Growing some of your own herbs and produce is a great way to save some extra money. Beginning to garden can be overwhelming because there are just so many possibilities. Based on my own personal experience and research in beginner gardening, here are my top five recommendations for beginner gardening. These are simple things that anyone can grow if they have a small space and sunshine. You can try all five or just pick a few to start you out.
5. Strawberries – These are hearty little plants that can easily be grown in a big pot or 5 gallon bucket. Make sure and pick off all of the initial blooms, and cut off any runners as soon as they start going and you should have a good little harvest of strawberries. They like lots of sun and about an inch of water per week. If you have them in a pot you will want to water them more frequently.
4. Cilantro – This is a stubborn herb that will grow and grow if you just keep it watered. Put some seeds in a pot and keep it in your windowsill for fresh cilantro any time you want it.
3. Peas - Have some sort of trellis for this to grow up, keep them watered, in plenty of sun and they will treat you right.
2. Green Beans & Other Beans – These will also need a trellis to climb up. Like peas they like plenty of sun, and watering every day.
1. Tomatoes – Even if you don’t want to have a garden, every person should have at least one tomato plant. Whether you do the Big Boys or Cherry Tomatoes, these are such easy plants to grow. You can grow them in a pot or in the ground. Just keep them watered and in LOTS of sun, and it should produce well. They like to be planted deep, and you will need either a tomato cage or a stake to tie the plant to so it doesn’t fall over (some people do both). Cut off any leaves or stems that start looking brown so your plant doesn’t become diseased.
These are just my suggestions. If you have some ideas, let us know in the comment section. If you’ve never gardened before, give it a try. Remember that through tomorrow (4/24/10) Lowe’s has Bonnie Plants and Seeds on sale Buy One Get One Free.
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Don’t forget basil!
I am so disappointed. We were going to plant a garden this year. I even took a class to get ready. Had one of the instructors come to our VERY wooded backyard. He just shook his head and said it would be next to impossible to get anything to grow in our yard as there just won’t be enough sun. We are thinking about a “sharecropping” arrangement with a local public farm but it’s just not the same as being able to walk in your back yard when you need a tomato!
Check out http://www.globalbuckets.org you can grow your tomatoes in self watering buckets. I am growing mine using their instructions and they are thriving.
I told my gradnmotehr how you helped. She said, “bake them a cake!”
mmm love cilantro.. im sure ive got cilantro seeds at home since its used so much in indian cooking! ill try to plant some of these, since thats one less thing to buy lol.
mint is great to plant too! the only thing is to get cuttings for growing mint.
Hi, I love this! I was wondering have you harvested seed to plant the following year? I would love some tips on this as well. We are going to try and harvest seed this year, but we have never done that before. Thanks
Happy gardening!
My question is how do you keep the toddlers from picking the “balls” from the plants before they are ready to pick? We never got a single tomato from our plant last year because the boys kept picking the golf balls!
So cute! Frustrating, but cute
My kids are VERY interested in the garden. Last year (they were 2 – boy/girl twins) I made a point to show them everything as it started to grow. I would bring them over and say, “Look at the cute little baby tomato that is growing” or “Look at the baby green bean plant that is sprouting”. They thought it was great to watch the baby plants grow into big ones. To quote my son’s explanation of the process, “They are little babies and they grow bigger, and bigger, and bigger, and bigger and then we EAT THEM!”
I also told them what it would look like when it was ready to harvest…”the tomato needs to be all red before we pick it”. I also told them that if they saw one they thought was ready to ask mommy to check it and then they could pick it if it was ready.
Maybe showing them the “babies” would help?
Now our strawberries are another story
As soon as those suckers turn the slightest bit red my kids eat them right off the vine!
never plant mint- you will regret it- it takes over everything!
Mint is great for teas. Plant it in containers to contain it; don’t underestimate container gardening for coralling vigorous growers.
that’s why mint is great for a container
Are you Canning this year or freezing or maybe both? I stopped by Walmart to price check canners and extra items to go with canning (no presuure cooker, never used one – yet).
If you are canning or freezing any are you going to be posting how to’s?
Don’t forget lettuce, spinach and other greens. They are SUPER-easy to grow, essentially foolproof, and grow great in the cool spring and fall months.
Are these better in warmer areas? These are things that have consistently failed whenever I have tried and I know my dad has had the same experience. They might start a tiny bit, but then they just stop or die! I’d love to be able to grow lettuce!
I’ve had great success with lettuce and other greens here in the midwest (Indianapolis area). You just need to start the seeds when it is cool (early-mid March) as you want them to finish their life cycle in cooler weather. Hot weather causes them to go to seed quickly. Though there are some new hybrids that are slow to bolt. Alternatively, if you’re starting them TOO early, a hard frost can kill them, so maybe that’s what’s happening? Be sure to let the dirt dry out a bit between waterings. Good luck!
Thanks for the ideas. We’re in the midwest now, since last year. Previously in southern Ontario. I think the drying out between watering might have been an issue with all the rain last summer! Combined with me planting them in an area that turned out to be even wetter!
Don’t forget sprouting the only thing you will need is a jar!
We went to Lowes and the plants all rang up 1/2 price (or BOGO), then we made our own Topsy Turvy planter with a milk jug. It was so easy. The kids are really excited to water it and watch it grow.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5556795_make-topsy-turvy-strawberry-planter.html
Ooh, great idea! I’m a bit brain dead this morning, any chance you have a picture? I can’t work out where they made the hole! I think beside the handle, but it sounds like it is on the bottom when you hang it and I can’t picture it
I’ve started growing some fresh herbs recently too …. parsley, basil and chives … have them in my window sill also–in the kitchen. It seems that is a great place for growing herbs, as you can easily access them when cooking and such. I’m going to have to add the cilantro now, since you said it grows so quickly.
Great idea! I wish I had a sunny kitchen window
You might try dill too as it also grows quickly – it is a weed after all!