Hydroponics 101 – Easy Plants to Grow

  You are starting out your garden for the first time. You’ve prepared your garden bed, purchased the tools you will need, and you are wearing your gardening clogs around the house to break them in. You are on your way, fellow gardener! However, the next step is to grow. The great thing is, as a first time gardener, there are lots of plants to choose from. Sunflowers, the morning glory, and nasturtiums are some flowers that are easy to grow. Sunflowers and nasturtiums have large seeds and germinate very quickly. The morning glory may take a little effort to get going, but they are incredibly vigorous once fully grown.

Sunflower seeds are sold in almost every gardening store. Purchase some seeds, and plop some of them into a damp paper towel. The ones that germinate can be planted directly into the ground after the frost has passed. The seeds should be about 12 inches apart, and rows should be spaced about 2-3 feet apart. In about 5-10 days you should see seedlings.

Nasturtiums grow well with a little neglect. They are easy to grow, so they are usually started from seed. They can be sown directly into the garden when the soil is warm. Maintenance consists of weekly watering. Deadheading is not necessary, nor is fertilizer.

The morning glory plants are also sown from seed. They germinate quickly, and can fill a trellis or a fence in a flash. They can grow up to 15-20 feet during the gardening season. Sow Morning Glory seeds early in the season and water thoroughly after planting. Plants should be spaced about 6 inches apart. They do not require much maintenance part from a little fertilizer once a month and full sunlight.

If you want to grow some vegetables, there are many to choose from. One of the easiest plants to grow is the cress. These are usually grown indoors in flat containers. They grow very quickly, and if you have children, will be fun for them to grow in egg shells. Another great vegetable to grow are peppers. Both hot and bell are relatively easy to grow from seeds, and they can even grow in shady areas. Tomatoes are another great plant to grow. They are hardy, can be grown from seed outdoors or indoors, and even survive transplanting fairly well. Seeds will germinate in about a week.

Gardening for the first time may seem like a daunting task, but with a little time and tender loving care, you can cultivate a beautiful (and edible) garden- indoors and outdoors- in no time. There are many resources for first time gardeners, and many plants to choose from.