatoes traditionally take up a lot of room in the garden but there are creative ways to get around this. By using containers you can design a garden to fit your space; so even if you only have a balcony or small piece of decking to use, you’ll still be able to grow food successfully.

Zucchini are hungry feeders and will thrive on a compost heap – you don’t even need a special pot! Just pop the plants in, water regularly and they will grow. Give them plenty of room to spread and they’ll be very happy. Zucchini are delicious enjoyed any number ways from plain grilled zucchini to chocolate chip zucchini bread.

Potato Growing Tips

Potatoes will grow virtually anywhere – a black trash bag, an old dustbin or even a stack of tires are ideal. They are the perfect food crop for small spaces. Just remember to earth them up so they don’t go green. When the flowers wilt, they are ready to dig up and you can get stuck in rooting around for treasures.

Radish Growing Tips

Radishes are the perfect crop for children as they can be ready to eat in as little as six weeks from sowing. They need free draining soil and can tolerate some shade, which is perfect if your garden is not a south-facing sun trap. Water regularly to prevent radishes turning woody and pick them as you need them. Sow radish seeds weekly for a continual crop.

Strawberry Growing Tips

Strawberries are another lovely crop for children to grow. These are ideal in the tiniest of plots because you can grow them in any small container or pot. They will grow well in special strawberry planters, window boxes and even hanging baskets. Put some straw underneath the berries to prevent them from rotting when forming. Strawberries are delicious off the vine or in strawberry dump cake!

I think strawberries are nice and easy to grow and they are so pretty and so sweet fresh from your garden. When planting strawberries, pay attention to planting depth and make sure you have nice rich soil so they can grow bigger berries. Strawberries are perennials so you can enjoy them year after year.

There are 5 of the easiest garden plants to grow. Here are three more easy fruits and vegetables.

Peppers

Peppers are another popular plant for home gardens. They grow well in containers or in the ground and produce fruit throughout the season. All peppers from bell peppers to banana peppers to cayenne peppers are pretty easy to grow. The spicy ones are great because you don’t have to worry about critters eating them!

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are easy to grow in containers or in the ground. They require regular watering and produce fruit throughout the season. They are perfect to enjoy in fresh salads and you can make pickles with your surplus.

Watermelon

Watermelons are as much fun to watch grow as they are to eat! You can see a tiny little ball grow and grow into a large melon and then you get to munch down the sweet, crisp watermelon. It sure is a fun experience for kids and adults alike. The only trick with watermelons is that they require 2 to 3 months of heat to produce ripe fruit- so they are easier to grow in more Southern climates. Watermelons require nutrient rich soil, and need to be planted in warmer soil so it is best to wait to plant till two weeks after the last frost date. They need a pretty large space for each plant, a 3-5 feet area. If you mulch that down with hay, it will help prevent weeds and help protect the watermelons from the dampness of sitting on the bare ground.

Conclusion

These are just a few examples of easy-to-grow food plants that are great for beginners. With proper care and attention, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of fresh, homegrown produce. Remember to consider your local climate and growing conditions when selecting crops. Additionally, start with a small selection to manage and learn before expanding your garden.

Gardens are so much fun! They really help you spend enjoyable time outside. These easy food crops to grow were shared with us by Mrs. Green, who runs Little Green Blog which covers green technology, gentle parenting and eco friendly lifestyle. Which of these easy garden plants are you most anxious to grow?

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