Guess what. Some vegetables are actually much harder to grow from seeds than others are.
Growing your own seeds can be really difficult to get the hang of, and it’s intimidating to new gardeners.
So, if you’re interested in trying to grow your own food from seed for the first time, then begin with a few of these easy vegetable seeds, and go from there.
Here is my list of the easiest vegetables to grow from seed to get you started…
23 Easiest Vegetables To Grow from Seed
Below I’ve broken my list down into two sections. The first section is a list of easy vegetable seeds to plant directly into the garden. And the second section is a list of vegetable seeds that are easier to start indoors.
Easy Vegetable Seeds To Direct Sow
There are several types of vegetable seeds that you can plant directly into the garden. They grow fast enough that they don’t need to be started indoors. Pick of few of your favorites from this list to try first.
Squash – All types of squash are very easy to grow from seed. Wait until the ground has warmed in the spring (2-4 weeks after last frost), and then direct sow the seeds in a sunny location. Zucchini, Butternut and Delicata are my a few of favorites to grow.
Beans – Beans are a staple for many vegetable gardeners, and one of the easiest vegetables to grow from seed. Plant bean seeds directly into the garden a few weeks after your last frost date, once the soil has warmed up in the spring. Kentucky Wonder is my go-to variety, but it’s fun to grow purple pole beans too.
Collards – Not only are they easy vegetable seeds to grow, they are cold hardy too! Sow the seeds outside 2-4 weeks before your average planting date, once the soil is workable. This is the type I like to grow.
Cucumbers – Cucumbers can be started indoors, but they are sensitive to being transplanted. So it’s best to plant the seeds directly into the garden a few weeks after last spring frost once the soil is warm. My favs are Marketmore and Homemade picklers. Learn how to plant cucumber seeds here.
Peas – Peas grow best when the seeds are planted directly into the garden in early spring. Direct sow the seeds about 4-6 weeks before your last frost, or as soon as the ground has thawed. Sugar Daddy and Tendersweet are two good ones to grow.
Spinach – Spinach is a cold hardy vegetable that can withstand frost. These spinach seeds are great. The seedlings don’t transplant well, so it’s best to plant them directly in the ground as soon as the soil can be worked in early spring. Learn how to grow spinach from seed here.
Lettuce – Since they grow fast and do best in cooler weather, you should direct sow lettuce seeds. Two of my favorite types to grow are Valentine Mesclun and Romaine Rouge, but I also plant a mesclun mix every year too. Plant the seeds 4-6 weeks before your planting date in early spring. Learn how to grow lettuce from seed here.
Carrots – Carrots are easy to start from seeds, but can be challenging to grow if not planted correctly. Transplanting the seedlings can cause severe deformities, so be sure you alway direct sow the seeds. Here’s a good type of carrot seed to start with, or you can try a smaller variety if you have heavy clay soil. Plant the seeds 3-6 weeks before the last spring frost. Learn how to grow carrots from seed here.
Rutabaga – Root crops like rutabaga do not transplant well, so plant the seeds outside 4-6 weeks before your average spring planting date. If you want to try growing rutabaga from seed, this is a great variety to start with.
Radishes – Since they’re frost hardy, they grow best in the cooler spring weather. There are tons of great varieties, but a few I like to grow are Cherry Belle, white and the beautiful Watermelon. Direct sow the seeds as soon as the ground thaws in early spring. Learn how to grow radishes from seed here.
Cress – A cute little leafy green plant, crees is delicious in salads. It grows best in cool weather, so plant the seeds directly in the garden 4-6 weeks before average last frost. I love this mildly spicy variety, yum!
Pumpkin – There are tons of different types of pumpkins, and all of them are very easy to grow from seed. They don’t like the cold, so plant the seeds outdoors 2 weeks after the last spring frost once the soil has warmed. If you want to grow large pumpkins, then try Jack-O’-Lantern. Otherwise, Sugar Pie is an excellent baking pumpkin.
Turnip – Another cold hardy vegetable, turnips are best when planted in early spring. Sow the seeds directly into the garden as soon as the ground is workable. Try growing these turnip seeds in your garden this year.
Swiss chard – Chard is easy to grow, and is cold hardy. Sow the seeds outdoors as soon as the soil can be worked in early spring. Bright Lights is both gorgeous and delicious!
Mache – Another yummy addition to salads, mache will bolt (go to seed) as soon as the weather starts to warm up. So be sure to plant the seeds outside 4-6 weeks before average last frost, or as soon as the ground can be worked. These are the mache seeds I grow in my garden.
Edamame – You may be surprised to learn that edamame is one of the easiest vegetables to grow from seed, but it’s true! They won’t tolerate the cold though, so plant the seeds in the ground after danger of frost. Here’s the variety that I grow.
Beet – I love growing beets because they are delicious and colorful too! They’ll bolt quickly if it’s too warm, so start the seeds directly in the garden 2-4 weeks before last spring frost, or as soon as the soil is workable. You can’t go wrong with dark red beets, but this Gourmet Blend is excellent too!
Arugula – Spicy arugula is one of my favorite types of salad greens. They like it cold, so sow the seeds outdoors 2-4 weeks before average last frost in the spring. This is the kind of arugula that I grow in my garden.
Easy Vegetables To Grow From Seeds Indoors
Some seeds grow best when started indoors rather than direct sown. If you want to try starting vegetable seeds indoors, but you’re not sure which ones will be the easiest for the first time gardener, try these…
Melons – Unless you live in a very warm climate, melons are best started indoors 4-6 weeks before it’s safe to plant them outside. Be careful not to disturb their roots when transplanting the seedlings, or it may stunt their growth. To reduce stress, start the seeds in plantable pots. If you’re looking for a type with a shorter growing season than most, try Sugar baby.
Peppers – I grow tons of different types of peppers in my garden every year. A few of my favorites are sweet bell peppers, cayenne and jalapenos. Start the seeds indoors 8-12 weeks before average last frost. Plant the seedlings into the garden after all chance of frost is gone in late spring. Learn exactly how to grow peppers from seed here.
Okra – To get a jump on the growing season, it’s best to plant okra seeds indoors. Start them indoors 4-6 weeks before it’s safe to plant them into the garden, and wait to transplant the seedlings until the soil is warm in late spring. Red Burgundy is a beautiful!
Kale – If you live in a warmer climate, you can plant kale seeds in your garden as soon as the soil has thawed in early spring. Otherwise, they are easier to start indoors 3-6 weeks before your average spring planting date. Chinese Kale and Red Winter are both great varieties.
Eggplant – Eggplant is perfect for growing in pots or the garden. Start the seeds inside 8-12 weeks before your average spring planting date. Wait to transplant the seedlings into the garden until the soil is warm. Black Beauty is a good one to grow.
Getting started with growing your own seeds can be difficult. So set yourself up for success from the get-go with this list of the easiest vegetables to grow from seed. Once you get the hang of these easy vegetable seeds to grow, you can add more to your list every year.
Do you want to learn how to grow any type of seeds you want for you garden? Then you should take my online Seed Starting Course! This fun, self-paced online course will walk you through every detail step-by-step. Sign up and get started now!
Otherwise, if you just want to learn how to grow your seeds indoors, then my Starting Seeds Indoors eBook is what you need. It’s a quick-start guide that will get you growing in no time!
More Posts About Growing Seeds
- 17 Easiest Seeds To Start Indoors
- 13 Easy Annual Flowers To Grow From Seed
- 17 Easiest Seeds To Direct Sow
What would you add to this list of easiest vegetables to grow from seed? Share your favorites in the comments below.
