New to gardening and don’t know what to plant in spring? Well, wonder no more. Here is a list of the top 10 easy vegetables to grow during spring for beginner gardeners that even absolute newbies can plant in their gardens.
1. Lettuce
When lettuce appears on my plate, I know it’s spring again! If you haven’t tried homegrown lettuce till now, then you just don’t know what you are missing out on. The taste is wonderful and the vegetable is so packed with vitamins, that you’ll certainly feel the burst of much needed-energy at the end of winter.
This vegetable is perfect if you have decided to try your hand at “gardening for beginners” this spring. So, what should you know? Lettuce is a cool-seasoned crop, so you can start planting the seeds when the temperature of the soil is between 45°F and 65°F (7°C and 18°C).
This basically means that you can plant from March to July for summer or autumn cropping. If you sow the seeds during August, then you will have fresh lettuce in early winter. And last option is late autumn planting (October/November) for early spring cropping (February/March).
That is what I usually do so that I can have fresh green leafy vegetables as early as possible. However, for this method, you will need either an unheated greenhouse or a plastic tunnel.
Whichever method you choose, enjoy your fresh lettuce salad! Season it with olive oil and lemon juice, add some radishes and top with thinly sliced green onions.
Lettuce Recipe To Try: Anti-Inflammatory Salmon Salad
2. Onions
And now that I mentioned onions, let me assure you that it is also one of the easy-to-grow vegetables you can plant this spring. If you can poke a hole in the ground, this means that you can grow onions. So, as soon as the last frost has passed, put on your gardening gloves!
Although you can plant onions from seeds, it is much easier to grow them from sets (small immature onion bulbs). Plant the small bulbs 4-5 inches apart, not too deep in, and make sure they receive enough sunlight and water.
Before you know it, you will see small dark green leaves coming out of the soil. You can start harvesting young spring onions as soon as the plant is at least 10 inches long. If you leave the plants for a month longer, then they will turn into full-sized mature bulbs.
3. Cucumbers
When we talk about vegetables to grow during spring we just can’t go without cucumbers. Neither can a good delicious salad. Even if you consider yourself a beginner at gardening, don’t be intimidated. These easy-to-grow vegetables are so abundant, that you will certainly have cucumber salad every day of the summer.
To grow them, firstly, start the seeds indoors in March/April, then you can transplant them in your garden early in the summer. However, if you forgot to plant them and it’s already June when you’re reading this, then it’s still not too late. You can buy young plants from a gardening center and have juicy homegrown cucumbers for your salad in a bit over a month.
Cucumber Recipe To Try: Easy Cucumber And Avocado Salad
4. Zucchini
This is my absolute favorite on the list of vegetables you should grow during spring. Zucchinis are usually one of the first vegetables that I pick from my garden because they need only about forty days from planting to harvest.
This means that you may also grow two crops per year. Sow the seeds in May, when the last spring frosts have passed. Make sure to leave enough space (at least 2-3 feet) between the seeds, so that the plants can develop well.
The good thing is that zucchinis yield a really abundant crop and just one plant can give as much as 10 pounds of produce. So, even though they take up quite a lot of space, you don’t need to plant as many of them. Otherwise, you will end up with tons of zucchini without knowing what to do with them.
To get ahead, you can also start the seeds indoors as early as February/March and transplant them into your garden once the last frost is over.
Zucchini Recipe To Make: Amazing Zucchini In Garlic Sauce
5. Tomatoes
Oh, how I love tomatoes! Whether you prefer them in salads or as the main ingredient for your pasta sauce, growing tomatoes in your garden is a must.
If you want to start them from seeds, then sow the seeds in pots as early as February and keep them indoors. When the plants are strong enough and as tall as 10 inches, you may plant them in your garden.
This should happen in May when the weather is warm enough for the plants to continue developing.
You may skip the sowing by buying young plants and planting them directly in your garden. Your tomatoes will be ready to go in yummy salads in July but you will continue to harvest them till October or the first fall frost.
Tomato Recipe To Try: The Best Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
6. Radishes
Radishes are the perfect spring vegetables to grow in your garden. Not only are they extremely easy to grow but also packed with vitamins and nutrients. Similar to zucchini, they have a very short vegetation period and you can easily grow two crops throughout the year.
Plant the seeds in March/April in case you want a spring crop. When planting don’t sow the seeds too deep and leave space in between, to allow space for the bulbs to develop.
Then, you can sow again in August for a fall crop. Their bulbs grow really quickly, anywhere between 22 and 60 days. This will certainly depend on the variety you chose to grow.
7. Carrots
Whether fresh or cooked, carrots are undoubtedly one of the most popular vegetables to grow during spring. Sweet, tasty, and full of beta-carotene, they are also really easy to grow. Carrots grow best in full light and sun and can be harvested 12-16 weeks after planting.
So, sow the seeds in April and make sure the soil is moist enough for the seeds to germinate. This can take some time, so be patient. When the greens are about 2 inches tall, you may remove some of them, so that there is enough space for the rest to develop. You may harvest baby carrots or leave them to fully grow until September/October.
Carrot Recipe To Make: Flourless Healthy Carrot Cake
8. Beets
I really like having beets in my garden. This vegetable is so versatile that you can make a salad, soup, side dish, main dish, or dessert with it. Moreover, growing beets is a piece of cake.
Here’s what to do. Sow the seeds in April/May leaving enough space in between, so that the bulbs can develop. Wait for them to germinate and if you notice the plants are too close together, you may remove the unnecessary plants so that the bulbs have enough space to grow bigger.
If you don’t feel like sowing, then you can buy young plants from a gardening center. When they become strong enough you can start picking baby leaves for your healthy salad. Don’t pick all of them, though (the beet plant should have at least five leaves left on it). You can continue picking leaves regularly while the bulb is growing. When it is big enough, you can take it out and use it in your recipes. The bulbs can stay and grow in the garden until September/October.
Recipe To Make With Beets: Healthy Mediterranean Salad With Beets
9. Beans
This is another must-have vegetable that every gardener, whether an expert or beginner, should grow in their garden. Beans are healthy as well as tasty and come in so many different varieties, that it may seem difficult to choose which one to grow. They are also easy to grow and need about 60 days from plant to harvest. Whether you choose a green-beans variety or a dry-beans one, the process of growing them is quite similar.
Plant in May when there are no more spring frosts. The seeds should be 5-10 inches apart, depending on the variety you want to grow. Pole beans, for example, require less space than bush beans.
If you plant green beans, then start harvesting the pods when they are at least 3-4 inches long and have a bright green color. If you plant dry beans, then know that they will be good for harvesting when they rattle in the pods.
Recipe To Make With Green Beans: Mediterranean Green Bean Skillet
10. Cauliflower
And last on our list of vegetables to grow during spring comes the mighty cauliflower. This beautiful vegetable from the cabbage family is not only delicious but also notorious for its health benefits. So, why not consider growing it in your garden this spring? It’s really easy and doesn’t require a lot of effort.
Start by sowing the seeds in your garden in early spring. When they germinate and become as tall as 2 inches, remove the unnecessary ones. Leave enough space between the plants, so that the heads of the cauliflower can fully develop.
You may also sow the seeds in a container and then transplant them in your garden. What I have noticed, however, is that the plants grow stronger and quicker if the seeds are planted in the same place where the cauliflower is supposed to grow.
But if you are still hesitant about where and how to sow cauliflower seeds, then you may buy young plants from a gardening center. Plant them about 20 inches apart and water them regularly. When the cauliflower head seems big and good enough, pick it up and enjoy!
Best Things To Do With Cauliflower: 10 Healthy Cauliflower Recipes
More Gardening Tips For Beginners
Well, I hope you found some ideas for what vegetables to grow during spring in your garden! If you need more detailed instructions, check out these beginner-friendly gardening tutorials: