It was a dark and stormy night; the wind blew rattling windows as snow pelted the earth in an unrelenting sheet of white. The winter days drug on and began to run together in a never-ending, colorless gray cold. This is what winter can feel like to a gardener, whether you are a beginner or an established grower.

Thankfully, time moves on, the seasons change, and the sun makes a reappearance as the bright heat-producing orb, not the insipid pale frosty winter yellow. As gardeners, this is the time that makes us itch to get outside and begin our growing ritual of planting seeds in hopes of a bounty of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. As we plan our gardens, the beginning gardener or the most seasoned of growers are always on the lookout for those seeds that fall under the “easy button” category. These seeds are the ones that 99% of the time keep their promise of producing. Most of these seeds are bursting with the need to grow and support all gardeners’ desire to be a success.

The following vegetable seeds fall in the “easy button” category. This list is by no means a complete list of easy seeds to grow, but they are tried and true and give optimal results. A subsequent post will cover easy flower seeds.

- MG Kathy F

BEANS

There is a reason teachers use bean seeds in science experiments. Place a bean seed between two wet paper towels, place in a sealed baggie, hang it in a sunny window, and Voila! You get the start of a bean plant. These seeds happily germinate and produce with little effort. They are great seeds for children to plant as they are large, easily handled, and when germinated, can be seen readily.

PUMPKIN

This is another great producer and a kid-friendly seed. These seeds are started slightly later in the growing season but have a fast germination (5-10 days) which is instant gratification for a gardener. When growing pumpkins, make sure you have ample space for the vines.

CUCUMBER

With many varieties from which to choose, cucumbers rank high on the list of easy seeds to grow. Just give them a trellis for vining, and you will have seeds germinating within three to ten days. Cucumbers will produce for most of the growing season.

RADISH

Radishes are quick and easily grown from seed. These little guys take up small areas of the garden, so they make an excellent plant to fill garden holes. Some varieties are ready for harvest in as little as four weeks. They make a great seed for succession planting to ensure radishes throughout the growing season.

Grow Seeds From the "Easy Button" Category! Part 1 - Vegetables