Not everyone seems to have a natural talent for gardening, and that’s perfectly fine. If your past attempts have produced more wilted plants than thriving ones, starting with easy vegetables can take some of the pressure off.
Some vegetables are surprisingly forgiving and don’t need constant attention to grow well. Give them decent soil, enough sunlight, regular water, and a little patience, and you may be surprised by how much food you can grow.
If you’re ready to give gardening another try, these 11 vegetables are a good place to start.
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Radishes
Radishes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, especially if you want results without a long wait. They can be ready to harvest in about a month and grow well in garden beds or containers with regular watering.
Related: 15 Vegetables That Attract Beneficial Pollinators
Zucchini
Zucchini plants are known for producing a lot of vegetables from just a few plants. Give them plenty of room to spread, plenty of sunlight, and regular water, and you may soon have more zucchini than you know what to do with.
Carrots
Carrots don’t need much attention once they’re planted in the right spot. Give them loose, rocky-free soil so the roots have room to grow, then be patient while they develop underground.
Spinach
Spinach handles cooler weather well and can also tolerate some shade, making it a good choice for early-season planting. According to Homes & Gardens, spinach can be ready to harvest in about six weeks, and you can keep picking the outer leaves as the plant grows.
Related: 13 Surprising Vegetables That Thrive Without Soil
Lettuce
Lettuce is a great choice if you have limited garden space or want something that grows quickly. Keep the soil moist and give it some shade during hot weather, and you can start picking fresh leaves before long.
Kale
Kale is tougher than it looks and can handle cooler temperatures better than many other leafy greens. Plant it in a sunny spot, water it regularly, and you can keep harvesting leaves through much of the growing season.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers grow quickly and can produce a generous harvest with fairly basic care. Give the vines a trellis to climb or enough room to spread, keep them watered, and you’ll have plenty of cucumbers for salads, snacks, or homemade pickles.
Related: 12 Vegetables That Are Great for Vertical Gardening
Potatoes
Growing potatoes is much easier than it may seem, especially if you have a loose patch of soil. Plant seed potatoes, cover them with soil, and add more soil around the plants as they grow to give the developing potatoes more room.
Green Beans
Green beans are a solid pick for gardeners who want something that doesn’t require constant attention. Bush beans can grow without support, while pole beans need a trellis or other structure to climb.
Peas
Peas prefer cooler weather and are a good choice for planting early in the growing season. Give climbing varieties some trellis or netting for support, keep the soil watered, and you’ll have fresh peas to pick once the pods fill out.
Related: 10 Garden “Pests” You Should Think Twice About Removing
Garlic
Garlic requires very little attention after you plant the cloves in a sunny spot. According to The Spruce, garlic can also help repel certain garden pests, making it a handy crop to have growing around the garden.
