Top Ten Easiest Vegetables To Grow

Top ten list of the easiest vegetables to grow for the beginner gardener. Our list of easy to grow vegetables all have a good chance of first time success and will give you the skills you need to expand your gardening prowess. All the vegetables on the list are relatively trouble free to grow and tend to perform well in our changeable climate. This is an unnumbered top ten list but we'll start with what may be the easiest plant to grow when starting out.

Onions. Growing any plants from the is an undemanding process and can boost confidence in any grower during their first season in the vegetable garden. Apart from regular watering in warm weather and some hoeing being the rows, onions, shallots, garlic and leeks can all be grown with very little effort.

Radish. These crispy salad vegetables are quick and easy to grow. They are ready to eat in four weeks, leaving time for more sowings throughout the season.

Salads. Lettuce can be planted in containers or in between rows of other vegetables for a quick turnover of successive crops. Sow the seeds in trays, thin them out and plant outdoors when the leaves have established. After a few weeks the next crop can be started.

Strawberries. Strawberries require well fertilized soil and some summer sunshine. They will even plant runners for next year. A weekly feed of balanced plant food will ensure a juicy crop in June although you may need protection from hungry birds.

Potatoes. The main crop in any vegetable garden requires a well prepared bed that is free of weeds. Early varieties will be ready before the threat of blight appears in late summer and can be cultivated successfully in planters or containers.

Beetroot. They can be preserved, pickled or eaten straight away and a delight to grow. Soak seeds overnight to separate them and to give an early start before sowing. Plant in a sunny spot and thin the seedlings as they develop, remembering to keep the soil moist. The red and green leaves are great for salads.

Chard. This hardy vegetable seems to grow without any help at all. Related to beet but with leaves like spinach, chard can be planted in April and harvested till the end of winter.

Courgettes. One or two courgette plants will keep you supplied all summer. Plant the seeds with their edge into the soil to prevent them from rotting and feed regularly once the flowers appear.

Tomatoes. Some care is involved in the feeding and training of tomatoes with the prize of a delicious tasting vegetable at harvest time. Experiment with a number of different tomatoes to find what you like. There’s plenty to choose between salad, plum and cherry varieties.

Peas. Garden peas are great fun to grow and pick, plant them out in rows and simply let the growing plants climb up sticks or a frame. Collect and split the pods when you can see the peas swelling up inside.