But you don’t need to plant half your backyard to realize them.
All you need is a yard, patio, or access to a community garden.
We compiled a list of the easiest vegetables, fruits, and herbs to grow.
Fresh asparagus.rootedvalley.com
Of course, they taste great in salads, stuffed, and even for snacking.
In the garden, warm-season bell peppers thrive in full sun and well-draining, moist soil.
Plant them at least a week after the last frost.
They’re a cool-season crop that can thrive in a variety of soil types.
Best of all, they need minimal care and arepacked with nutrients.
They’ll reach picking status in a little under 2 months.
Harvest the main head first, and then pick the side shoots.
Carrots
Carrots grow in Zones 3 through 10, which just about covers the entire U.S.
They love to be planted in loosely packed, well-composted soil where they get full sun.
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Carrots take about 70 days to mature, but it’s worth waiting for optimal sweetness and bright color.
When youtrellis cucumbers(recommended), the plants climb, giving you more garden-bed space for other vegetables.
“Homegrown cucumbers are incredibly fresh and flavorful compared to the store-bought ones,” says Awot-Traut.
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“You pick them at their peak ripeness, resulting in superior taste and texture.”
A head of garlic has many cloves, and each of them can be planted.
With water and a few days, a green shoot surfaces, climbing at a surprising rate.
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In time, that underground clove grows into a new head of garlic foruse in the kitchen.
Don’t forget to save some of those homegrown cloves for next season’s planting.
While it doesn’t take the heat well, some varieties are better at it than others.
Gentl & Hyers
If you think harvesting 50 onions at one time is too many, think again.
Peas
More peas, c’mon!
Whether you choose sugar snap, snow, or sweet, peas are pretty easy to grow.
Fresh Leaf Lettuce.Frances Twitty/ Getty Images
Potatoes
Fries anyone?
With manytypes of potatoesto choose from, Awot-Traut recommends German butterballs and Yukon golds.
“These are easy to grow and produce a good yield,” explains Awot-Traut.
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Need we go on?
This cool-season,nutritious root vegetabletakes only a month from planting a seed to harvest.
You’ll be surprised at the varieties of radishes you find on the seed stands.
And radishes aren’t just for adding to salads: Try them roasted!
Tomatoes
Simply put, tomatoes are unrivaled when bursting ripe right off the garden vine.
If you’re feeling a little nervous, start small.
“Cherry and small tomatoes are the easiest to grow,” Awot-Traut says.
Zucchini grows well when planted adjacent to other easy-to-grow plants like garlic, mint, and tomatoes.
As they mature, be sure to water and fertilize regularly because zucchini plants are notoriously heavy feeders.
Many Radishes.Maximilian Stock Ltd./Getty Images
They can grow to hilariously big sizes, but for them, biggerisn’tbetter.
Pick them when small- or medium-sized for better-tasting ones.
Take time to select plants carefully.
Even a few tomato-bearing plants can offset what you need to purchase at the store.ChiccoDodiFC/Shutterstock
They also freeze well, so you could stretch a bountiful harvest to use throughout the year.
Blackberry shrubs come in erect or trailing categories, and the trailing types require a trellis or other support.
Look for thornless varieties, which make pickingmuchmore enjoyable.
The Spruce / Heidi Kolsky
Blueberries
If you’re looking for a good place to start growing fruit, think blueberries.
“They’re a well-behaved, low-maintenance shrub that fits easily into the home landscape,” Awol-Traut says.
Plus, they look gorgeous and produce little flowers in spring and vibrant red leaves in fall.
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There are more reasons to consider blueberries: They’re good for you, andblueberry dessertsare just plain delicious.
Is there anything better than a fresh blueberry pie in the summer?
We didn’t think so.
Fig plants are heat- and drought-tolerant and grow into beautiful trees that look magical in a yard.
In most U.S. regions, the best time to plant figs is early spring or early fall.
They’re also versatile in the kitchen, nutritious, delicious, and store easily.
Wherever you plant them, check that each plant’s roots have plenty of room to spread out.
Because strawberry fruits grow low to the ground, double-check tothoroughly wash the berriesbefore you use them.
Now, where’s that shortcake recipe?
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Awot-Traut recommends using a naturalweed killerlike Preen’s.
It doesn’t get fresher than that!
If feasible, plant herbs near the kitchen for easy access, or considergrowing some indoors.
Basil.Photo courtesy of Untrained Housewife
Start yourherb gardenwith these easy-to-grow and culinarily versatile plants.
Chives can be started from seed or seedlings, and they do especially well in containers.
Their cuisine opportunities are fairly limitless.
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Start them indoors or plant them outside after the threat of frost in a nice sunny spot.
(The older, ferny-bang out leaves taste bitter.)
Eventually, the plant stops producing fresh, new shoots with edible leaves, and a flower develops.
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At this point, you have options.
Its prolific nature drives it to take over the beds of neighboring plants.
To prevent mint from spreading into unwanted areas, confine your plantings to a pot or other isolated area.
Mint - Growing Mint in the Herb Garden.Photo courtesy Daniel Battiston / stock.xchng
You only need one or two plants to start.
Take advantage of their aroma andbug-repelling prowesswith plantings near seating areas or walkways.
Parsley
Parsley is a great finishing touch to your homemade dishesandyour herb garden.
Once you’ve harvested, take time toclean, chop, and store it properly.
You’ll love combining newly harvested parsley with other fresh vegetables and herbs for a delicious yard-to-table meal.
Growing rosemary from seed is challenging, so start with just a seedling or two from the garden center.
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Grab a few sprigs whenever you want to create a delicious dish likegarlic and rosemary focaccia.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are several fruits you might easily grow indoors.
They include lemons via a Meyer lemon tree, limes, and avocados.
Other fast-growing vegetables include carrots, cucumbers, and turnips.
Some of the fastest growing fruits are berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, and mulberries.
Other fruits that grow quickly include passion fruit, lemons, and figs.
