What would you plant if you had never grown anything?

[femalephish]

I have never even had a potted herb garden, but this year I am determened to grow some veggies. So, what's easy to grow? All I want is something I can plant and eat this year. I live in Maine so I know I may have to start my seeds inside and plant them later. What do you think? What did you have success with your first year?

Can anyone recomend a veggie gardening 101 type book? I have checked out so many from my library but I have no idea what they are saying because I don't understand the lingo! Thanks,
-Courtney

[morganlefay]

I'm in the deep south, so I'm not sure what would be easiest to grow in Maine, but squash and zucchini are usually pretty easy to grow--also cucumbers. We've also had good luck with leaf lettuce in raised beds and planters. Do you have a county extension office in your county? They usually have booklets that tell you how to grow stuff specific to your area--sometimes this info is on their website as well. As a general reference, i love The Encyclopedia of Country Living, although it's not just about gardening. It's pretty easy to read. Have fun!

[4Blessings]

Green beans, corn, beets, carrots, green onions. Plant the seeds directly in the garden.

Tomatoes. I never have success from seeds. Buy well established plants from a farmer's market. I also purchase broccoli there too.

I'm in the upper Midwest. We started our garden the first week in June last year and had great results.

I only start my zucchini, watermelon, pumpkins, and cucumbers inside.

We rent a tiller from the local hardware store for $30 for 3 hrs. This is well worth the cost!

Have fun.

[JamieCatheryn]

My first year the green beans did very well and were very rewarding. Squash should be but mine didn't work first year, hoping it will this time. NOT corn, did not work for me. I would not, and have not yet, venture into indoor seed starting myself, as the equipment takes some money to put together the first time around. I'm still buying tomato plants for now 3 years in. With tomatoes, the first year I did terribly on those except the currant tomatoes that grow like weeds, second year 2 plants of 8 did well, this year here's hoping they all do great. Mulching, fertilizing (compost AND organic additives), and nitrogen fixing crops rotated in the same beds seem to be the key factors for big productive tomato plants.

[lucyem]

I am in a similar climate to you over to your west. Last year the easiest thing we planted were Kentucky Wonder pole beans. Set up three poles like a teepee, planted 6 seeds at the base of each and had all kinds of green beans And to top it off I spent 2 weeks at the end of June in bed with the flu and the weeds took over and I still had amazing amounts of beans. I also had decent luck with some cheese pumpkins and cucumbers that once again I put into the ground in little hills on Memorial Day weekend and ignored. Potato plants died after that month of rain last year and we only got a few potatoes.

[lotus.blossom]

I'm in Maine as well! Been gardening for a few years now. My first year with a raised bed I had great success with pumpkins, cukes, zucchini, broccoli and tomatoes. I planted WAY too many cherry tomatoes and had NO idea the pumpkins would take up so much room!! My advice would be to take stock in what you eat on a weekly basis and grow that. No point in growing something you won't eat. Also do successive planting for things like broccoli or lettuce so you get some new stuff every few weeks.

[mattemma04]

Ground cherries and tomatillo by seed. Peppers and tomatoes by seedlings.
Zuchinini by seed.If you like currants then add some plants.Same with strawberries.Both will give you fruit the next year.
Chives will grow well and look pretty.I just planted some onions that started growing in my kitchen bin,and they are doing well.

If you want fruits plant the trees and shrubs now.I wish I had done it years ago,because now I would have fruit.I just have currants and grapes. The ground cherries are easy plants.Throw in some marigold flowers to deter bugs.

Have fun!