This is the time of year when we gardeners are starting to feel the pull of the garden again. Mine is under snow right now in Wisconsin, so it’s going to be some weeks before I get to sink my hands into the soil again.
Not only does starting vegetables indoors give you a jumpstart on the gardening season, but it also saves money, allows you to grow unique and colorful varieties you can’t find anywhere else, and is way more fun than buying your plants at the big box store.
Seed starting can feel overwhelming if you’re a newbie. But, trust me, once you get the hang of it you’ll soon find yourself filling up your house with seedlings of all shapes and sizes year after year!
To get you started, here are five of the easiest plants to start from seed, hence why we are naming them the best vegetables for beginners to grow.
Starting Vegetables Indoors: The 5 Best Seeds to Start for Beginners
1. Onions
In order to store onions, you need to grow storage varieties, which are difficult to find as sets or plants at the garden store. So, you’re better off ordering your own seeds from a catalog.
MY PICKS: Pontiac, Patterson, and Redwing for storage, Ailsa Craig for fresh eating. Find my tips for growing great onions in the garden here.
2. Kale
Kale is the new trendy vegetable and at $3-5 a pop for a bunch, it’s a much better deal to grow your own this season. I love kale because once you plant it in early spring it continues to grow and produce all the way into late fall and early winter.
There have been years that I’ve harvested kale for Thanksgiving dinner! It also freezes easily for winter smoothies, soups, and stews.
MY PICKS: Lacinato, Winterbor, and Scarlet
3. Lettuce
Have you looked at the lettuce section of a seed catalog recently? The number of varieties and stunning colors will blow your mind! You could paint your garden like a canvas with pops of lettuce colors in every bed and make gourmet salads for dinner every night.
MY PICKS: Pirat Butterhead, Freckles Romaine, Red Oakleaf
4. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are the beloved vegetable of many gardeners and the best varieties are hotly debated. One of the reasons I start my own tomatoes is so I can make sure I have access to the varieties I think are the best.
And talk about payback! One tomato plant will produce pounds and pounds of delicious fruit.
MY PICKS: Moonglow, Green Zebra, Amish Paste and Sun Gold Cherry Tomato.
5. Zinnias
A rainbow of colorful flowers bopping their heads in the wind is the quickest way to elevate your garden to a work of art. I liberally mix in lots of flowers with my vegetables and the effect is stunning.
This year as you find yourself wistfully thinking about the upcoming gardening season, jump into the process of starting vegetables indoors with both feet (hands!). Once you try it, I guarantee you’ll fall in love with it just like the rest of us.
Originally posted 2018-03-02 16:32:27.
