Are These The EASIEST Vegetables to Grow as a Beginner?

[@marcuspowell2510]

My single zucchini plant has been growing strong for 8 months now. It’s had pretty serious powdery mildew for the last month and a half but keeps throwing out fruit. I think we’ve eaten them every way imaginable by now.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Woah. I honestly didn't know they *could* produce for that long. Sounds like lots of zucchini bread to me 😆

[@cestmoikim6514]

Wow! What zone are you in?

[@mdmartin1211]

Same for us last year. Zucchini was a constant producer for many many months. 8 months isn’t possible in Massachusetts but we were pleased either way.

[@eventhisidistaken]

Mine produced for forever too, but I just got tired of battling the bugs - too much work once the squash bugs find them.

[@allisond3184]

Thank you for the herb validation - everyone says “start an herb garden! So easy!” herbs have been one of the biggest challenges for me growing from seed! Herbs are much easier if you buy starts but seeds are PICKY!!

[@NextdoorHomestead]

They.... really are. I 100% just rely on starting *lots* of seeds for perennial herbs like sage, thyme, hyssop, etc. You only need a few plants and seed packets are cheap =)

[@allisond3184]

@@NextdoorHomestead I’m learning my usual sowing of 2-3 seeds isn’t going to cut it and I need to go more nuts and then just thin, if necessary.

[@alligator_pie]

Currently struggling with sage …. 😂 I pre-sprouted the seeds ( I thought? ) But still no sign of the plant!

[@NextdoorHomestead]

@@alligator_pie I feel ya! Sage is such a pain to grow from seed IMO. Make sure the seeds are not fully buried in the soil, plant *lots* more seeds than you need, make sure they are exposed to light (they need it to germinate), and give them lots of time (like weeks) to pop up. I've grown a few rounds of sage seedlings this year and yeah, it's a pain!

[@alligator_pie]

@@NextdoorHomestead Yes, I think that was my mistake! A dusting of soil over the seed was too much.

[@rosewood513]

May I suggest a few excellent plants Squash Zucchino Rampicante: resistant to the vine borer, watch because it is not impossible but not likely. Long beans Chinese Green and the Chinese Red Noodle. You will be out picking them almost every day. I like the red so I can see them against the green stems.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

I 1000000% agree on both of these recommendations. Tromboncino (aka Zucchino Rampicante) is incredible. It's a moschata so it's got that insect toughness but it's also insanely good in really hot climates like mine. One of the best really. And Chinese red noodle beans are my single favorite type of bean to grow. Such a nice texture!

[@scwheeler24]

Yes and actually the vining squash or gourd did pretty decent during the Texas drought last year. The borer did find it but it has to trail on the ground as it reroots itself hence saves it. It did struggle bc we just could water it enough. I think mine was a tatume. So it holds promise in our gray clay soil and heat

[@scwheeler24]

*could’nt

[@patriciafisher1170]

Live in Australia and tomatoes are definitely the easiest to grow here. They spring up in the lawn in the garden Bush tomatoes are a pest so first plant in our climate are tomatoes. Love your video I have learnt things I didn’t know so thankyou

[@NextdoorHomestead]

You're quite welcome! You just sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole on Australian Bush tomatoes - I was totally unfamiliar with them. Fascinating =)

[@kated3165]

The biggest reason to look for the outliers that might better fit with your climate/country/growing conditions is simply that its a pleasure to shop around different varieties and find the ones that get you really excited to try!!

[@NextdoorHomestead]

That certainly is a pleasure =) Got anything you're especially excited about this year?

[@kated3165]

@@NextdoorHomestead Really am looking forward to those Kajari and Golden Jenny melons hihi!

[@NextdoorHomestead]

@@kated3165 oooo very cool! One of my favorite melons is an Indian variety we got from BC too =)

[@Thi-Nguyen]

Thai chilis have been known to induce severe headache flushing, even raising blood pressure. ☺️

[@glow1815]

I totally agreed with you on Basil i have Sweet Basil and Thai Basil AKA Red Basil i bought one from Walmart the frist time only. I let it flowered it to drop seed to the ground, the nexr year it grew itself with my other plants lol. As i'm speaking it's thriving 1ft tall with my mints and i also have Corba chills ( Asian chilli super hot) that too all from seeds dropped. I have it all year round. And we live in Phx. I prune my Basil every morning and water it twice a day because of the heat.The only reson i snip it a lot is because i want it spread out, bushy and stay to 1-2 ft only. If i don't do that it will flower and and get taller then dry out and die. This way i alway have fresh Basil for my stirfry(Asian dish). The more i water it the more it thrive for me. And i don't even use fertilizer just Mulch. Why i don't understand a lot people find it difficult to grow Basil. Just water it there is all to it bad soil or not it will grow lol.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Reading your comment reminded me to go transplant out some of our basil seedlings! Thank you =) Even with the heat, our little ones appear to be growing well =)

[@vimondireksri8820]

Mustard is said to be great for getting rid of soil nematodes as well. Will be inter planting them this year.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

BTW, if you deal with nematodes and are interested in trap crops, check out litchi tomatoes. I HATE them because they're so spiky but the research on their ability to severely limit pale cyst nematodes (and potentially others) is very compelling. Just don't put them somewhere you like to enjoy not being stabbed - they're vicious.

[@vimondireksri8820]

@@NextdoorHomesteadI've only seen them in one other video. If they taste good and I can eat them I might give that a try. I only have problems with nematodes in my newer beds and planting holes thankfully. Just want to get a head start as some of my friends have serious trouble with them. Thanks. I'm off to research this deadly tomato! :)

[@jonniricard5383]

I am new to your channel and really enjoy how you explain things.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

That is awesome to hear Jonni! Thanks for checking out our garden 😁

[@Yeah_What_ever]

If you have room for a vine I would recommend the tromboncino. It is firmer and less watery than the zucchini, and better tasting. It pickles beautifully too.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

100000% Great choice if you have the room. I've stopped growing it because I prefer more compact zucchini varieties but tromboncino rocks (especially if you struggle with heat and pest issues).

[@cucina_kristina]

This was an excellent video! It’s so well thought out and presented. You are going to have a million subs one day! 🎉

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Thank you Kristina, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Appreciate the kind words=)

[@lajoycestewart7528]

SHARED WITH DAUGHTER

[@NextdoorHomestead]

I hope it helps!!!

[@laurauhlig9333]

You’re right about zucchini . Plant it after borers are done making babies in your area. Last year I did this NJ zone 7a, ( June July is their mating season.) I got huge zucchini’s, with long shelf life.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Nice! It pays to be late in the garden sometimes =)

[@sanniepstein4835]

My big surprise in eastern Ontario was Romanesco cauliflower. Despite looking like a hothouse freak, it was healthier than any others, and tasted wonderful. In Alaska, old fashioned giant zucchuni is a star performer, and peas love the cool climate.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Romanesco is such a wild crop isn't it?! That's very cool about the zucchini in Alaska - I remember reading how growers up there produce among the largest pumpkins in the world!

[@sliceofanything]

Great video thanks for sharing

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Thank you for saying so! Much appreciated =)

[@justinoffutt]

My issue with zucchini and squash is the squash bug rather than the squash vine borer. But we wait till later for many of those

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Cucumber beetles are probably our worst pest! Or the diseases they spread anyhow...

[@justinoffutt]

@@NextdoorHomestead I'm starting a trial this season to plant some squash seeds and not treat them (Joseph loft house style). I'm hoping to get some that weren't affected by the squash bugs to build genetics. We'll see what happens

[@fredsnyder3063]

Thank you for being a Teacher 😁

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Wow, what a lovely sentiment. Thank you for that!

[@poeticpursuits1332]

The first thing I ever grew were cucumbers and carrots, they were definitely easy to grow in my climate with my native soil. I basically just chucked the seeds in the ground and watered a bit and I was rewarded with massive carrots and more cucumbers than I could eat. We had a big drought and the soil split and cracked into massive fissures, then we had huge storms, and throughout the whole season it was abnormally hot. Didn't phase these one bit. My ONLY issue was that with clay soil I had to use a giant shovel to deeply dig out the entire carrot patch to harvest them. I think I just lucked out with the varieties that I tried. Cosmic purple carrots and spacemaster and lemon cucumbers.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

That is honestly pretty amazing! Clay is notoriously challenging for root crops! Really appreciate you sharing what worked for you - this is a very cool success story.

[@debreena2888]

I've found growing savory with beans & peas works well for me. They seem to compliment each other in my garden. Considering I love adding savory to these vegetables, win-win. I prefer the shelling peas to the snap peas & do not mind watching a movie while shelling the peas & tossing a few to my little dog who adores them too. laughing...

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Savory makes everything better doesn't it? Just love it!

[@ValerieT2023]

Basil is the absolute easiest herb to grow from seed. Whenever I see people looking at the already started plants that cost $6 or so nowadays, I always encourage them to buy a packet of seeds for much less and they'll get so much more. Just stumbled upon your videos - they look pretty good from what I've seen so far!

[@NextdoorHomestead]

You and me both! I do spend far, far too much money at the nursery but I try to limit it to things that are infeasible to grow from seed. The cost of vegetable and herb starts seems unfathomable!

[@Yeah_What_ever]

I have consistently failed with tatsoi and mizuna. The only leafy brassica in my garden that does not get annihilated by cabbage butterfly larvae is wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia). It is also tough, and self sows prolifically.

[@ginatulip8679]

with bush beans, for those really cheap, when you get your first bush or pole bean, make sure it is ripe, take the beans out, and plant them for a second fall crop. I think you can also do this with cuttings of your tomatoes. no seeds or much work needed, to keep the harvest going as long as possible.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Great tip Gina! Succession crops are the name of the game for bush beans =) And yeah, you can definitely root tomato cuttings - just grab the pruned suckers and put 'em in water for a bit and then plant out. Cheers!

[@christianthiele7113]

Growning in the middle of Germany I had problems with Mizuna-cabbage stem weevil love cale and colza growning here in the fields. On the other hand I we do not have squash vine borers attacking zucchini. As they say "give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him how to garden and the whole neighbourhood gets zucchini".

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Ah, that's fascinating! I literally use our Mizuna as a wall between other plants because our insects just don't touch it /= Zucchini is always good though =)

[@adrianaguerrero5733]

I've had good luck with the hot burrito pepper plant. It was my first pepper plant. It's tasty, compact, and I've got 10 flowers on it right now...the peppers are tasty and have a nice mild heat. I have to be careful with 10b heat outside but its mostly thriving and I'm far from expert ❤❤❤❤️

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Oh, that's a new one to me but it looks like it ticks all the boxes I like in a nice container pepper plant! Thanks for the tip - gonna see if I can't find some seeds for next year =)

[@davedoessomestuff8176]

Man, I expected you to have way more subs than you do. Now you have one more. Good luck with your channels growth.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Thanks for joining up - I appreciate the encouragement =)

[@homebodyjen752]

I kept hearing bush beans were easy to grow, so I tried them. Surprisingly enough…. I killed them. I don’t know what I did (maybe not watered enough). I didn’t trust my gut and I planted in a new raised bed with no soil fertility and didn't add fertilizer or anything. Now, a month later, I’m trying to nurse the lone survivors back to health. Lol! I did sow some new seeds and added some organic compost and fertilizer to the mix so hopefully this new round does a bit better. I have zucchini on the list to try, and I’ve got some provider beans ordered so I’m excited to give those a try as well.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

I bet you'll get the hang of the bush beans after a few tries! They can sometimes be a bit surprising because they don't need all the same fussy care as other summer plants, but sounds like you didn't overfertilize so that wasn't the problem =) Ours do get burned and dehydrated during the peak of summer FWIW. We lost a couple in small pots to drying out even though they were irrigated actually. And once you get zucchini down, it's game over! You'll never stop growing them =)

[@lizv3634]

I love your channel! Two greens I hadn’t tried yet. Thanks!

[@NextdoorHomestead]

No problem! I think I'm going to do a slightly expanded "bulletproof greens" video here soon =) And I'm so glad you like the channel - thanks for chiming in!

[@robertodelcristo6503]

Thanks!

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Woah, cool! Thanks very much Roberto - glad you like this one =) Hope your garden is treating you well this year!

[@HDRCDA]

Thanks for this video. I tried for many years to grow lettuce, spinach and carrots without success, before watching some videos and learning how to speed the germination process and start them out of nibble-reach of earwigs! I now routinely have good luck with all three, which is particularly useful for lettuce - given that the stuff in our grocery stores in Ontario Canada is usually from California (even in summer!). I wondered at your recommendation of peat for soil amendment, without any reference to the environmental damage done by the harvesting of peat. For those interested, there are environmentally less damaging alternatives.

[@Alyss93]

I'm going to try growing Good King Henry this year as an alternative to spinach. At first it caught my eye because of the funny name, but after further reading, it also seems to fit my gardening style a bit better.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Ahhhh! That is so cool - I hope you come back and comment on how it goes. I love the idea of bringing back some traditional perennials to the modern garden. Best of luck =)

[@hanzketchup859]

The anise/licorice flavor is really good in chicken fried rice , if you like fried rice ,

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Indeed. Indeed I like it very much =) Thanks for the tip!

[@shahedayeasmeen8089]

I have been trying to grow zucchini for couple of years and have never been succeeded. I will try again. I will try to grow maxican marigold mint. Thank you for the info.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Hopefully this is the year for your zucchini! And I hope you like the Mexican mint marigold =)

[@BatteredWing]

Legumes: Sugar snaps are really hard to grow here. Everything wants to eat them. Snow peas are our better option, and of course you can use the leaves for eating as well, and they will also grow on the ground if needed lol. You did briefly mention eggplant, if it isn't an invasive pest in your area, pea eggplant, or turkey berry, is ridiculously hardy. (Typing as I watch as per usual) Leafy greens: Trying Mizuna this season. I'm excited to give it a go! Having said that, our grasshoppers will probably put the whole not eating to the test. Tatsoi: ours tried to grow. But it stunted and died. Meanwhile the kale nearby thrived. So I dunno what it's problem was. Hmm. Hard soil maybe like you mention. We did have softer stuff on the Swale beds, but if they dropped roots quick they would have hit clay and shale. Bok choy was incredibly easy to grow. Bolted relatively quickly but got a good harvest before they did. Herbs: basil. Basil basil basil. Sooooo easy. Even our "annual basil" lasts a couple of years. Thai Basil is a fantastic perennial which we have a lot of luck with. We also do alright with Lavendar but only in the right spot. Haha yes basil. Also lemon and purple basil is amazing too. Yours needs a haircut tho lol, and my methodology is I just hack it haha. Marigold: I don't know if this Mexican one is the same as other marigolds, but they are planted around other vegies here to try and prevent pests. The flowers are technically edible I think. We find dill and chives work much the same way. Eggplant: haha. They self seed really easily too. Especially in a good garden, and they are a lot hardier if you root stock them onto Turkey berry. Chillis: our version that is good is birds eye. It's tiny, super hot, and will just randomly grow from bird droppings 😂 really good for making chilli oil or sweet chilli sauce. We have had some luck with small capsicum (Bell pepper) as well. Pumpkins/zuchinni/button squash, all super easy to grow. All water hungry. We use terracotta pot watering system with them just because they love so much, and we have to give them a little bit of shade here. Our biggest issue is powdery mildew and 28 spot lady bugs, but they usually grow so quick that it doesn't matter. I think it is important to be careful of cross pollination tho. Flower: Cosmos have died every time I try 😂. My easiest ones have been Pentas, African daisy and yeah, marigold haha. Fantastic video. I will probably try tatsoi again but with a sandy loam and see how that goes. Anything I plant has to adjust to neglect pretty quickly, so really my garden is survival of the fittest. My perennial basil is growing beside a burdekin plum tree and just does so well. I have to occasionally break the "pups" off and my friends then get fully formed basil plants. Mine is a purple holy (thai) basil. Have also had plenty of luck with sweet basil and Greek basil. The other plant I find incredibly easy is spring onion. I think you call them shallots? They grow so easily, are incredibly tolerant of different environments, and you never have to completely harvest them.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

I love reading your comments!!! My replies below for what they're worth: - Pea Berries are super neat! I haven't tried it yet but I plan to use them as grafting root stock in the future. Thank you for the reminder! - If your bok choy did well, I would definitely give Tatsoi another try. - My basil is perpetually in need of love. I'm just super lazy and brutal with it. Entire strategy is to just grow a ton and not worry about care 0_o - Mexican marigold is actually a super herbacious perennial. Kind of tastes like tarragon. I loooooove it. - Yeah, I reckon birds eye hit the same growing pros as the thais. Very cool. Thank you for watching and sharing your notes!

[@yelitzandiaz]

I’ve never had a problem growing basil but i have a very hard time growing cilantro 🙄 basil grows very well in hydroponic systems and in normal dirt. But my basil is growing faster and better in hydroponics and the dirt one is growing a lot slower

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Cilantro is tricky here too! Bolts the moment we get enough sun to grow anything

[@yelitzandiaz]

@@NextdoorHomestead do you have a video on how to grow cilantro? 😂

[@NextdoorHomestead]

@@yelitzandiaz I don't, sorry! But I'll add it to the list. Love me some salsa garden action =)

[@Thi-Nguyen]

I’ve bought and grown basil in every format and it’s always been an easy one. But then, I’m Asian so we use a LOT of it. Mint has been the same for me, for my mom… she has a green thumb and seems to have passed that on to me as well. ☺️

[@Sproutupgardening]

Awesome video. I am definitely going to try some of these. I planted 4 different types of bush beans this summer and provider were my favorite in texture and taste 😁.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Thank you so much! Hahah I hope any you try out work out well for you 😁. Let us know!

[@alligator_pie]

Great recommendations, will try the mizuna and tatsoi. I grew snow peas in Z3 and was amazed how they tolerated cold and frost into the fall. Tough plants! Then again, so do the flowing sweet peas, I shouldn’t be surprised! I recommend holy basil ( tulsi) for those who love cooking Thai (and many other) cuisines, it’s no more difficult from trad. basil but different flavor.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Mizuna and Tatsoi ROCK! Two of my favorites year after year =) I really need to branch out more with basil - thank you for the recommendations =)

[@ddgardner5671]

I planted tatsoi for the first time this year, and they really took off after they were transplanted into the ground. The plants that were overgrown a little by turnip greens grew more upright like bok choy, but the uncrowded ones grew into flat, wide rosettes as much as 18 inches across. Another easy to grow plant for me has been Red Giant mustard. Last year, I planted them in April here on the Texas coast. They grew fast, and didn't start to flower until well into June.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Wow, that delayed bolting sounds terrific. I'll take a look too.

[@ddgardner5671]

@@NextdoorHomestead Red Giant mustard is also from Japan. I saw a video from a Malaysian KZbinr who grows tatsoi in a tropical climate. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJ7Vk6xubayDisU

[@mandyjedi]

Just a little FYI, squash vine borers are a moth, not a beetle

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Thanks for the correction! Appreciate it =)

[@poeticpursuits1332]

It is important to mention here that legumes will not fix nitrogen unless they are inoculated with the bacteria first, unless the species of bacteria is already present in your soil, and while they may form inefficient relationships with other rhizobia species/strains found naturally in your soil they will really only fix good amounts of nitrogen when inoculated with the specific rhizobia species for that plant.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Thank you for adding this note! It's a good one and 100% accurate. One thing I'd like to add for anyone reading this and considering purchasing "beneficial microbe" inoculants / amendments: there is a preponderance of evidence that rhizobia inoculation (done properly) improves yields in legumes - particularly at large, commercial scale. But there is not evidence that mycorrhizal fungi and other fungi amendments are necessary or even beneficial. It's unfortunately very easy to waste money on garden products =( Again though, @poeticpursuits note is on point!

[@poeticpursuits1332]

@@NextdoorHomestead Yes, it really bums me out when I see gardening channels recommend mycorrhizal products. Mycorrhizal fungi are very often already present in soil naturally anyway unless you have made a new bed or are growing in a previously plant free area. The kind you can purchase is often just a tiny fraction of the mycorrhizal fungi that is present in soil and it may be non-native so there could be a negative impact on your soil ecology by using it. And that is if it is even viable when you get it, warehouse conditions and traveling on a hot truck could easily kill it. Since they are so heavily abundant in soil anyway a better method of inoculation may be to simply take some soil where plants have been thriving for a good while and place it into the new growing area.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Very, very well said. =)

[@amyziesmer5189]

We are all Organically growing and have for years... SQUASH of ANY variety You want a class of "Moshata" and I believe a "Mixta" variety, rated highly resistant But... not a Pepo or Maxima... Pepos tend to be a just horrible attractant variety of Vine Borers... Rampicante is excellent for a Zuke...and most "Winter" squash varieties work like a Butternut if not planted in a previously pressurized spot... Also "Cushaws" have good resistance. Trying it for first time this year. And if you love summer squash but can't grow for squash bugs or borers...try a Patty pan variety...they grow fast🤷‍♀️ Any of the "Blue" varieties are excellent trap crops like Hubbards...it's completely crazy! But not a waste of time for us BC it still feeds the Chx... We grow Butternut for pies, and Rampicante for Zucchini and Patty Pans for squash...and yes, I still give a go with old favorites but its ridiculous here...🤦‍♀️ Btw...☝️that info I found years ago...several University studies now... Hope that helps!

[@NextdoorHomestead]

What a lovely and thorough comment Amy! Thanks for the additions. I know I for one am a big fan of the moschata species cucurbits and love recommending them!

[@amyziesmer5189]

@@NextdoorHomestead Amen to that... Sometimes getting that right info makes All the Difference in the World! I appreciate your videos!

[@rickytorres9089]

That's very interesting about herbs' starts and explains why they been dying for me so much!! I bet the only reason why I got Rosemary to even grow is the combination of that plant being such a slow grower and having a 19w Feit Electric grow light like literally 1.5 feet away. So it's never gotten "dramatic" for it to thrive.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

My approach to perennial herbs is to buy a cheap packet of seeds and just plant all of them. Or at least a ton. If very few germinate or survive, who cares? How many new sage and hyssop and lavender plants do I really need this year? Not the most elegant strategy but works for me =)

[@rickytorres9089]

@@NextdoorHomestead Exactly and even if I DID needed more, I rather get my own seeds than whatever Burpee's, Dollar Tree, etc gets me. As long as I got a healthy plant to start with. :)

[@NextdoorHomestead]

@@rickytorres9089 And propagating herbs is pretty fun too! Yes, I am a very cheap gardener ;)

[@rickytorres9089]

@@NextdoorHomestead Same here, extremely cheap. I don't even buy fertilizers anymore and relies on natural sources like worm castings, compost, fallen leaves, etc.

[@lostpony4885]

Awesome but i dont understand how people can eat lavender

[@NextdoorHomestead]

I *always* hated lavender flavored food - even sweets until I tried some made with fresh lavender. It doesn't have to be that miserably overpowering floral perfume flavor =) Might just be me though!

[@scwheeler24]

K right off the bat I can say ik you can grow carrots in TX but I have yet to accomplish it. Too hot last year. Tops but no carrot. Cukes, again too hot they were nasty tasting plus last summer the dreaded squash moth found us and the cucumber. Last year was bad

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Carrots and cukes can definitely be a challenge in hot climates (ours too!). I hope this season is more productive for you!

[@scwheeler24]

@@NextdoorHomestead the weather is supposed to change this year but we’ve always had great production of zucchini we are skipping bc of the borer. They came all year. We kept pulling and planting. Made no difference. Maybe bc it being central Tx. They got all our squashes, cukes, melons. We’ve never dealt w that bug since we’ve been here 20 years.

[@scwheeler24]

@@NextdoorHomestead what state are you in?

[@vimondireksri8820]

I'm growing bush beans here in the tropics. Anyone away of a pea type vegetable that can take the heat. 80-100 all year round. Cheers

[@trenomas1]

HERBS: Very easy to propagate if you give them natural conditions. Woody herbs need to be seeded in fall so that they stratify and sprout in spring. Green perennial herbs may enjoy this too, but it's often not necessary. Just don't fiddle with indoor germination. Overseed an area in early spring and leave them alone for a year. These are the easiest plants to grow period. Annuals do require fiddling. You have to make sure you grow them at the right time of year for bolting control.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Thanks for sharing your strategies Trent!

[@MrBearyMcBearface]

Zucchini grows well here but in summer it gets absolutely murdered by vine borers.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

=( I've been noodling on a video just all about vine borer strategies!

[@Meskarune]

My easiest fruit to grow is strawberries.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

Really?! That's an awesome plant to be good at growing =) Do you have a favorite variety?

[@Meskarune]

@@NextdoorHomestead I grow frangaria vesca "semperflorens" alpine strawberry and Fragaria x ananassa 'frida'. I want to get a variety with red flowers, they look really nice in photos.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

@@Meskarune Thank you! Alpines are super cool!

[@williamslater-vf5ym]

Carrots aren't easy to grow? I grew them my first year with package instructions and got a good harvest. I would say other than thinning they were pretty easy.

[@NextdoorHomestead]

They certainly can be if your conditions are right! But no, I feel pretty comfortable saying they aren't easy. They require mild weather, reasonable fertility, are notoriously poor germinators, do best with a particular soil density and are very poor competitors from a root perspective =)