People have asked me recently what are the easiest/best plants to grow in a vegetable garden, and my answer is that it depends. It depends on things like time, required effort, growing zone and type of soil. When deciding what vegetables you would like to plant, consider the following.
1. Do you want to start them from seed?
2. What growing zone do you live in?
3. What is your last expected frost date?
4. Type of soil
5. Space and Lighting
5. Effort
With all of that said, here are some plants that in general are pretty easy to maintain and yield a good harvest.
Greenbeans (polebeans) : These are sure to be worth your while. Easily maintained and yields a great amount of fruit per vine. Very easy to sow from seed. However, does need a trellis to climb on.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes are a kitchen garden staple and nothing is better when picked fresh. However, try to put these in a sunny spot and make sure you plant them deep in the soil. The whole root system and part of the stem should be covered in the soil.
Zucchini: These plants need a bit of space, but will be heavy producers with little effort! Be sure you put them in your sunnies location though, as they may get mildew on the leaves that will kill it if in the shade too often. Best to plant in pairs for cross pollination.
Eggplant: Lots of fruits come from one plant. As with tomatoes, plant the roots deep.
Potatoes: Potatoes do wonderfully in sandy soil. If you do not have sandy soil, I have heard of using barrels and trashcans. Potatoes keep through the fall if stored properly and can be a treat for months to come.
Herbs: Herbs like Basil, Mint and Rosemary are very hardy. They grow well through most summer temperatures and dry easily for winter use. Careful! Mint roots must be contained or else they will spread uncontrollably in future years!
1. Do you want to start them from seed?
- Seed requires a lot more time, patience and effort than buying started plants from the store.
- But there is also greater variety of selection with seeds, as well as organic and heirloom varieties.
2. What growing zone do you live in?
- Some plants are preferential to certain zones and will not grow in warmer or colder zones. For instance, here in long island, I am in zone 6 and citrus does not grow well in zone 6.
- Research the zones your plant will be productive before falling in love with a variety.
3. What is your last expected frost date?
- Whether you want to start plants from seed or not, it is important to pay attention to this date.
- Most seed packages will recommend sowing a certain amount of weeks before you last expected frost date. A quick google search on the farmer's almanac website will lead you to your answer.
- When planting directly in the ground and not seeding, it is important to give yourself a little buffer because one frost can kill your plants. I usually prefer at least 2 weeks after the last expected frost. For me, that puts me around May 1st.
- Planting way too soon or too late can be disastrous for your crop production.
4. Type of soil
- Different vegetables require different types of soil.
- The three main types of soil are clay, sand and silt.
- Vegetables that prefer sandy soil, like root vegetables, will generally not grow well and come out stunted in soil that is clay-based.
- To determine your type of soil, do the "squeeze" test. Grab a small handful of damp soil. Rub some between your fingers and observe the texture. If it is gritty, it is most likely sandy. If it is slimy, it is most likely clay. If it is a little of both, it is most likely silt.
5. Space and Lighting
- What are the limitations to your garden area? Do you have a fully sunny spot or is it in shade half the time?
- Do you have enough space designated for larger plants such as potatoes, eggplant and melons?
5. Effort
- Some types of plants require frequent pruning, watering and weeding where as others pretty much take care of themselves. How much effort and time are you willing to put into your plants?
With all of that said, here are some plants that in general are pretty easy to maintain and yield a good harvest.
Greenbeans (polebeans) : These are sure to be worth your while. Easily maintained and yields a great amount of fruit per vine. Very easy to sow from seed. However, does need a trellis to climb on.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes are a kitchen garden staple and nothing is better when picked fresh. However, try to put these in a sunny spot and make sure you plant them deep in the soil. The whole root system and part of the stem should be covered in the soil.
Zucchini: These plants need a bit of space, but will be heavy producers with little effort! Be sure you put them in your sunnies location though, as they may get mildew on the leaves that will kill it if in the shade too often. Best to plant in pairs for cross pollination.
Eggplant: Lots of fruits come from one plant. As with tomatoes, plant the roots deep.
Potatoes: Potatoes do wonderfully in sandy soil. If you do not have sandy soil, I have heard of using barrels and trashcans. Potatoes keep through the fall if stored properly and can be a treat for months to come.
Herbs: Herbs like Basil, Mint and Rosemary are very hardy. They grow well through most summer temperatures and dry easily for winter use. Careful! Mint roots must be contained or else they will spread uncontrollably in future years!