Best Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs to Grow for Beginners

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Whether you’re an old hand at gardening but have never grown edible plants, or you’re new to gardening all together, here is a list of plants that are well suited to people who are considering growing something they can eat for the first time.

Photo by GNIKRJ

I’ve linked to growing information from Organic Gardening magazine to help you get your container farming off to a good start. Going organic is really important when it comes to plants you are going to eat because eating chemicals (whether in the form of fertilizers or pesticides) is not very appetizing.

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September 4, 2008 | Filed Under Fruits & Vegetables, Herbs 



Comments

14 Responses to “Best Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs to Grow for Beginners”

  1. Sue on September 6th, 2008 11:03 am

    My container veg were a bit deisastrous this year. I shall study the ideas here and try to do better next year!

  2. Fern on September 6th, 2008 9:10 pm

    Sue — Uh oh! Sorry to hear about your veggies. I hope you find useful info here at Life on the Balcony.

  3. Uncle B on September 7th, 2008 9:04 am

    I am looking for a small yellow, buttery, early variety of potatoes for planting in a huge flower-pot indoors and on my balcony on sunny days! Any ideas? These will be used for a gourmet meal when mature, and the more exotic the better! Also: I have never had good luck with parsley - I plant and water it but it just never seems to sprout - tried a second brand of seeds, same results! Help dammit!

  4. Fern on September 7th, 2008 1:34 pm

    Uncle B — Thanks for stopping by! You might be hard pressed to find potato seeds this time of year. A number of my favorite seed suppliers appear to be sold out. My favorite variety of yellow potatoes is Swedish Peanut, if you can find them. They are a yellow fingerling potato.

    Potatoes need full sun, so be sure to put them in a location where they can get more than 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. Remember that potatoes can take up to 3 months to mature, so be sure to pay attention throughout the time you are growing them to make sure that window is still getting lots of sun (with the change in seasons, a once sunny spot can be shaded, or vice versa). Here is a YouTube video on growing potatoes indoors. This is another source of potato growing tips.

    With regard to parsley, Have you tried soaking the seeds in warm water for 24 hours before planting the seeds? Be sure that after planting the pot is in a warm location (like a sunny window) where the soil will be warm (not hot!). The warmth signals to parsley seeds that it is time to start growing. Also, make sure you are using fresh potting soil and a clean pot. Old potting soil or dirt from the garden as well as improperly cleaned pots can harbor fungi, molds, and pests that can make the soil inhospitable for seed starting. I have had a lot of success with making my own seed starting mix from 9 parts Miracle Grow peat (not organic, unfortunately) and 1 part perlite. If growing organically is important, Jen of Muddy Boot Dreams recommends using coconut coir, which can be obtained at a good gardening center.

    I hope those tips help! I’d love to hear how your potatoes and parsley turn out.

  5. Robin on September 23rd, 2008 11:23 pm

    Rosemary is easy to grow from cuttings - saves buying lots of new plants. Just strip lower leaves and place in potting soil, or the garden. Keep moist until it takes root and starts to grow new shoots. Then just water as needed.
    Pink rosemary is a nice change from blue, and pretty as well as edible.

  6. Fern on September 24th, 2008 10:58 am

    Thanks for those tips Robin!

  7. Asterope on September 24th, 2008 11:13 pm

    Just thought I would share the wonder of cherry tomatoes with you!!

    You can grow them very well in little space, just give them something to climb onto. They are virtually pest resistant and fruit like crazy!!!

  8. Fern on September 25th, 2008 10:33 am

    Asterope — Thanks for stopping by! I have a cherry tomato plant going crazy as we speak. I agree that they grow like crazy on very little space, but the reason I left them off the list is because tomatoes can be prone to pests, fungi and other problems and I thought that some beginners would be frustrated by some of the problems tomatoes can have.

  9. Jeff Sorenson on September 27th, 2008 1:54 pm

    The closest potato that I can think of that Uncle B is talking about is a variety called Yukon Gold. I have had two reactions to them. People either love them or they hate them. Doesn’t seem to be any place in the middle. They are a shorter season potato that I grow in northern MN.

  10. pawan on September 30th, 2008 6:19 am

    Hi,

    Good vegetable info, i want to be a veggie,

    Thanks

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  12. Michael on October 9th, 2008 1:44 am

    Hi, I live in Athens and wondered whether it was safe to grow organic fruit and vegetables on the balcony. Do they induce toxins from the air?

    Regards

    Michael

  13. Fern on October 9th, 2008 8:33 pm

    Michael–Air pollution and acid rain can damage fruits and vegetables grown outside, but it harms organic and conventionally grown plants equally. Does Athens have extremely high amounts air pollution? There are small greenhouses that can be used on a balcony. Check them out here.

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