Want to garden BIG in a SMALL space? These 4 easy vegetables to grow are perfect
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They yield a big harvest in small spaces and will feed your family well.
As much as I would like to live in the country with many acres, that’s a dream I’m saving up for! Currently, we have the blessings of a modest yard, with plenty of sunlight and flat space for a few raised bed gardens. And we use our space wisely.
This means that we garden lots of high yield crops. By high yield, I mean these easy vegetables to grow also produce vigorously throughout the garden season. Quite often we freeze, can, or donate our extra produce from the plants we grow. The plants we chose are easy to grow so you don’t need a green thumb!
Below I’ll share some of our favorite plants, planting tips, and how to achieve big harvests from them.
If you start from seeds (which I highly recommend), it’s important to choose heirloom, non-GMO, and/or organic seeds. We recommend RareSeeds.com.
Looking to grow perennials? Check out our favorite perennial vegetables.
Four Easy Vegetables to Grow 1. Tomatoes
It always amazes me how such small seeds can grow such tall plants! Tomatoes grow vigorously and there are so many varieties to choose from. Cherry tomatoes are perfect for snacking and salads, while larger varieties like Beefsteak or Thessaloniki are great for slicing and sauce. We always grow Thessaloniki tomatoes and find they produce really well.
When adding tomatoes to your garden, note that they will need a good amount of sunlight. I normally reserve the sunniest spot in my garden for tomatoes and also the largest space. Tomatoes don’t like to be crowded, so make sure to space them 2-3 feet apart. This can seem like a lot when they are such little plants, but they will quickly fill the space.
Tomatoes also need well-draining soil, with some nutrients mixed in. I love adding compost to my garden beds in the fall. And I always till up the soil again in the spring to aerate it. When watering, always spray water at the base of your tomatoes instead of on the leaves to prevent blight.
2. Zucchinis are Easy Vegetables to Grow
Zucchini is SO easy to grow. I plant my seeds directly in the ground in a somewhat shadier part of my garden and just leave it be. It grows so quickly and produces so much that I am always giving it away!
Black Beauty is my favorite green zucchini variety and I have grown it for years with lots of success. The only issue I’ve had with zucchini was squash bugs. A neighbor shared this handy remedy: wrap the base of the young plant with aluminum foil once it has a few leaves on it. Leave the foil on until the zucchini is done producing. This trick also works for cucumbers!
Talk about easy to grow vegetables: zucchini tops the list! And you can never have enough zucchini. From bread to stir-fries, and zucchini fritters, there are so many recipes you can use it in! If you get tired of it, simply grate the zucchini and wring out the extra moisture, then freeze flat to use later on.
3. Cucumbers
Like zucchini, cucumbers will tolerate some shade. You can put cucumbers on a trellis, which means they can be grown vertically, saving a BUNCH of space. Plus, I always think cucumbers look so pretty growing upright in the garden and their yellow blooms are a favorite for bees and butterflies.
Two of my favorite cucumbers I grow are Muncher cucumber and Straight Eight. If you can only grow one variety, I recommend Muncher cucumbers because they can be picked early for pickling cucumbers or left to grow longer for slicing. Straight Eight cucumbers have a slightly better yield but are only good once bigger.
If you are looking for cost-effective trellises, you can often use things around the house like fencing, chicken wire, or even string! Really anything that the vines can hook onto will do.
4. Lettuces are Easy Vegetables to Grow
A huge bonus to lettuce is that it can be grown at TWO different times during the gardening season: spring and fall. Sow it early with the cold crops for lots of great salads, and then again after most of your garden is fading for the fall season.
Lettuce grows quickly and can be sown in stages. Typically I plant one row of lettuce each week of April, for a total of 4 rows that mature in succession. You can grow lettuce as a border around your garden, in small spaces, or even in planters! It is very easy.
My favorite lettuce varieties are Buttercrunch and Paris Island Cos lettuce, which is like romaine. Both are delicious!
Do you have other easy vegetables to grow that have high yields in small spaces? Please share!
*******
Four High Producing Vegetables for Small Gardens was written by Katie Vance.
#Gardening #Vegetables #Zucchini #Cucumbers #Food
As much as I would like to live in the country with many acres, that’s a dream I’m saving up for! Currently, we have the blessings of a modest yard, with plenty of sunlight and flat space for a few raised bed gardens. And we use our space wisely.
This means that we garden lots of high yield crops. By high yield, I mean these easy vegetables to grow also produce vigorously throughout the garden season. Quite often we freeze, can, or donate our extra produce from the plants we grow. The plants we chose are easy to grow so you don’t need a green thumb!
Below I’ll share some of our favorite plants, planting tips, and how to achieve big harvests from them.
If you start from seeds (which I highly recommend), it’s important to choose heirloom, non-GMO, and/or organic seeds. We recommend RareSeeds.com.
Looking to grow perennials? Check out our favorite perennial vegetables.
Four Easy Vegetables to Grow 1. Tomatoes
It always amazes me how such small seeds can grow such tall plants! Tomatoes grow vigorously and there are so many varieties to choose from. Cherry tomatoes are perfect for snacking and salads, while larger varieties like Beefsteak or Thessaloniki are great for slicing and sauce. We always grow Thessaloniki tomatoes and find they produce really well.
When adding tomatoes to your garden, note that they will need a good amount of sunlight. I normally reserve the sunniest spot in my garden for tomatoes and also the largest space. Tomatoes don’t like to be crowded, so make sure to space them 2-3 feet apart. This can seem like a lot when they are such little plants, but they will quickly fill the space.
Tomatoes also need well-draining soil, with some nutrients mixed in. I love adding compost to my garden beds in the fall. And I always till up the soil again in the spring to aerate it. When watering, always spray water at the base of your tomatoes instead of on the leaves to prevent blight.
2. Zucchinis are Easy Vegetables to Grow
Zucchini is SO easy to grow. I plant my seeds directly in the ground in a somewhat shadier part of my garden and just leave it be. It grows so quickly and produces so much that I am always giving it away!
Black Beauty is my favorite green zucchini variety and I have grown it for years with lots of success. The only issue I’ve had with zucchini was squash bugs. A neighbor shared this handy remedy: wrap the base of the young plant with aluminum foil once it has a few leaves on it. Leave the foil on until the zucchini is done producing. This trick also works for cucumbers!
Talk about easy to grow vegetables: zucchini tops the list! And you can never have enough zucchini. From bread to stir-fries, and zucchini fritters, there are so many recipes you can use it in! If you get tired of it, simply grate the zucchini and wring out the extra moisture, then freeze flat to use later on.
3. Cucumbers
Like zucchini, cucumbers will tolerate some shade. You can put cucumbers on a trellis, which means they can be grown vertically, saving a BUNCH of space. Plus, I always think cucumbers look so pretty growing upright in the garden and their yellow blooms are a favorite for bees and butterflies.
Two of my favorite cucumbers I grow are Muncher cucumber and Straight Eight. If you can only grow one variety, I recommend Muncher cucumbers because they can be picked early for pickling cucumbers or left to grow longer for slicing. Straight Eight cucumbers have a slightly better yield but are only good once bigger.
If you are looking for cost-effective trellises, you can often use things around the house like fencing, chicken wire, or even string! Really anything that the vines can hook onto will do.
4. Lettuces are Easy Vegetables to Grow
A huge bonus to lettuce is that it can be grown at TWO different times during the gardening season: spring and fall. Sow it early with the cold crops for lots of great salads, and then again after most of your garden is fading for the fall season.
Lettuce grows quickly and can be sown in stages. Typically I plant one row of lettuce each week of April, for a total of 4 rows that mature in succession. You can grow lettuce as a border around your garden, in small spaces, or even in planters! It is very easy.
My favorite lettuce varieties are Buttercrunch and Paris Island Cos lettuce, which is like romaine. Both are delicious!
Do you have other easy vegetables to grow that have high yields in small spaces? Please share!
*******
Four High Producing Vegetables for Small Gardens was written by Katie Vance.
#Gardening #Vegetables #Zucchini #Cucumbers #Food
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- Tags: Cucumbers, Food, Gardening, Vegetables, Zucchini