Easy/Basic things for my first garden

[Happy912]

I would like to create a small garden (not a ton of space), and I live in the midwest (NW Indiana)...

What are some "rookie" things that us beginners could start our garden with? What are some of the "easier" things that aren't high maintenance- things to get my feet wet with?

Over time, I'd love to have a nice big garden and really reap the rewards, but right now I need to start small.

Any ideas?

[vermontgirl]

We have been gardening for only a few years now and each year we have gained a little more knowledge improved things drastically. It also gets bigger each year because we get excited and want to add more things to our fresh summer supply and our winter storage.

I can tell you the things I know are going to do well because they just grow with minimal effort are: Green beans (and the other varieties like yellow, purple and dragon), cukes, rutabegas, kale and squash.

Happy Gardening! It is so fun and rewarding.

[emnic77]

Ditto on green beans and squash, so easy and prolific! Try a tomato plant or two...I highly suggest Brandywines, they are workhorse heirloom tomato plants known for amazing taste. I've always had great germination and fruiting luck with them.

[HeatherAtHome]

Another vote for green beans. Peas have been easy enough but I think you need to watch out for heat? If you buy a tomato plant all ready to go it should do well. Same with herbs like basil, parsley etc. Radish is quick and easy.

[sunnysandiegan]

I started with getting our soil in top-notch shape. Our soil was horrendous. We added worms, grew a clover crop, started composting directly in the soil, etc. Over time, the beds have been able to grow plants finally!

In the midst of the soil improvements, we grew a herb garden in containers. Parsley, bay leaf, thyme, basil, chamomile, and more. Pretty easy.

Checking out books from the library and visiting local nurseries staffed with gardeners have been very helpful. Attending free classes is good, too! Talking to neighbors and friends who garden is insightful, as well.

We've been growing food since last Fall and it has been fun. We have a small space and I've just been going slow and steady. Adding a bit here and there and learning all the while.

[Happy912]

thanks for all the suggestions- if anyone has more, feel free to post!

[simcon]

For my first garden, I grew tomatoes, lettuce, basil, dill, jalapenos, potatoes, and carrots. My thought was that I'd plant a bunch of different things so that I wouldn't get too upset when I lost any crop--this is my third year gardening and still pretty much my philosophy...

[kcstar]

I started with container herbs in a sunny window when we were at Purdue. Herbs are usually not fussy, but since they're from the Mediterranean some of them might not survive your winter.

[karika]

carrots, peas, beans of any type (I even take the dried beans we buy to eat and plant those, first year doing it, but they came up! navy beans I believe, or baby limas...)I have my peas and beans along our chain link fence so they have something to trail up. any kind of squash. Make sure the squash are at least a foot apart since they spread. I planted seeds from an acorn squash that we bought and ate and they are growing fine. I also took the seeds from a cantaloupe and planted them, there are numerous plants coming up from that. Spinach comes up easily enough, just make sure you pull and use before they flower. potatoes are super easy, just cut up a nice organic one and plant the 1 inch cubes (preferably with an 'eye' (the growth on the skin) on them about 1/2 inch deep, with the eye facing up) and you will have potato plants. I even have some plants coming up from peels I planted. They had gone to eyes and I peeled carefully then planted. I have beets too. Melons should be no maintenance too. Just leave lots of room around them since they spread. I got my first strawberry plants this year, and they already had fruit at purchase starting to show. I just googled how to plant them and did it. Zucchini and broccoli were the things I harvested last year. Broccoli is easy to grow too.

make sure you give enough water, and in the evenings or early morning before sun is on it good. If you water in full sun, the light refraction of the drops on the leaves can kill the plants

[Alyantavid]

Tomatoes, zucchini and radishes. I've always had great luck with tomatoes, radishes are easy and are quick growing. And zucchini really doesn't need much work.