In this modern world where everyone is looking for a perfect life with less effort, low maintenance vegetables are most wanted. Everyone wants to have a beautiful front yard or backyard garden but they don’t want to spend too much time taking care of it every day.
There is no need to worry if you face the same problem because I will tell you about low maintenance vegetables that are easy to grow. They will give you enough product without demanding too much of your time and energy.
What are low maintenance vegetables in the garden?
Vegetables make for delicious, healthy snacks and meals. They can be used in soups, casseroles, or simply cooked up with some oil and spices to turn them into a simple side dish. Gardening takes time, but when you grow your low maintenance vegetables in the garden, you can grow them fast and grow them well.
What are the benefits of low maintenance vegetables?
Having a vegetable garden is beneficial for more than just the fresh veggies it produces. Not having to pay big bucks at grocery stores can save your family money, while investing in yourself and your loved ones’ health. You can grow vegetables in your garden organically, so you’re not consuming harmful chemicals and pesticides when you eat their fruits.
Here are the steps to help you grow low maintenance vegetables in your garden:
Gardening is a great hobby that anyone can enjoy. It offers an opportunity to get outside and enjoy the fresh air while working one’s green thumb. If you want to take your gardening skills to the next level, consider growing low maintenance vegetables. In this article, I will go over some tips on how to do just that.
- Lettuce is a perfect vegetable for beginners because all it needs is water, sunlight, rich soil, and a few other nutrients. It makes a meal by itself and is the quickest growing low maintenance vegetable that can be planted in early spring or even late winter.
The best part is that you don’t need to harvest all the time; it will grow back when you cut the leaves because of its hardiness.
- Growing spinach is not a tough task as you thought. It is a vital source of iron, vitamins A and C, calcium, and protein for us.
Spinach grows pretty quickly during the spring if you plant it in mid-March to early April. It can be harvested within 40 days after planting seeds or after around 45 days after transplanting young plants outside.
- Radish is another low maintenance vegetable that is easy to grow. It takes not more than two months to yield the first harvest of radishes. You can plant it again in mid-May for a continuous supply throughout summer.
Radish grows quickly, so you have to eat or pickle the leaves as well because they are edible and nutritious.
- Cucumber is a perfect low maintenance vegetable to grow, especially for kids because they love to eat this crunchy and refreshing salad ingredient.
Plant seeds of cucumber in mid-April and it will be ready to harvest within 60 days after planting or sowing seeds. Keep on harvesting the fruit as it appears because letting it grow for a long time will make the fruits bitter.
- Broccoli is another low maintenance vegetable that you can consider planting in your garden because it does not need fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation.
The best part of growing broccoli is that you don’t have to wait until summer to get your first harvest; you can get it as early as 55 days after planting seeds. Just like other low maintenance vegetables, cut the head and let the side stems grow to have a continuous supply of fresh broccoli over a longer period. You can also plant broccoli transplants in late July or August for a winter harvest.
- Bell pepper is a low maintenance vegetable that is loved by everyone. It is a rich source of vitamin C and can be grown in an open space or containers easily.
You should choose the pepper type carefully by deciding the season because there are hot and sweet varieties available to grow throughout the summer, fall, and winter seasons.
- Tomatoes are also a low maintenance vegetable and are most loved by everyone. You can grow it easily in hanging baskets, wooden planters, etc. because they are fond of containers.
If you are planting tomatoes indoors, make sure to provide them with enough sunlight so that the fruits get enough warmth to ripen properly. After all, nothing tastes better than homegrown or homemade produce!
- Onion is a low maintenance vegetable that does not demand a lot of attention. You can plant them in mid-March and let the bulbs grow until summer.
Winter onions should be ready to harvest after 80 days from planting seeds while summer varieties take only 55 days. In addition, it looks beautiful in flower gardens, so you can plant a few bulbs around flowering plants for a more pleasant sight.
How do I plant low maintenance vegetables in my garden?
When you know what low maintenance vegetable would work well for your garden, it’s time to plant. Here are some steps you can take to plant low maintenance vegetables in your garden:
- Make sure that your low maintenance vegetable plants get at least six hours of sunlight per day. If they don’t, consider investing in a grow light so that you can ensure strong and healthy growth.
- Till the soil to prepare it for planting. If you have an area in your yard that gets 6+ hours of sun every day, then this step is not necessary.
- Spread mulch around low maintenance vegetable plants so that weeds are less likely to grow up around them. You can also apply fertilizer to help your low maintenance vegetable plants grow strong and healthy.
- Water your low maintenance vegetables regularly so that they remain hydrated. Watering once per week is usually sufficient, but some types of low maintenance vegetables need more water than others.
- Harvest low maintenance vegetables as you need them. Most low maintenance veggies don’t store well, so it’s best to harvest them within a day or two of when you want to use them.
And there you have it! Using these easy steps, you are well on your way to growing low maintenance vegetables in no time at all!
Summary:
There are some low maintenance vegetables that you can choose from, but the list is not limited to only those mentioned above. Planting low maintenance vegetables in your garden has never been easier as it sounds! All you have to do is follow the simple steps shared above and you are good to go!
FAQ
What vegetables are easy to grow?
Low maintenance vegetables are easy to grow so they can be a great choice for those with busy schedules. Even if you have never gardened, low maintenance vegetables can create a beautiful garden that you will enjoy tending to and harvesting from.
What are some low-maintenance crops?
Low-maintenance crops are ideal for the home gardener. Most gardeners don’t have time to weed, water or fertilize their gardens more than once a week. Even if they have the time, many gardeners prefer to spend this precious free time planting new flowers and vegetables instead of maintaining existing ones. This means some low-maintenance crops can thrive, while others will wilt and die.
What vegetables don’t need much water?
Some of the vegetables that need less water, apart from the ones mentioned above, are:
- Carrots (water once every 2 weeks)
- Cucumbers (water once every 5 days)
- Peppers (water once every 7 days)
- Green beans (water once every 10 days)
- Eggplants (water once every 5 days)
- Beans (water once every 10 days)
- Tomatoes (water once every 7 days)
- Peas (water once every 14 days)
- Potatoes (water once every 2 weeks)
- Lettuce, radish etc. are known as low maintenance seeds to grow in a garden with less water