7 Easiest Vegetables Anybody Can Grow! (Victory Garden Approved)

Disclaimer: Some products listed below I have an affiliate link for. This in no way sways my views on them!

When I was younger, I always struggled with growing vegetable gardens. Not sure if it was the soil, my knowledge, or if I just was not taking care of it, but my gardens forever sucked.

I remember the dying plants that filled my small corner of the backyard; they obviously died of neglect and teenage me was off showing rabbits, forgetting to water my thirsty plants.

It wasn’t until the pandemic that I truly discovered my love for the garden. I always raised chickens for food, but in the garden, I saw no point in it.

I will say that no matter what, there were always a few vegetables that I could grow no matter what. These were the easiest vegetables that really anybody, including teenage me, could grow!

What vegetables are easy to grow?

This is the question of the hour, I remember really asking myself what would grow in my yard of death. I needed plants that would thrive with no water, occasional dogs trotting through them, and, well, the chickens.

Over the years of growing everything under the sun, I really have it down on what will grow when neglected!

Beans

Beans for me have always been foolproof. This can be true for both pole and bush beans and I always have a great harvest. Every year, I grew beans in our garden and we ate those even as everything else died.

Now, I love to pickle the beans and grow many varieties to change up our colors. Purple beans are one of my favorites to feed to the kids!

There are a few considerations to be had before growing beans. While they are more hardy and resistant than plants like tomatoes, knowing if they are pole or bush is important.

Pole beans grow up and bush beans bush out. If you have a pole bean variety, you will need to trellis them. Bush beans can produce the entire season too, and will only produce more as you harvest!

If you are feeling adventurous, try planting them with corn. Corn will shade bush beans and help keep them from getting burnt by the sun. Indigenous peoples started this practice and now many of us like to plant corn, pole beans, and squash like pumpkin. This is called Three Sisters Garden.

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Lettuce

Lettuce is a great cool weather plant that is so easy to plant! It can be harvested and continuously grown throughout the season as well!

I personally have had lettuce come back from the dead on multiple occasions. It is a very forgiving vegetable.

Lettuce can be grown hydroponically as well; this makes them easy to grow indoors for year-round salads!

There are so many varieties of lettuce that can make wonderful plants in an edible landscape. They come in a variety of colors and flavors, so the possibilities are endless for the amount you can try!

Cucumbers

I love making refrigerator pickles! This makes growing cucumbers important for my family!

I also just love snacking on these and so, I learned quickly to grow them. They trellis but I just grow them along a fence.

The biggest problem I have run into is cabbage worms. I spray neem oil on my plants and use Diatomaceous earth to help stop them from boring into my cukes!

Cucumbers just grow like crazy for me so I love growing them!

Squash

I grew like fifteen butternut squash from one plant during the pandemic. We ate so much butternut that my family begged me to never grow them again!

Like cucumbers, squash has some pest issues, but I proactively treat ‌them and thus, always have a decent harvest!

Microgreens

Places like True Leaf make growing microgreens super easy! I love their seeds for more than just microgreens though.

This company is one of my absolute favorite seed resources. Plus with my link you will get free shipping!

What vegetables are harder to grow?

Don’t come for me, but I find tomatoes and bell peppers incredibly hard to grow. It is hard to start from seed and even harder to keep alive!

Every tomato plant I own is mauled by hornworms. The bell peppers are always excessively small. They just aren’t easy for me to grow.

I will say, my favorite part of gardening is the freedom it gives me. I can grow whatever I want and really, it doesn’t matter if it is not perfect!

Products for you!

Victory Garden Guide 21st Century Edition: Original 1940’s Edition Updated and Expanded for the 21st Century Victory Gardener

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Homesteading: Where to Start

With the uncertainty of the world, many of us are turning to self-sufficiency to help ensure the security of our families’ food. This can seem like such a daunting task when you first begin to look at doing homesteading.

Like you, I once wondered where to start when it came to ‌homesteading.

Homesteading can be relatively simple with the right planning and resources. Here we will discuss resources to help simplify the process of becoming more self-sufficient.

How do I start a homesteading garden?

There are a few things to think about when you start to decide how you want to go about growing food. The main one is planning out your garden. A well-planned garden can help simplify your growing season and thus help amplify your overall yield.

I am a big fan of Jess from Roots and Refuge. Last year she wrote The First Time Gardener: Growing Vegetables and honestly, it is amazing! She goes over in-depth on starting gardens and is a valuable resource for every beginner.

Deciding what your family eats can go a long way when you are planning your garden. Why would you want to take up valuable space with beets if you do not eat them?

Ensuring the area you begin planning out is ideal is equally as important. Water sources, nothing in the way, and easy access are important to ‌success.

The closer your garden is to your house, the more likely you are to visit your garden. Frequent visits are key to making sure your garden stays healthy!

There are ways to make your garden inexpensive and even free! Look into your resources to help make your garden as cost-effective as possible!

How do you transition to homesteading?

Transitioning to homesteading was probably the hardest part for my family. We love our sleep! But, the fresh food made it worth it.

Set alarms
Start small
Don’t quit your day job!

With these three tips, your transition will be much easier!

Setting alarms before you have a cow to milk and chickens to feed can help you adapt to the lifestyle well before you are in it. This can help the transition into the lifestyle since you will not have the exact responsibilities of homesteading!

Please start small. I see it every day where someone goes all out. You can burn yourself out and overall, set yourself up for failure. Many people will try and expand faster than they are ready. Start out with a few chickens before moving on to a flock of a thousand.

Some may be tempted to quit their job and follow the calling of homesteading. While for some this is a valid thing to do, it may not be feasible for everyone.

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Where is the easiest place to Homestead?

Homesteading can be done anywhere that you want. This question can be slightly overthought when many ask me this.

There are considerations that need to be thought of when deciding where you want to homestead and many of which have to do with legality.

Goals on your homestead
Zoning laws
Cost of living
Climate

These all should play a factor in where you decide to permanently settle down. Some states have laws in regards to living off-grid and some counties do not allow certain animals. If these are important for you considerations should be made when deciding where to live.

Other things like the cost of living should always be considered when settling down. These are factors that affect our everyday lives.

Your goals should be first above all. Deciding where to homestead is somewhat permanent and shouldn’t be taken lightly! Climate is another factor because if you are wanting to grow things like citrus then Alaska is not the place for you!

Does homesteading save money?

Homesteading can save money. This is only if done correctly.

Having a budget in place is important to help you and your family save money when growing your own food. This and careful planning are on the front lines to success.

Having the option to grow your own food and saving seeds can create an environment where you are entirely self-sufficient. Without the upfront cost of seeds when saving, you can save money by not purchasing seeds!

Starting & Saving Seeds: Grow the Perfect Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, and Flowers for Your Garden is a wonderful resource on learning how to save seeds!

By saving your own seeds, you are also creating a plant that is better suited to your environment. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to grow heirlooms to save the seeds.

Heirloom seeds just mean the plant has been grown and passed down for years. Hybrids are just plants that have been crossed, and occasionally in our gardens, we accidentally grow hybrids!

3 Ways to Compost

Disclaimer: Some products listed below I have an affiliate link for. This does not change my opinion of them!

Composting is important for not only improving soil quality but for saving the environment. This is important for the biodiversity of our ecosystem.

Regardless of whether you live in an apartment or a farm, composting is able to be done.

Here I will show you how to compost in any situation you may have!

What is the best way to compost at home?

This is very dependent on where you live and the lifestyle you live. Living somewhere like a homeowners association may make composting impossible due to the rules and regulations around it. Services like Kaimuki Compost Collective can make this doable for you.

For me, I like to use the compost bin I built myself. It allows me the freedom to easily compost. Many people do hot composting; however, this can be more complicated.

A compost bin can make this simple for just about anyone. Whether you purchase or build one, these make composting a breeze.

Hot composting is a science and you should research it. This method makes composting quicker than regular.

What is the easiest way to compost?

Personally, I like just tossing everything into a bin. But, the correct way is to make sure you have an adequate mixture to reduce any potential smells and to have a good balance.

There are a few methods, but having a turning bin can make it easiest for most. Your compost should be turned at least once a week!

What household items can be composted?

Composting can seem daunting and many really wonder what can be composted. With regular everyday composting, the list is pretty basic.

Food scraps except those that are animal products
Paper products such as non-glossy cardboard and plain paper
Eggshells
Coffee grounds
Yard waste

There are other composting methods that allow you to compost animal products such as meat. This is called Bokashi. This method uses fermentation to make breaking down bones and meat quicker.

You can purchase a Bokashi composting bin and get started with it to help lessen your food waste even more.

Can you compost when you live in an apartment?

Composting inside an apartment can add extra work to the composter. It is doable, however. Bokashi composting or finding a composting service would be the best method for you.

Finding a compost drop-off can be easily done. Litterless has a comprehensive list online of sites that accept compost items.

Conclusion

Composting can be a great way to reduce your environmental impact. Taking your food waste and turning it into nutrient-rich soil is important as our earth is in a soil crisis.

Composting can be done in a variety of ways, from Bokashi to just a plain bin. Regardless of your method, it is the best way to help reduce your environmental impact!

Happy Planting!

3 Garden Must-haves!

With spring coming, I would like to share my opinion on various garden items. These are my Amazon must-haves!

I find these to be a must-have for every gardener!

Disclaimer: Some of these items below I have an affiliate link to. This means if you order I get a small fee, but that is no reflection of my opinion of these items!

Grow Your Own Seed Box by Garden Pack – 100 Varieties of Flower, Herb, Vegetable Seeds

I bought this for Christmas and the price and every other thing about it have made it my favorite! I use these seeds for everything and have found I love the germination rate and variety given!

It is a cheaper alternative than buying a ton of seeds at once. This can be great for someone just starting out!

10 Pack Seed Starter Kit, 72 Cell Seedling Trays

These have been the most economical trays I have found since starting my gardening journey! Most of the ones at Walmart are much more expensive!

I had to buy these because of how much my garden is growing this year. It has been fantastic for growing a lot of plants at once!

Neptune’s Harvest Organic Hydrolized Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer

I have been trying to move away from commercial fertilizers because. . . well, I am concerned with our soil crisis. Every year, my plants thrive on this fertilizer!

Careful though, this stuff stinks. Do not use it before leaving the house!

Soil Crisis: A Growing Problem

Disclaimer: Products listed below I may have an affiliate link to them, under no circumstance is this a reflection on the quality of produce. I only endorse items I love myself!

In the sustainability and environmental community, many discuss the effects our trash has on the global warming crisis. The real issue, nobody is talking about is the soil crisis

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What is the soil crisis?

Soil erosion has been a decimate to the agriculture industry. Iowa was once filled with rich dark topsoil, fantastic for farming. Now, due to erosion, the soil is only a foot or a little deeper. This means eventually our fertile lands will be nothing more than a desert.

The soil is lacking in nutrients. In an article written by National Geographic, they touch on the deficiency of phosphorus in our soil. Phosphorus is important for DNA replication. The problem with obtaining it is commercial fertilizers, which allow for better absorption, also cause water pollution.

Healthy soil is a delicate balance of microorganisms, nutrients, and broken-down organic matter. Modern farming has over-plowed and over-used the healthy rich soil. Many people worry about the future implications this may have for the growing food crisis.

Solutions to the soil crisis

Many have provided solutions to the soil crisis. Some methods seem to be common sense, while others are more far-fetched.

Regenerative agriculture

Regenerative agriculture is the idea of maintaining the ecosystem surrounding the growth of food. This combines organic agriculture with ecological practices. Some focuses are:

Composting
Crop rotation
Biodiversity
Organic farming
No-till

Along with these, they have an impact on the treatment of livestock. Livestock is treated humanely and ethically. Farmers integrate animals into the regeneration processes.

Some of my favorite books on regenerative agriculture:

Human composting

Recompose is a company specializing in human composting. It is a fantastic alternative to modern practices. Useful land is being taken up to bury our dead, cremation releases emissions and burns fossil fuels.

The bodies are turned into rich compost in 60 days. The cost is $5,500 and the compost can either be donated, picked up by family, or a combination of both.

Honorable mentions

Some other commonly known ways to help our soil crisis include:

Recycling
Stopping deforestation
Composting at home
Better crop management

This is an everyone problem. No single change is too small.

Why should this matter to me?

Our planet should matter to everyone. You specifically should be concerned due to the fact you consume agricultural products. By being a consumer you are directly impacted by the soil crisis. Food security and cost directly impact every person on this planet.

How to Make a Sustainable Garden

In these more recent times, the idea of having your own sustainable garden is seemingly more and more appealing every day. For some, this can seem like such a daunting task.

Many of my friends are really starting to ask me often, “How to make a sustainable garden.”

Honestly, there are many easy and free ways to make a garden.

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What is a sustainable garden?

Well, this question is sort of loaded depending on who you ask. By definition alone, a sustainable garden. . . well sustains itself. This means, if you did not touch it, it could in theory thrive.

Personally, I view sustainability as a way of living and therefore, a sustainable garden does not interfere with the nature around it. I try to work with everything into my garden in a way that is a sort of permaculture.

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What does a sustainable garden look like?

There are a few features that almost every garden can have to make it far more sustainable than what we view in our everyday lives.

Biodiversity
No chemical pesticides or herbicides

We here love a biodiverse garden where we use companion planting as a means to prevent pests in our plants. Some of these plants are marigold and dill. A lush and diverse garden to me has always been appealing.

Not using chemicals has become my latest wish since having kids. Watching my children put everything into their mouths really concerned me since we used a lot of chemical disinfectants. So naturally, I do not use any of these in our garden.

I also compost and try to use reclaimed materials as much as possible. This helps us not only save money but reduce our waste in the long run.

This method also helps us reduce the amount of waste going into landfills!

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Why is a sustainable garden important?

A sustainable garden is important because it focuses on not making a negative impact on our planet. Instead of working against the earth, you are working in sync with it in a way that makes a positive impact.

The produce from your garden can also taste better, be free of pesticides which in turn benefit you. Pesticides and herbicides run into our water supplies and cause major problems in the local environment.

Some pesticides even harm bees. Bees are important for gardeners as they help pollinate our fruits.

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What are the benefits of a sustainable garden?

The benefits of sustainable gardening outweigh any of the disadvantages many can think of.

Saving money
Building a better ecosystem in your soil
Healthier and fresher foods
Biodiversity

These in turn help grow you and your family into more rounded people. Your children can learn from the environment around them and gardening is shown to be a fantastic stress relief.

Methods of sustainable gardening

There are many different teachings to choose from when picking what is right for you and your land. Here are just a few:

No-till
Permaculture
Hugelkulture

These are all three fantastic methods but each has its own traits.

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No-till

Also known as ‘lasagna gardening’ this method involves not tilling the earth or disturbing the ground too much. You continue to layer organic matter and let things decay. This can be a wonderful method for the busiest of people.

However, it comes with its own issues such as the soil needing to be amended more. This though can also be a good thing. Every year your soil will only get better the more you plant!

Permaculture

This is often paired with farm animals so it can be more difficult to do if you do not have any. However, if you are able to have livestock this method is amazing as everything lives in a sort of symbiotic relationship.

Everything you grow benefits from one another and in turn helps reduce your waste tremendously and thus, is far more sustainable!

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Hugelkulture

This method is very interesting and cost-effective. It works well if you have really poor soil that you just do not feel comfortable using no-till.

This method involves building raised beds and then filling the majority of them up with sticks and logs and then topping them with soil. This overtime will break down and feed your garden.

This helps save money because you won’t have to fill the entire bed with soil and won’t need to purchase most soil amendments once the sticks begin breaking down. It is also a very sustainable method since you are using items most people commonly discard.

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Conclusion

Overall, many people do not think about the waste their garden may produce when they choose to do so. Developing a biodiverse and sustainable garden is important to the overall health of your plants.

This can be mutually beneficial to both you and the environment around you. Sustainability does not have to be expensive either.

Happy planting!