The Easiest Veggies You Can Grow at Home

Whatever your reasons for growing vegetables at home — whether for the money-saving aspect, the convenience of having homegrown produce on hand or simply for the love of gardening — it can be a highly satisfying new project. However, if you’re new to gardening, selecting plants that are relatively simple to maintain can make your newly adopted hobby all the more satisfying.

Of course, there are many factors that can impact how easy it is to grow certain produce, for example, the climate where you live (check out the easiest vegetables to grow by province) or if you’ll be growing the veggies indoors or in your outdoor garden.

Here’s our round-up of the 10 lowest-effort vegetables that will keep maintaining a home garden a stress-free experience for you in summer 2024 and beyond.

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Lettuce

Leafy greens are a solid choice for gardening beginners as they grow quickly and are easy to harvest. If you’re growing inside, choose a large planter and a sunny spot or install an artificial plant light. Lettuce is better grown in an outdoor spot because they need plenty of sunlight. Just watch out for critters, who will love to nibble on your spoils.

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Cherry Tomatoes

This is another great beginner plant that can be grown in a pot or planted in a garden. Compared to larger varieties of tomatoes, cherry tomatoes are much faster and yield more predictable harvests in just about two months of ideal conditions.

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Kale

One of the most low-maintenance garden veg is the hardy kale, a strong choice for colder environments. They grow fast and continuously and as an added bonus, kale tends to stay fresh for longer than other leafy greens once harvested, so your haul will last you longer.

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Zucchini

Zucchini plants are fast growers and so satisfying for gardeners as they produce a vast amount of beautiful large veggies in just shy of two months. Bonus: zucchini are a versatile veggie that’s fun to cook with (including the flowers) so they’re sure to save you on your grocery bill.

A wooden cutting board with fresh green beans

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Green Beans

Green beans don’t require a lot of care and attention, and they’re fairly resistant to trouble from pests. This, plus their ability to grow in cooler temperatures, makes them another key pick for Canadians who are new to growing their own veg. Once harvested, eat them raw or cook them up for a nutritious snack or side that will save you a trip to the store.

A hand holds some freshly harvested radishes

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Radishes

Radishes are another popular pick for new gardeners. They don’t take up a lot of space and are tolerant to colder conditions. They can be grown in containers (indoors or out) or planted in a garden. Radishes will be ready to harvest after about three to six weeks.

A batch of green onions with dirt in them

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Green Onions

Green onions, also known as scallions or spring onions, are incredibly simple to grow for those who may be still new to the game. You don’t necessarily even need to buy seeds or seedlings to get you started either, meaning you can save on the costs to start your garden. You can use store bought green onions to propagate your own plant at home.

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Carrots

A staple in so many recipes, carrots are helpful to have on hand in the summertime when they’re ready to harvest. Carrots are better grown in an outdoor garden, planting them in loose soil in the spring or early fall. Pulling up the veg and seeing what you’ve grown will very likely be one of the highlights of your season as a new gardener.

A woman with gardening gloves gardening some microgreens

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Microgreens

The best pick for absolute beginners is this super-approachable indoor plant. Microgreens take just two weeks to be harvest-ready and are an easy windowsill plant that’s low maintenance and high yield.

A bowl with fresh green jalapeno peppers

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Jalapenos

If you’re looking to spice up your garden and produce drawer, bell peppers and jalapenos are some of the easiest varieties that you can grow at home. Both have a relatively short maturation period, which makes them better suited for the shorter Canadian summers. If you find that you have a large amount of jalapenos at the end of the season, why not try your hand at pickling them or making your own hot sauce?