#2 Hmm, Not Bad
"A common challenge for gardeners when growing fruit and vegetables is having the actual space to grow in," Alison Levey, the person behind The Blackberry Garden blog, told Bored Panda after we asked her about the biggest obstacles in the field.
"Thankfully, you can grow some edibles with very little space, even if it is some chili plants or herbs on the windowsill. When growing outdoors, a lot of vegetables and fruits can be grown in containers. Carrots and courgettes grow well in containers as do potatoes too. Some soft fruits will grow well in containers as well. If you have a garden and have space for a small fruit tree, there are many available to buy."
Another challenge, according to Levey, is finding the time to do all of it. "That is a harder one to deal with, but little and often can work well or spending a nice afternoon at the weekend tending to your crops."
Todd Heft, who runs the Big Blog Of Gardening and has released a book called Homegrown Tomatoes, is 100% organic so he places the focus on the soil.
"If you get your soil conditions right, plants will thrive," he told Bored Panda. "By soil conditions, I do not mean fertilizers. I mean drainage and organic matter to feed the soil food web."
The gardener said this means using lots of compost to condition your soil.
"In the early spring, top dress your garden bed with 2" of compost," Heft continued. "After planting, add another 2" around the root zone of whatever you're planting. Only use fertilizers if a soil test indicates the need for it."
"After harvest, add another 2" of compost or use a cover crop to overwinter your garden bed. It's all about the soil."
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For beginners, Levey thinks that French beans are good to start with since they generally are well-behaved. "If you have the space, purple sprouting broccoli is easy too and tastes wonderful," she added.
"Potatoes I find easy especially if grown in a container. Courgettes are very easy to grow, but be warned, they do produce a lot of courgettes and you might just run out of different ways to eat them!"
Heft agrees that beans are easy. "[It's] practically plant and play, especially bush beans. Tomatoes are easy to grow, but you have to be vigilant about disease if you're having a wet summer. Peppers are easy too and less prone to disease. So are potatoes."
He too believes that each of these can also be grown in containers if you have limited room or just a balcony or porch to work with.
"If you're growing tomatoes in containers though, make sure you choose a variety that is labeled 'determinate.' That means it's a variety that grows like a bush, not a vine. Some varieties are also bred to be grown in containers," he explained.
