7 Must Grow Easy Plants for Every Kitchen Garden
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Have you ever considered growing your own garden? If you’ve ever tasted a vine-ripened, still-warm-from-the-sun tomato, you’ll become a gardener for life. Choosing what plants to grow, in your kitchen garden, however, can be confusing. Especially if you’re just beginning. We’ve narrowed it down and created a list. Here are 7 Must Grown Easy Plants for your kitchen garden.
Whether you choose to container garden, plant in a raised bed, or directly in the ground.
Choosing easy, reliable plants is half the battle. And… it’s not too late to start a garden this season. Think about growing at least one of these 7 easy plants.
Kitchen Garden: 7 Must Grow Easy Plants
1. Slicing Tomatoes
“Also known as beefsteak tomatoes, this group of tomatoes produces medium to large fruits that are often sliced for topping burgers and sandwiches and is one of the top must-grow plants. Often red but also available in yellow and green varieties, slicers tend to be disease-resistant and easy to grow. Some of the most popular slicers include ‘Better Boy’ and ‘Celebrity’. Several heirloom tomatoes are also excellent slicers. ‘Brandywine’ is a pink-skin heirloom with soft flesh and full flavor. Get started with transplants from your local nursery or a mail-order source.”
2. Cherry or Bite Size Tomatoes
“These bite-size tomatoes are packed with flavor and sweet tomato juice, making them a great must-grow plant. Available in shades of red and yellow, small-fruited tomatoes are often very prolific. One plant can produce several pounds of fruit from midsummer until frost. Try ‘Yellow Pear,’ ‘Super Sweet 100,’ and ‘Juliet.’ Get started with transplants from your local nursery or a mail-order source.”
3. Sweet Peppers
“Sweet peppers come in all shapes and sizes. Bell peppers are the most popular garden variety of sweet peppers and are an easy, must-grow plant. Left to ripen, they turn red, purple, orange, or yellow and contain various amounts of sugar depending on the variety. Green bell peppers are the most common. Try ‘California Wonder’ or ‘Purple Beauty.'”
“Paler green and yellow elongated sweet pepper varieties often have a more intense flavor. Because peppers require a long, hot growing season, in cool regions or areas with short growing seasons, they may never develop their ripe color. Try ‘Sweet Banana’.”
4. Cucumbers
“A couple of cucumber plants will easily produce enough fruit for a family of four—you might even have some extra bounty to share with friends and neighbors, making them a great top 10 must-grow plant. Easy to grow and vigorous, cucumbers thrive in the heat of summer. Their trailing vines can sprawl across the garden, or they can be trained onto a sturdy trellis. Bush types are excellent for small-space gardens and containers. Try ‘Marketmore 76’ or ‘Salad Bush’. Cucumbers are easy to grow from seed planted in late spring after the last frost.”
5. Spinach
“Scrumptious in a fresh salad and lovely in the garden, spinach is a top must-grow plant for the edible landscape. Plant ribbons of spinach through a perennial border, or use it as a tiny, tidy hedge around a plot of early-season vegetables. Plant a late summer crop for harvest in fall. Try ‘Olympia’. Spinach is easy to grow from seed.”
6. Herbs
Perfect partners to sauces, soups, salads, casseroles, frittata, and many other dishes. Easy to grow both indoors and out and as a bonus, creates beautiful, edible landscapes. Grow from seed or transplants.
7. Beans
“Beans are some of the easiest vegetables to grow, and a wonderful addition to a must-grow plant list. Perfect for a first-time gardener or a child’s vegetable garden, beans quickly germinate and produce copious amounts of tasty treats. They are available in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes; some plants produce colorful flowers, pods, and seeds. From snap beans to edamame—you can grow them all. Try ‘Provider’: It is known for its fast growth. Beans are easy to grow from seed.”
Enjoyed this. As I live in AZ. We grow our food in the winter months instead of summer.I love to garden, so liked the types of vegetables. But how about herbs? Thanks Mary
Hi Mary! You are so fortunate to be able to grow in the winter! We have a short season in Seattle but I try to extend it as long as possible! I also love to grow herbs and have written a couple of posts you may enjoy that provide links to more information.
Medicinal Herb Garden Series
Easy Herbs to Grow that Every Cook Needs