Easiest Veggies To Grow: 6 Tips For Starting A Vegetable Garden

Weed thoroughly

If you can find a spot without a weed in sight, you’re onto a winner! Although, we know how hard this can be, so if you can’t find a weed-free plot, make sure you give it a thorough weeding. All perennial weeds should be removed from your plot. This can be done by covering the plot with mulch for a few weeks to suffocate them, then removed by hand or hoe.

Alternatively consider the no-dig approach. A gardening technique that helps reduce weeds without needing to take on the heavy task of digging. Read our blog ‘The Ultimate Guide to No-dig’ to start you off.

Crop Rotation

An important tip when growing veg is to rotate what you plant in your plot. Some veggies take in more nutrients than others so by rotating what is planted, the chances of the soil becoming depleted in nutrients is decreased.

An example of this is brassicas, which are hungry crops. Plant beans or peas in that area the following year as they are not so hungry. By continually planting the same crop type in the same area, year on year, pests and diseases begin to build up.

For optimal results, it’s best not to plant the same crop variety in the same spot for four years, so a great way to split your plot is into quadrants and keep a note of what is planted and where. Perennial plants are an exception to this, they can grow in the same place year after year. For more information on crop rotation, click here.

Build raised beds 

Raised beds aren’t necessary when growing veggies but come with a lot of benefits. Managing your plot can become easier in a raised bed, as it is contained within its border and a lot easier on the back. It’s also great if your ground isn’t ideal to grow in. Place a thick layer of compost over the top. To create your raised bed, choose wood that is durable such as cedar, oak or redwood.

By increasing the thickness of the soil, the temperature increases too which can help speed up the germination process. Being above ground level gives you a huge advantage over slugs and snails!

Preparing your soil for planting

Preparing the soil is just as important as the growth itself. Generally, plants need rich, moist and aerated (well-drained) soil with neutral acidity, however, some plants may require a different environment.

There are simple tasks you can do to test what kind of soil you have. If when you try to form the soil into a ball it holds together or is hard and compact, it is clay-based. If it is the opposite, dry and crumbly, then it is sand based. To check the drainage within your soil, pour a bucket of water over it. You will know your soil is aerated if the water is easily absorbed.

To find out more, read out ‘5 Simple Tips to Prepare Soil for Spring’.

Easiest veggies to grow

Now comes the part in which you are most interested, what veggies are the easiest to grow? The vegetables selected below are not only the easiest to grow, but also the quickest. Some of the veg can be described as ‘cut and come again’ based on how quickly they grow back after harvest.  Perfect for those new to growing their own.

Below is a list of the easiest veggies to grow:

-Lettuce
-Bush beans
-Peas (e.g. snow peas)
-Carrots
-Beetroot
-Early potatoes (or new potatoes)
-Chard

Veg that are more fragile in the early growing stages do better in pots in a warm place, away from wind or frost. Once the plants become established, they can then be transferred into your plot. To support your plants in their early growing stages, consider using Envii Root Well, a product that helps build resilience and protect plants against disease.

Lettuce is one of the easiest veggies to grow. Harvest the outer leaves as and when you need them, leaving the plant itself intact.

Chard is easy to grow, and if you can get your hands on the rainbow variety, it looks great too. When the leaves are a size that you believe you could cook, cut the chard a few centimetres up from the base. The small leaves left will become the next harvest.

Tomatoes are a popular fruit to grow and are to an extent easy, however, they do need a lot of attention. The outcome, of course, is rewarding but ensure you can set aside enough time to tend to them.

Top Tip: Make sure you follow the instruction on your seed packets because they are specific to your crop variety, they also advise you on when to plant and how long it will take until harvest.