Trust me, gardening can be easy!
A lot of people, myself included, procrastinate when starting their first garden. The fear of failure or past “brown-thumb” experiences seems to hold us back in the backyard gardening department. But no longer!
I’m here today to tell you that it CAN be easy to grow some vegetables in your garden! It doesn’t require hours of research, or lots of money to purchase expensive equipment.
All it takes is soil, sunshine, water, and one good pointer finger to stick your seed in the ground. Honestly, it IS that easy. So this year, get motivated to try a small garden. It may just be one of the most fun things you ever did! Besides owning adorable goats, that is.
The first step is to…
Start with a good soil. Creating a good foundation for your seeds to flourish in is vital. Don’t overthink it too much, just follow my tips here to get your soil superpowered for optimal growth.
When it comes to deciding where to plant, just be sure to choose a spot in full sun. You can ALWAYS cover up your garden with a shade cover if you have to. But you can never remove the shade if it’s in the form of a tree, so look for a spot of full sun.
You can plant directly into the ground, as long as you dig up the grass first, or make above ground boxes. Or you can use planters to start your garden. They’re safe for veggies! The point is to get started, even if it means it won’t be the most perfect, gorgeous, huge garden you’ve always wanted.
As far as your watering system goes, just go with the easy route of Spraying Your Garden With A Hose. You may later move to an automatic drip system, but spraying your garden with water for 5-10 minutes each day ensures that you’ll take better care of it and you’ll have time to weed just a bit everyday. That will keep your garden in tip top shape!
5 Easy-to-Grow Vegetables for the Beginner Gardener
As a beginner, I’d recommend you start with some easy-to-grow, tried and true vegetables. These are ones that grow well and give you a great first-timer experience. Each variety of vegetable has slightly different plant spacing requirements and harvest times. But all of them will work well together.
Radishes
Radishes are great for beginner gardeners because they grow fast and insects don’t like them. They are typically the first thing to pop up and are really hard to kill. If you have a “brown-thumb,” you won’t with radishes.
Plant the radish seeds about a 1/2 inch into the soil, spacing the seeds about 1 inch apart. Water 1-2 times a day to keep the ground moist.
Carrots
Carrots are really fun to grow and aren’t likely to attract insects.
Plant carrot seeds about 1 inch into the soil, placing two seeds into each spot, spacing the holes about 3 inches apart. As they grow into seedlings, you’ll need to thin them out (that means you’ll pull some of the new seedlings so there is about 4 inches between each seedling). Water about 1-2 times a day to keep the ground moist.
Lettuce
Lettuce is fast growing and seems to pop up almost immediately! You can cut off some lettuce, and then they will keep growing. They’re resilient little things!
Plant lettuce seeds about 1/2 inch deep in a 3-inch-wide band. Space each planting about 8 inches apart. Water about 1-2 times a day to keep the ground moist.
Sugar and Snap Peas
Sugar snap peas are a fun thing to grow in the garden because they produce a lot of pods and can be eaten right away. Kids love these! To produce a good harvest, be sure to place them in soil that drains well, and be sure to plant early in the season. They do visibly better in cooler weather.
Plant sugar or snap peas 1 inch deep in the soil, spacing them out every 4 inches. Water about 1-2 times a day to keep the ground moist.
Beets
Beets are my favorite to grow, because their deep green leaves are delicious sauteed in a little butter and cream. We eat the leaves throughout the season until we finally harvest the beet roots. Good times!
Plant beet seeds 1 inch deep in the soil, spacing them out 4 inches apart. Water about 1-2 times a day to keep the ground moist.
Are you ready to get that garden planted this season? What are you waiting for?
Thanks DaNelle! ( & fam! ) I am really looking forward to planting my garden this year!
We don’t really get the best carrots so I hope your tips are helpful!
Love you guys!
I appreciate your contributions… This is fantastic information…
I just wish the weather in this part of the Middle East would cool down a little so I could get started…
It’s easier to just get out of here for a couple of months because of the heat and humidity, but I’m going to give it a shot.
Thank you, Danelle…
Excellent easy-to-grow vegetable list for the newbie gardeners. Thanks a lot sharing your knowledge.
Nice post indeed.
Danelle, can you share what varieties of vegetables you grow? I am in a similar growing zone on the west side of AZ and would love to know the types of carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, lettuces and any others that have worked well for you. Thank you!
Hi Denise-
DaNelle plants several varieties of different vegetables and fruits. She tries to follow the suggestions the University of Arizona puts out: https://extension.arizona.edu/vegetable-gardening
She also works with Growing in the Garden to find varieties and methods that work: https://growinginthegarden.com/vegetable-gardening-in-arizona/
These resources may help to find what works in your local area. If not, try contacting your local Master Gardeners.
Thank you and good luck with your garden! -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Do you have a list somewhere of the specific varieties of vegetables you plant here in AZ? I’m trying to plan out my August raised beds and want to ensure I pick the best type (I’m here in the Phoenix area too). TIA!
Hi Kelly-
This article has a link to the University of Arizona that should help: https://www.weedemandreap.com/starting-vegetable-garden/
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
luv ur inputs…this is great info…
i just wish this part of middle east weather cools down a bit, so i can start…the heat and humidity here sucks..its easier to just get out of this area for couple of months..but i am going to try it out..
thanks danelle…
I’m in South Florida and looking to start a fruit/veggie garden. Just curious, how do you determine which fruits/veggies are best to grow in which seasons. Any recommendations for a summer garden?
Hi Christina-
The best way to know what grows best on your area and soil type is to contact your local county extension office and they can give you a list of plants and also help with soil testing.
I hope that helps! Happy Gardening! Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
As a mere 16 yr old completely controlled by my family that would rather die than own a farm i live through your videos and the 5 indoor pets they let me have as long as i pay for them. But I convinced them to start a garden and i am SO EXCITED. I want to be just like you guys when i grow up and im so excited to start even if its small. Growing my own lettuce to feed my rabbit might not be a lot but its a start☺️
Hi, I’m new to gardening in Arizona . When is the best time of year to start a vegetable garden?
Hi Gail-
I hope things in your new home in Arizona are going well. As for when to plant this depends on what types of plants you are planting, if you are planting seeds, or transplants (seedlings), and where exactly in Arizona you are located (north or south). Cool season crops such as lettuces, need to be planted when temps are fairly cool do they can be harvestable before summer’s heat gets them. If your area frosts, then they can be planted about a week before your last recorded spring frost date. As for plants like tomatoes, they need warmer temps and can endure summer’s heat. So plant 2-3 weeks after the last expected frost date and you should be good to go. Here is a link to the USDA’s plant hardiness zone map: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/
This let’s you know where you are in reference to how well your plants will do. And if you look on the seeds you buy it will tell you when to plant based on your Zone.
I hope this helps. Happy Gardening! -Bobbi
Okay to use a water liner for raised garden bed? I read the directions for soil. How long is this soil good, and what do I need to do when it need to be revitalized? Thanks so much.
Hi Cindy,
It’s best to keep the soil above connected with the earth below because this helps worms to come in and excess water to come out so your roots don’t rot.
I like the idea beacause children can grow them in a lot of fun
I TRIED GROWING SHALLOTS AND GARLIC IN POTS INDOORS AS IT WAS TOO COLD TO PLANT ANYTHING OUT DOORS. I USED A POTTING MIX WITH ADDED” NUTRIENTS”..THE TOPS ARE 15 INCHES TALL AND LOOKED HEALTHY AND GREEN.. LIKE LONG SCALLIONS, BUT THEY ALL BENT OVER TOWARDS THE FLOOR AND I GUESS THEY HAVE WILTED”?????WHAT DID I DO WRONG???? WHAT CAN I DO TO ”REVIVE THEM””””????????
BEVERLY
[email protected]
Hi Beverly, it sounds like they need some sun. I would try to put them outside with a plastic frame over them, sort of like a greenhouse, and see if they perk up!
Also do the sugar snap peas need something to climb up?
Yes! They love to have a trellis or pole.
I know this is an old post but I’m wondering what do you mean by a 3 inch band – in your instructions for the lettuce? Love your website!!
I mean a 3 inch line, then give it some space, then another 3 inch line:)
Excellent easy-to-grow vegetable list for the newbie gardeners. Thanks a lot sharing your knowledge.
Nice post indeed.
I love this website! Thank you for devoting your time to help others!
Thank you for sharing these facts as it seems so easy starting your own vegetable garden especially when inexperienced like I am. I love eating organic vegetables and try to stay as healthy as possible so to see how simple it is and how exactly you go about it is really inspiring and hopefully I will have my own vegetable garden one-day that this will come in handy.
Kat, you may want to consider a pallet garden. Google it! Small space, no weeding, no yard destruction necessary. Especially nice for a first-timer.
Awesome, thank-you!! I’d really like to start a garden, but unfortunately I am currently renting and I doubt my landlord would appreciate me digging up the grass to create a garden… do you have any suggestions for an easy “above-ground” and potentially portable gardening system (I am moving in the fall, so would like something I can easy take apart or bring with me)? Plus, I don’t know what has been put into the soil around here and would prefer an organic soil.
Where can you get heirloom and non gmo seeds? We’re having difficulty finding which route to go in buying our veggies…last year our snap peas were awful!
I like Johnny’s Seeds
Look at Livingstone Seed, I buy mine at Blaine’s Farm & Fleet
We buy our veggie starts(Bonnie) @ Home depot and Lowes they are non gmo.
This is an excellent way of making sure you only eat organic vegetables, as long as you have access to the facilities to carry it out. Unfortunately not everyone has the land to do this especially if they live in apartments.
Container gardens…you can plant just about any veggie in containers and grow them on patios or front stoops.
Good blog 🙂 . Happened to read the blog while searching for some gardening tips before some months and really got interested. Gardening is one of my favourite hobbies and I badly wanted to have a veg garden. It was at that time I read this blog and started dreaming of my own veg garden full of tomatoes, pumpkins, carrots etc. Bought some raised beds from ‘In the backyards'( https://inthebackyard.ca/ ), Canada as my backyard is not enough spacious and started farming. Within some months got some tasty carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes. 🙂