Are you about to pick up a bagillion plants from a large home and garden store. Stop right there! Before you buy those plants, know what vegetables you can easily grow from seed. Growing some vegetables from seed will save you some money (even if it’s just a few dollars) and will grow your gardening self-esteem. The following vegetables are so easy to grow from seed, that I stopped buying them are plants several years ago. Learn how to gain gardening skills (even as a beginner) by reading this list of easy vegetables to grow from seed.
Okra
If you’ve been following my blog and social media for awhile, you probably know that I’m obsessed with okra. Growing up in New England, okra was very uncommon. I actually had no idea what okra was, until I randomly stumbled upon their seeds in the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Co. catalog in 2017. I remember randomly growing their seeds in a row, not knowing what to expect, and becoming absolutely overwhelmed with their sturdy flowers and incredibly growth.
Okra plants trive in wicked hot temperatures, which is why they are so popular in the South. It’s amazing watching these things grow so tall in such harsh heat. Different varieties produce different heights of plants, but all of them are equally as beautiful.
Click here to purchase okra seeds.
Okra seeds can be sowed directly where they will grow–which is a trend on this list of easy vegetables to grow from seed. They will germinate fast, and will grow sturdy. I also love okra because it’s so easy to harvest and replant seeds. Simply open an okra pod, take out seeds, let them dry and store for the following season.
Radishes
Of all the root vegetables I’ve grown, I’ve never had the same success as with growing radishes from seed. Of all the root vegetables, the deserve this spot on my list of easy vegetables to grow from seed. Even in tough soil, radishes seems to just love to grow! I’ve even had plenty of success by sowing them in late winter/early spring with a hoop cover. I love growing radishes so much I’ve even mentioned watermelon radishes on my list of unique vegetable seeds to grow in your garden.
Click here to purchase radish seeds.
Radishes are gorgeous little creatures that often look like lettuce while they are growing. They grow well in spring and fall, and can even grow in summer (you just have to watch carefully that they don’t bolt too quickly). Radishes also grow super quickly, within 25-30 days!
If you want to have a long lasting radish season, plant them in succession. I typically have a garden bed for radishes, and plant a new row every week or every two weeks. This way, when they are ready to harvest, I can harvest a new row every 1-2 weeks.
If you don’t have enough space in your garden to dedicate an entire bed to them, radishes grow really well in small spaces. You can easily put them between other plants, and they will grow quite well.
I’m quite obsessed with radishes, so if you’d like to check them out in some recipes, click below.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are just one of the first cucurbits mentioned on this list of easy vegetables to grow from seed. These beloved summer vegetables are such an easy plant to grow as they love the sun and can be sowed directly where they will grow. Leave plenty of space for these viney plants, as they first appear small but grow quite long.
Click here to purchase cucumber seeds.
Cucumbers can be left to grow on the ground, but prefer a trellis. I typically put up a trellis or wall of chicken wire for them to grow up. But now matter how much space I give them to grow up, it never seems to be enough. They are resilient and truly are the gift that keeps on giving.
These famous cucurbits are plants that are so easy to germinate from seed that I would never consider buying them in plant form at the store. For most places in the United States, there’s absolutely no reason. They grow quite easily, and produce so much, that I can’t imagine wasting money on a few plants. This is easily a plant for beginner gardeners, and will be sure to excite kids.
Click here to make this easy creamy cucumber salad.
Peas
I absolutely love growing peas, making them one of my top picks on this list of easy vegetables to grow from seed. There are so many reasons why peas are easy to grow. They grow in cool weather but can tolerate some hot temperatures, and they make great succession plants. I typically sow a set of pea plants in the spring, let them grow until early summer, let them die, and then sow another set in late summer.
Click here to purchase pea seeds.
Pea plants can be germinated in pots or sowed directly where they will grow, either works. They do require something to grow on. You can either create a mini-teepee with sticks, or put them against a fence, trellis, or chicken wire.
Peas grow fast, and once they get going they take off. I usually make the mistake of planting too many, because even though they are small plants they grow very viney and long. To control growth, you can trim the pea shoots and throw them in a salad.
Click here to cook one of my favorite, easy pea side dishes.
Pumpkins
Pumpkins easily make my list of easy vegetables to grow from seed (just like pretty much any cucurbit.) Plant pumpkins from March to early July, depending on where you live. They love the sun and require a lot of space. These incredible plants actually require so much space, I moved away from planting them in my garden. Instead, I’ve planted them around my garden (outside of the fencing) or in other parts of the yard that have more space.
Click here to purchase Pumpkin seeds.
I absolutely love that with pumpkin seeds you only need to plant one or two seeds in a spot, and they’ll still germinate. You can sow them directly where you want to grow, in loose soil. They create gorgeous, large leaves and flowers. You may have to protect them from squirrels and other pests, but otherwise they grow quickly and fast.
Nasturtium
Nasturtium are an absolute must to grow in my garden, partly because they are so easy to grow. Their seeds look a lot like a dried up pea, so they are easy to plant and keep track of. When the plants mature, they drop their pea like seeds, leading to more growth. Sow nasturtium seeds directly where you want them to grow in full sun and let them grow all summer. These are perfect for beginner gardeners, and can even be grown in planters and boxes.
Click here to purchase Alaskan Mix Nasturtium seeds.
These bountiful flowers are incredibly companion plants to include in the garden as they produce great ground cover. Ground covers help cover the ground, preventing weeds and retaining moisture. Plus, nasturtium create gorgeous ground covers! They also help attracts bees and insects.
Some nasturtium varieties grow like a bush, while others grow in a vine. I like to include both in my garden, the bushes where there are some gaps between plants, and the vines under tall plants such as okra, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers.
I’m also in love with nasturtium because of their culinary purposes. Add nasturtium to salads or toast for a peppery kick.
Zucchini
Zucchini squash easily makes it on the list of easy vegetables to grow from seed. Just like all squash, zucchini are incredibly easy to grow. Squash love to grow in sun, and should be planted from March-June depending on what zone you live in. Zucchini typically grow in a large bush, so leave plenty of room for them. I typically leave a minimum of 3 feet of room on each side of the plant. I love growing these from seed because they grow so fast and can be directly sowed to the ground.
Click here to purchase these zucchini seeds.
This summer squash should be harvested when they are firm, glossy, straight, and slender. It’s fun to see how big zucchini can get, but when they get too big they are extremely watery and difficult to cook with. (But farm animals love them!)
Something that I also love about zucchini squash is that they produce edible flowers. Zucchini squash develop both male and female flowers. The female flowers are found on the end of developing zucchini fruit, while the male flowers are found on a slim stem. You can easily cut these male flowers and fry them for a delicious snack.
Zucchini can be cut up and added to a delicious salad, enjoyed on a crudite platter, or roasted. Click here to view my roasted zucchini recipe.
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