11 Low-Maintenance Vegetables for Beginner Gardeners

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Not everyone has a green thumb, but that’s alright! If you’ve had a go at gardening and come up with more brown than green, don’t worry, help is at hand. There are some vegetables that are so low maintenance they pretty much grow themselves. Thrown in a bit of dirt, splashed with a little sunlight and occasionally some water, these hardy plants will live if you forget for half the time.

These vegetables are ready to add some root growth to their lives no matter if you are a beginner gardener or someone who has a few failed crops under their belt. For this reason, if you’re up to get started with gardening without overextending yourself, these are the easygoing veggies to start with. They’re pretty much foolproof!

Radishes

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Radishes are the perfect ‘set it and forget it’ veggie. They grow fast, sometimes ready to harvest in as little as a month and they don’t require a lot beyond the occasional watering. Radishes do well in garden beds as well as containers and care little about soil type. Plus, if you’re searching for a quick pick to the plate, radishes are a quick residence hitter—the quickest growing veggie you’ll discover.

Zucchini

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Zucchini is like the overachiever out of the vegetable world. It’s fairly easy to grow with minimal care and surprisingly makes an impressive yield, and the more you pick the more it keeps giving. Though this sprawling plant will cover a lot of space, just make sure you have some space because it definitely loves to spread out. Water it, let it take the sun, and give it a little breathing room — before you know it, you’ll be practically buried under zucchinis.

Carrots

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Root veggies like carrots are very low maintenance and once planted, don’t need a whole lot of hand holding. Since it grows down, they’re best planted right into the ground. Simply ensure the soil is loose, free of rocks, and they’ll pretty much take care of themselves. Just be patient as they do take longer to mature, but it’s so worth the wait with a sweet, crunchy payoff.

Spinach

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Spinach is cold-hardy and tolerates some shade, so you can plant it early in the season. Once this leafy green is planted, it’s ready for harvest within just 6 weeks, according to Homes & Gardens, and it doesn’t stop growing after picking. If you’ve been burned by other greens before, spinach is a good bet.

Lettuce

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It is as easy as pie—or—perhaps—easier. Fast growing, uses little space and needs some shade, it’s ideal for small gardens or a windowsill. You just keep the soil moist and in no time at all you will have fresh crisp leaves ready to pick. There are so many versions to choose from, which means you’ll never get bored.

Kale

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Kale might look as if it’s for a sophisticated gardener, but it’s a mean cookie. It’s a superfood that’s tough and can still grow in cooler weather so it’s also a good candidate for spring and fall gardens. It also does a pretty good job fending off pests and diseases. It’s that simple. Just plant it, water it, and give it a little love and you’ll be munching on fresh kale all season long.

Cucumbers

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Cucumbers (the social butterflies of the vegetable patch) grow fast and make a lot. Just make sure there’s a trellis for them to climb up or a little bit of space for them to sprawl out in, and they’ll do the rest. Water them regularly, especially in the summertime, and you’ll get a big harvest. Cucumbers are a great place to start if you’ve ever dreamed of making your own pickles.

Potatoes

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Potatoes seem complicated to grow, but really they are quite simple. All you have to do is plant a seed potato in a loose patch of soil and cover it in a little dirt. When you plant more, add more soil around it as the plant grows because it will encourage more potatoes to grow. And by the end of the season, you’ll have a treasure trove of spare spuds down the earth.

Green Beans

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Green beans are a no fuss vegetable if you’re a fan. They aren’t fussy about soil and don’t really mind a bit of neglect either. You can also grow them as bush beans or pole beans of any length. For the pole variety, just give it trellis or some support, and you’ll have fresh beans in a few days.

Peas

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Peas are low maintenance plants that tolerate cooler temperatures. So they grow best with a little support to climb on — a trellis or netting — and they are ready to harvest in no time. Plus, fresh peas taste so much sweeter than anything you can get in the store. When planted early in the season, they will make a fantastic addition to any garden.

Garlic

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Garlic practically grows by itself. When you plant a clove, you will have a bulb ready to harvest by next summer. According to The Spruce, it repels a lot of pests, and it doesn’t need much watering. So plant it in a sunny area and let it do its thing. Add fresh garlic for any home cooked meal when it’s ready to be harvested.

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