9 Easy to Grow Plants for Your Veggie Garden

Vegetable gardening is fun and beneficial, especially if you're growing productive plants.

There are plenty of edible plants that yield heavily and are easy to grow. Even beginner gardeners will find success with these veggies. They are the best plants for vegetable gardens.

Scroll down and check them out!

1. Tomatoes

Growing Season: Spring and Summer
Temperature Needs: 20-25°C (68-77°F)

Tomatoes are versatile and can go in every salad combination. They are very easy to grow and thrive in a sunny spot. They don't need large spaces or special climatic conditions. To keep them fresh after picking, store them at room temperature.

These are great to plant in pots, and make sure you water well!

Take not of the height on the label, as some tomato plants grow 30cm tall, and others 180cm tall and need to have a few stakes to support the huge amount of tomatoes and branch weight.

Valuable Tip: Regular pruning can encourage better fruit production.

2. Sweet Peppers (Capsicums)

Growing Season: Summer
Temperature Needs: 21-27°C (70-80°F)

Sweet peppers (Capsicums) are extremely popular. They come in various shapes and colours, including red, purple, orange, and yellow. They require warm weather and a long growing season.

These grow well in pots too, and make sure you have a stake handy to help keep them upright

Valuable Tip: Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost date for a head start.

3. Cucumbers

Growing Season: Summer
Temperature Needs: 18-24°C (65-75°F)

Cucumbers are one of the most productive plants, making them perfect for feeding a whole family. They prefer full sun and well-drained soil. Cucumbers grow quickly, so check your vines daily.

Now, just saying, as cucumbers are mostly water, these grow super well within an aquaponics system.

The fruit can double in size over night!

Check out this video….

Valuable Tip: Provide trellises for vine varieties to save space and improve air circulation.

4. Snow Peas

Growing Season: Spring and Autumn
Temperature Needs: 13-18°C (55-65°F)

Snow peas are the sweetest peas and thrive in cool weather. They are perfect to grow in the spring. Fresh snow peas taste best as they lose about 40% of their sugar when refrigerated.

So basically, a great plant to nibble on as you walk past. And the leaves are just as sweet as the peas!

Full sun, but cold climates

Valuable Tip: Use a trellis or support to keep the plants off the ground and improve yield.

5. Spinach

Growing Season: Spring and Autumn
Temperature Needs: 10-20°C (50-70°F)

Spinach grows quickly and provides a bountiful harvest with little effort. Sow seeds directly into well-amended garden soil. Avoid growing spinach in the hottest part of summer as it will bolt and go to seed.

There are many varieties of spinach, some small and some large ~ but they are all easy to grow.

The problem is, most of them prefer cold climates.

BUT ~ there are subtropical varieties that thrive n humidity like Egyptian spinach and Brazilian spinach.

I’ll show you:

Valuable Tip: Harvest leaves when they reach the desired size to encourage continuous production.

6. Basil

Growing Season: Summer
Temperature Needs: 20-25°C (68-77°F)

Basil, though not a vegetable, is a great herb to grow. It's easy to cultivate both indoors and outdoors. Basil adds a wonderful flavour to sauces, soups, and salads.

So easy to grow, huge harvests and if you take the leaves from the bottom, the plant branches out, giving you more basil.

This is a great herb to plant next to your tomatoes for companion planting as it helps to reduce pests around your tomatoes.

Valuable Tip: Pinch off flower buds to keep the plant producing flavourful leaves.

7. Beans

Growing Season: Summer
Temperature Needs: 15-25°C (59-77°F)

Beans are perfect for both expert and beginner gardeners. They germinate fast and produce heavily.

Beans come in different sizes and colours, with pinto beans and garbanzo beans being highly recommended.

Again, so easy to grow ~ but they do need to have something to grow up. Some type of trellis, or even trees.

A great staple to keep food costs down.

Best part is, this is what we call ‘green manure’, which means after the plant dies off, cut it up and dig it into the soil and it will add nutrients back into the soil. Cool huh?

Valuable Tip: Provide plenty of sunlight and well-drained soil for best growth.

8. Carrots

Growing Season: Spring and Autumn
Temperature Needs: 16-21°C (60-70°F)

Carrots are famous for their health benefits and unique taste. They require sandy soil and little attention. Carrots are pest-free and easy to grow.

They do need full sun, and a good water.

The thing with root crops like carrots is they don’t like to be transplanted. So if you buy a seedling from the store, it may die as they hate being disturbed.

Planting from seed is the way to go here.  

Valuable Tip: Ensure the soil is loose and well-drained to prevent forked roots.

9. Radishes

Growing Season: Spring and Autumn
Temperature Needs: 10-20°C (50-70°F)

Radishes are loved for their peppery flavour and rapid growth. They thrive in temperatures between 10-20°C, making them great for spring and autumn crops.

Radishes can be harvested in as quickly as three weeks.

Fast growing, and easy to grow in gardens ~ don’t forget that you can eat the leaves in your salads too!

Don’t tell anyone, but this is one of my common crops in my aquaponics system ~ fast growing, and get lots of goodness from the whole plant

Valuable Tip: Plant radishes successively every two weeks for a continuous harvest.

Check out My YouTube Channel 'Candy The Aquaponics Lady'

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Candy Alexander is a dedicated aquaponics enthusiast with a wealth of formal training in aquaculture. Over the past 15 years, Candy has been deeply immersed in both commercial and backyard aquaponics, honing her skills and expertise in this sustainable farming method.

Candy's passion lies in making aquaponics accessible to everyone. With a mission to simplify aquaponics, she believes that anyone can embark on this sustainable journey.

She encourages those new to aquaponics to "kick the tires" without a significant financial investment. Her guidance focuses on helping people start their aquaponics journey with small-scale systems, ensuring a low barrier to entry for newcomers.

Candy shares practical tips, step-by-step guides, and personal stories to inspire and guide readers on their aquaponics adventure. Whether you're a seasoned farmer or a curious beginner, Candy Alexander is your go-to source for simplifying aquaponics and fostering a sustainable gardening experience.