Organic gardening and growing your own food can be intimidating. Choosing the right plants to get your family started is the key. Choose plants that are easy to grow and respond well to organic growing methods.

Organic farm-to-table dining is an incredible experience, especially when the farm is right at your doorstep. Vegetable gardening is a rewarding hobby in itself. But doing it organically elevates the benefits and experience.

This article will get you started with 7 of the easiest plants to grow to get you started on your journey to healthy eating.

Why Is Organic Better?

Growing organic foods makes you so much healthier. Physically, gardening reduces your stress level and improves your heart health. Organic gardening lowers your exposure to harmful chemicals and increases antioxidant levels in plants.

Going organic also saves the environment. Using compost and mulch reduces topsoil erosion and enhances the soil. You won’t need to apply fertilizers which means no harmful chemicals contaminating the waterways.

When you use kitchen scraps as compost ingredients, you lessen the wastes sent to the landfill. And best of all, you protect wildlife such as birds, bees, and butterflies!

Awesome, right?

My Top 7 Easiest Plants To Grow

So if you’re new to organic gardening and don’t know which plants to start with, here are 7 foods that even beginner organic gardeners such as you can easily grow.

Lettuce

A leafy salad staple, lettuce is loaded with powerful antioxidants, vitamin A, and vitamin K which keep your heart, skin, and blood healthy.

For organic lettuce gardening, loose-leaf lettuces are the easiest. Choose a spot that exposes lettuces to 6 hours of sunlight daily. If you are in an area with a warmer climate, pick a spot that will protect them from the harsh afternoon sun.

The soil must be nicely loose and rich for the lettuce to grow well. If you think you have poor soil in your garden, don’t worry. You can build a raised bed or get a pot (at least 4 inches deep) and pour in a mix of topsoil, manure, and compost.

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For direct seeding in the garden sow lettuce three weeks before the last frost date for your agricultural zone. Soil temperatures in the 50s are best.

Lettuce won’t germinate when the soil temperature is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Lettuce grows well in traditional rows, raised beds or containers.

Plant seeds two inches apart and then pluck out every other seedling in your pot or bed to allow it to grow fully. Use the thinnings as a garnish on salads or sandwiches.

Since lettuce is mostly water, always keep the soil moist. To check, stick your finger in the first inch of the soil. If it’s dry, you need to water.

Leaf lettuce grows quickly and you can start harvesting within a few weeks. Pluck the outer lettuce leaves when the plant is already 4 inches tall. Leave the younger, inner leaves to grow additional leaves.

2. Spinach.

Spinach is one of the most nutrient-dense greens. It has high amounts of vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, iron, and calcium. Its flavor is distinctively earthy and nutty with metallic notes. It can be used fresh in salads or cooked with your favorite meal.

To prepare spinach seeds, start priming them 6-8 weeks from the last frost date in your area. To do this, soak the seeds in water for 24 hours. Take them out and leave them to dry on a paper towel for 1-2 days. Then place the seeds in a ziplock bag and leave it in a cold room for a week. Once the week’s over, sow them in your soil.

Be sure to plant spinach in rich, loose soil where it is exposed to full sun. Water it regularly so that soil is evenly moist. Once seedlings grow 4 to 5 inches tall, thin seedlings to 6 inches apart to make room for its full growth.

You may harvest the outer leaves once the spinach plant is around 6 inches tall. As the whole plant matures, switch harvesting methods to cutting stems at the soil line. Do this before a flower stalk shoots up to encourage the plant to produce more leaves.

Basil on left, rosemary top right, and thyme bottom left - all do well in containers.

3. Basil

Basil is a kitchen favorite because of its delightful aroma and rich flavor. It can be made into homemade pesto sauce. It’s a good source of Vitamin K which helps keep your blood healthy.

This aromatic herb is easy to grow in pots or in the ground. There are plenty of varieties but the most commonly used ones are the sweet basil and lettuce basil.

Choose an area where there is full sun and the soil is well-drained. Simply put seeds on the soil in mid-May. If you’re transplanting into the garden, each plant should be amply spaced, about ten inches apart.

It takes one to two weeks for the seeds to germinate so keep the soil moist. But when it starts to grow, you only need to water it lightly whenever the soil feels dry.

Wait for the plant to grow six inches tall before you start harvesting. Do the picking in the morning just after the dew has dried. Pluck leaves just above the leaf node. Avoid washing or you’ll risk losing the aromatic oils.

Ame’s latest gardening book is out!

A very comprehensive and thorough book to answer your how to growing questions! Ame is the founder of Fox Run EEC and a Master Gardener.

4. Mint

Mint’s refreshing flavor makes it a cool addition to your herbal arsenal. It can be used to flavor tea and mojitos or to elevate freshness of fruit salads. It’s also a good source of Vitamin A which is needed for a healthy vision and skin.

This herb is hardy and prolific. It might even take over your garden if you're not careful. To avoid that, plant it in a large clay pot to keep its roots from growing out in all directions.

Peppermint is a perennial and can be difficult to grow from seed. Your best bet is to buy a seedling at a nursery or from a friend.

You can also grow it from cuttings. Take a 4-inch sprig that is half-inch above a branch node. Remove the leaves at the bottom and transfer it to a cup of water. Don’t let leaves touch the waterline.

In about a week, short white roots will grow. A week more and you’re ready to transplant it to your pot.

Mint appreciates soil that is damp and well-drained and an area with dappled shade. You can also use a mulch to maintain moisture. Once the plant has established, you can pluck the leaves or cut a sprig. Just like basil, it’s more potent when picked in the mornings.

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5. Carrots

This root veggie has a distinctive crunchiness, sweetness, and tanginess, and is nutrient-dense. It is an excellent source of beta carotene, fiber, vitamin K, potassium, and antioxidants. To enjoy this healthy root, bake or steam them with other vegetables as a side to your favorite grilled meat.

Carrots make a wonderful healthy juice. Blend them with apple and lemon for that perfect nutritious summer drink. Put three carrots and one apple (cored) through a juicer. Stir in one tablespoon of lemon juice and then sprinkle with salt.

Carrots thrive even in poor soil. Just make sure that you plant them in deep and loose soil and free of rocks to let the roots elongate beautifully. If you have clay soil, add compost and sand to lighten the soil.

Don’t be tempted to plant a root portion or the leafy end. Carrots don’t grow or transplant well that way. It is best and even easiest to plant carrot seeds directly in the garden soil. Direct sow your seeds on the prepared ground three weeks before your area’s last frost date. Cover the seeds with soil lightly and keep moist.

Roots will be ready for harvest in nine to eighteen weeks, depending on the variety. If you cannot wait that long, start with the smaller ones like the Babette or Romeo. You know the roots are ready for harvest when the top shoulders peek through the soil line and the diameter seems right for the variety. If you want to make sure, pull one to check. Gently uproot the whole plant to avoid breaking the root.

6. Radish

This superfood has a mild peppery taste and a pleasant crunchy texture. It’s packed with vitamin C and B6. This can be added to salads, dips, and slaws for a crunchy and peppery twist. You can also pickle them like you would a cucumber.

Plant radishes in the colder months of spring and autumn. Dig half-inch holes in a loose, moist, and well-lit soil. Space seeds an inch apart. When it begins growing leaves, pluck every other radish seedling to allow the roots more space.

From here, always check for soil moisture. You can mulch with compost or straw to keep the soil from drying out.

Radishes grow so fast. Depending on the variety, you may be able to harvest in 22 to 70 days. Once the shoulders of the roots start to pop out of the soil line, harvest them immediately. Radish is sweetest and most tender when harvested young. Leave the roots longer and they will harden.

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7.Zucchini

While its flavors are mild, its health benefits are powerful. It is packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and minerals. Spiralize it and use it as an alternative to wheat pasta. Or, make it into soups and bake into bread and muffins.

It's also amazingly easy to grow and is surprisingly prolific. To plant, dig a row of one-inch deep holes that are spaced 3 feet apart once threats of frost have passed. Place 3 seeds in each hole. Plant them in a sunny area to keep the soil warm.

Keep the zucchini plants happy by providing enough water and nutrients. Water when the first inch of soil is dry. Water gently and deeply so that water seeps further into the soil and roots grow longer. Also, put a layer of compost around the plant every month.

You can start harvesting fruits in six to eight weeks. Pick zucchini fruits while they’re young. You know they’re ready when you can poke your fingernail through the skin. A single plant can yield up to 10 lbs in one season.