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If you’ve ever bought a pretty plant, brought it home and watched it slowly give up, you’re in good company. The secret to a happy first garden isn’t a green thumb. It’s starting with plants that are forgiving!
Here are easy-to-grow vegetables, herbs and flowers that are perfect for beginners, plus a few simple tips to help them thrive.
Before you plant: three quick tips
- Follow the sun. Most vegetables and flowers need 6 or more hours of direct sun.
- Start small. One raised bed or a few large pots is plenty for your first season.
- Plant at the right time. Look up your area’s planting calendar from your county extension office. It’s free and tells you exactly when to plant.
Easy vegetables for beginners
- Lettuce and salad greens: fast, happy in cool weather and great in pots. Pick the outer leaves and they keep growing.
- Radishes: ready in about a month, which makes them perfect for impatient little gardeners.
- Bush beans: no trellis needed and they produce for weeks.
- Zucchini: one or two plants will give you more than you can eat (be ready to share with the neighbors!).
- Cherry tomatoes: more forgiving than big slicing tomatoes and so sweet straight off the vine.
- Peppers: they like warm weather and do well in containers.
Easy herbs
- Basil: loves heat and sun. Pinch off the flowers to keep it bushy.
- Mint: almost impossible to kill, so give it its own pot so it doesn’t take over.
- Chives: come back every year with very little care.
- Rosemary: drought-tolerant and lovely in a sunny spot.
- Parsley: easy, pretty and handy in the kitchen.
Easy flowers
- Marigolds: cheerful, tough and helpful for keeping some pests away from vegetables.
- Zinnias: grow quickly from seed and make wonderful cut flowers.
- Sunflowers: a kid favorite. Big seeds are easy for small hands to plant.
- Nasturtiums: bright, edible flowers that grow in poor soil.
- Cosmos: airy, colorful and loved by butterflies.
Simple care tips
- Water deeply, not daily. A good soak a few times a week encourages strong roots. Containers may need water every day in summer.
- Mulch. A layer of straw, leaves or wood chips keeps moisture in and weeds out.
- Feed your soil. Mix compost into beds before planting. Here’s how to make your own.
- Check plants often. A quick morning walk lets you catch pests or dry soil before they become big problems.
- Keep notes. Jot down what you planted, when and how it did. Next year’s garden will be even better.
New to gardening? The Garden Planner walks you through it: garden info, a layout grid, a planting calendar, plant profiles and a harvest log, so you know what to plant and when. It’s undated, so you can use it every year. Get the Garden Planner ($7) →
Beginner gardening FAQ
Should I start with seeds or plants?
Both work! Small starter plants from a garden center are easiest for tomatoes, peppers and herbs. Beans, radishes, sunflowers and zinnias grow well straight from seed.
What if I don’t have a yard?
Many of these plants grow happily in pots. See my tips for growing food in small spaces.
Love planning on paper? My Free Printables Library is free when you join my email list.
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