Eating healthy can be expensive, as fresh fruits and veggies can become pricey as your purchases add up. If you want to save some money while still being able to serve healthy foods for your household, consider growing your own vegetables at home. If you want some tips on how to start your own vegetable garden, read here.
There are a lot of vegetables that are easy to grow in containers and small gardens, and does not need a large farm or complicated gardening techniques to produce fruit. Even if you don’t know squat about gardening, you can start by quick-maturing plants and produce veggies like these ones:
1. Lettuce
Crunchy lettuce is a delight for fresh salads and sandwiches, and it offers different textures and flavors. Lettuce grows quickly, and you can harvest this leafy green vegetable in just three weeks after sowing. Usually, this is planted in spring, but if you live in an area with a warm climate, grow lettuce during the winter. If you do experience snow, just cover the plants with a plastic or a sheet on top of it, and they will be fine. They don’t need a lot of sunlight.
You have the option to choose from either picking up lettuce seeds or lettuce plants. When growing lettuce, choose a wide planter rather than a deep one, as a 6-inch deep planter will be enough. Make sure to leave space of at least four inches between each plant or seed. Frequently water the soil to keep it moist always.
2. Radishes
Radishes are one of the quickest-growing root vegetable and it’s easy to take care of. You can grow them in pots or directly into the ground. It’s best to sow them four weeks after the last frost and during the summer and expect a harvest after a month. If you plan to put it in a planter, choose one that is 6-10 inches deep. Allow three inches of space between each plant.
Planting radish in compost is a great idea. Be sure to water it as needed in the containers, and fertilize them once a month.
3. Potatoes
Potatoes are probably the yummiest and the tastiest of all vegetables, because hello, this is what French fries and tater tots are made of. It’s a fun crop to grow, and they grow so easily – you might have even found one growing in your pantry when you have left it there a little too long. You can plant them in a buckets, bins, potato bags or in the ground and they will grow roots.
Potatoes are best planted during late February or March, and you can expect yummy harvest from July to September. When you plant potatoes, wait for the green shoots to appear above the soil. Once it happens cover the ground with more compost. Keep it well watered. After 10 to 20 weeks, the foliage will start to yellow and die back, and you can now rummage around the soil to collect the spuds.
4. Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are flavorful vegetables that are so easy to grow. This vegetable and flavoring is high in vitamins A, B6 and C, as well as potassium and riboflavin. They love the heat, so it’s best to plant them when there’s no frost left. Plant them first in an 8-12 inch deep pot and keep them there for 4-6 weeks before transplanting into a well-drained soil. Water them regularly and fertilize them on a monthly basis. Plant them 4-6 inches apart.
Once your bell pepper plants are growing, make it a habit to remove any weeds that will grow around your plants.
5. Tomatoes
Having fresh tomatoes from the garden is the reason why many people hop into home vegetable gardening (oh by the way the tomato is technically a fruit). Tomato plants are great garden plants because they are quick to grow and easy even for kids to cultivate. You only need to save the seeds or just bury an entire half of a tomato. Tomatoes are even packed with variety of nutrients, like fiber, iron, magnesium, lycopene and vitamins A B6 and C.
Tomatoes needs ample sun, so it’s best to grow them during summertime. Sow them in bags, pots or hanging baskets that receive sunlight. The size of the pot you need depends on the type of tomatoes you want to grow. A pot 12 inches deep is a good depth, and only sow one tomato plant per pot. They just need water and plant food to give out some tasty and juicy harvest.
6. Peas
There’s nothing like peas harvested fresh from your own garden. It has a tender sweetness and freshness that’s unlike anything you can buy from the store. It’s high in fiber, magnesium, potassium and vitamins A, C and B6.
Peas are trouble-free crops that enjoy cool and moderate weather. All you need to give them is support for the plant to climb up. Plant them in containers and or the ground and erect some netting or chicken wire between supports at the end of each row. You may even grow peas on a wall or a balcony. Sow them during early spring or late summer or late autumn and expect harvest after 2 to 3 months.
7. Spinach
Spinach is one of the world’s healthiest foods, as it is rich in vitamins and minerals like A, C, K, E, B6, protein, iron, calcium and manganese. It will serve you a whole lot if you grow it just right from your backyard. Like other leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach is a very easy crop to grow.
Spinach needs to be planted in a well-drained soil with compost and must be placed under full sun or some light shade. It’s best to grow spinach directly on the ground. It can be planted all year round in cold climate areas, as it can survive temperatures as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. Summer squash
Summer squash is a high yielding plant that’s easy to grow, so you will most likely need only a few plants to feed an entire family. It’s also nutrient-packed as it is rich in vitamins A, B6 and C, as well as magnesium, fiber and potassium. It’s a great vegetable to plant that will yield you a fulfilling harvest.
It is recommended to sow your squash seeds in pots indoors, or buy squash seedlings if you want a quicker harvest. These plants dislike the wind, so make sure your plants are protected. When they are grown, plant them in a well-drained soil under direct sunlight or where they can receive a lot of sun.
9. Beans
There are so many kinds of beans that you can plant for your own garden. Beans are nutrient-rich, but it is dry beans that are the real nutritional powerhouses. Dry beans are generally high in fiber, iron, manganese and phosphorous.
Some beans are climbers that must be provided with wires or support, but if you don’t want to deal with that, stick with bush beans. Bush beans are your best options if you want to grow in containers that are at least 12 inches deep. Fill your container with a well-drained soil with a thick layer of compost above it, then plant your seeds directly to the compost. Then, place it in an area where they can get plenty of sunlight. When it’s time for harvest, the pods turn light brown and you can feel the hard beans inside.
10. Beets
Beets are a great two-in-one plant. You can harvest the beetroot of course, but you can also harvest the leaves for eating as well. Beetroots are a great source of fiber, iron, potassium, manganese and vitamins B9 and C. It’s often mixed in salads, but it’s also equally tasty eaten as a warm and freshly boiled veggie. Meanwhile, beet greens are rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins A, B6 and C. These greens can be added to a salad, sautéed as a side dish, or used in a way spinach and other leafy greens are used.
Sow your beet seeds in moist soil and thin the seedlings to about 5 cm apart. Plant them on the ground during March to July, and you will be able to harvest during May to September. Beetroots are best when they are harvested small, because it’s when they are sweet, tender and flavorful.
11. Carrots
Carrots are one of the most common healthy vegetable that’s good for you. And the people who told us to eat carrots were not wrong – these veggies are high in fiber, manganese, potassium, niacin and vitamins A, C and B6. It’s also an easy root vegetable to grow in your own garden.
This root vegetable grows best in cool weather. They need to be regularly watered and grow in moist soil so that the roots won’t dry out and crack. You can sow them in a plot of soil or a deep pot (at least 12 inches deep) that is free from rocks. Sow your carrot seeds three inches apart. It is best to plant carrots in spring, summer and fall.
12. Cucumber
Another simple veggie to grow, cucumbers are a great addition to your home garden. It’s crunchy, cooling and delightful to eat as part of a summer diet. It also thrives in the summer, as they love sunlight and warm temperatures. Once you give them sun and regular water, they can almost grow like weeds.
Since there are cucumber varieties that grow as a vine, go for bush cucumber if you want a simpler gardening, and also to protect them from diseases. Pick out some medium to large-sized pots or simply use the soil in your garden. Also make sure you use a well-drained soil with compost. Give them ample space between plantings. Plant them only during warm weather or after the last spring frost.