Easy to Grow Edible and Flowering Plants

Growing Vegetables
Sunflower Edible

Growing plants from seeds is often the best way to start your plants, but it's not always easy. Many beginner gardeners struggle a lot when it comes to starting their plants directly from seed. Luckily, there are many handy plants even beginner gardeners can grow directly from seeds.

Keep in mind that starting your plants from seeds is a very effective and inexpensive way to grow plants. It will save you a lot of money in the long run, and it will ensure that you always have the fresh, healthy food in your kitchen. Starting your own plants from seed is less expensive than buying seedlings to grow. Also, it's much cheaper than buying produce at a market.

Here is a list of 17 handy plants you can easily start from seeds even if you are an inexperienced gardener. Some of them are tasty edibles you can use in the kitchen and the rest of them are beautiful annuals you can grow in your garden.

Easy Edibles

Growing some of these plants will sure make you more confident about growing your own food. Even more, you will gain a valuable experience as a gardener so you may soon move to more demanding plants. Remember: when you start your plants from seeds, you know exactly what makes your food and you always know you are using the healthiest food in your kitchen.

Here is a list of 8 tasty edibles you can start from seeds:

  • Beans. Beans are among the easiest plants to start from seed. Even beginners can grow them in their gardens without a problem. You may opt for pole beans or bush beans, but it doesn't matter: all of them are very easy to start.
  • Cucumbers. They are easy to start outdoors. All you need is to sow the seed directly in the soil. The only thing to pay attention to is that the soil temperature is warm enough (you shouldn't plant them too early in the spring while the soil is not warm).
  • Radishes. They are great and very easy to plant. It's best to plant them early in the spring, even in the cold soil. In fact, they are ideal for early spring because you can plant them when soil temperature is too low to accommodate other plants.
  • Carrots. They are very handy to grow and ideal for beginner gardeners. You can even try some colorful heirloom varieties. They are ideal for picky eaters because they are very unique. Another good choice is a short variety such as "Round Romeo". This is a great choice to replace packaged baby carrots you can get at a supermarket.
  • Lettuce. You can easily grow head lettuce, but growing lettuce you can harvest for salads at the leaf stage is even easier. Leaf, loose varieties are ideal for beginner gardeners.
  • Squash. You can grow it easily, in a similar way as cucumbers. All you need to do is to sow the seeds directly into the soil.
  • Chard. This leafy green is very nutritious and easy to grow. You can choose among numerous colors of chard stalks. However, the part most often used for consumption is the leaf.
  • Basil. This is the easiest herb you can grow in your garden, and you can easily start it from seed. You will find a wide selection of numerous cultivars to choose from. Each of them has an interesting scent so you can grow basil even if you don't want to use it in the kitchen.

Easy Annuals

Edible plants are not the only ones you can easily start from seed. In fact, there are many other plants even beginner gardeners can start from seed and achieve a great success. If you want to have flowers in your garden, think about planting some annuals. All gardens need pollinators, and most of them have very beautiful flowers. This is why you may plant some of these gorgeous flowering plants. They will sure make your garden more beautiful and unique. You can use these plants to make your own bouquets throughout the season so you can give them to family and friends. It's a good alternative to buying costly flowers in the stores.

  • Sunflower. This is probably the easiest annual you can start in your garden. They don't like to be transplanted, so starting them from seed is the best way to go. Simply sow the seed directly in the soil in a place where you want them to grow.
  • Marigolds. This is a very beautiful, classic plant that will make any garden beautiful. You can get them in many different colors and sizes. Usually, they are yellow, but there are other choices if you prefer flowers of other colors.
  • Cosmos. This plant has airy foliage and daisy-like flowers in numerous shades: white, orange, magenta, yellow and pink. This plant is easy to grow and it can thrive even in the poor soil. This is a great choice for those who need a low-maintenance garden.
  • Poppies. Annual poppies can easily be started from seed. You can easily sow them directly into your garden bed. It's best to do it during cool, rainy weather: this will make the seed germinate. You may use poor soil to grow poppies: they can thrive even in those conditions.
  • Zinnia. This is a tough annual and it comes in many different sizes and colors. It can tolerate hot and dry conditions. You may pinch their buds back to make bushier plants.
  • Cleome. This is a fantastic cottage garden plant. It has a very interesting flower form. Some people think it resembles spiders. Very unique and ideal for those who want to have a more varied flower choice in their garden.
  • Bachelor Buttons. They come in many different colors: white, blue, pink and lavender. This plant is great for poor soil and dry gardens because it can thrive even in these conditions.
  • Nasturtium. It has blooms that come in a wide variety of colors. Their foliage also come in different shades, from green to blue and variegated. Also, keep in mind that this plant's blooms, leaves and seeds are edible.
  • Runner beans. They have very attractive blooms on fast-growing vines so you can grow them as a flowering plant. Plus, the vines and flowers will provide some nice shade and privacy. Also, they have interesting seed pods you can easily collect at the end of the season.

Photo credit: Patrice CALATAYU

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