The five easiest vegetables to grow

The easiest way to enjoy vegetables that are chemical-free, fresh as possible and without any packaging is to grow your own. And the only distance they will travel is from your garden to your plate.

It's much simpler than you might expect. To get started, all you need is a couple of pots or a patch of soil and you can make a contribution to your family's five-a-day portions of fruit and veg.

We've picked five of the easiest and most rewarding veg to start off with. They will hardly take up any room in the garden but will give you a delicious supply of fresh produce.

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Salad leaves

A supermarket favourite that's easy to grow yourself

• A packet of lettuce seed could save you pounds at the supermarket.
• They're easy to grow from seed in the ground or in a container.
• Our Best Buy lettuce varieties taste great and give a high yield of tasty and crunchy leaves.
• We like: Sow seeds every time the previous batch has germinated for a supply of leaves all summer without gluts.
• Learn how to grow lettuce

Beans

Supermarket beans are expensive and often imported

• Runner beans are easy to grow from seed and should crop for months if you pick the beans every few days. Just 12 plants should be enough for most households.
• French beans take about eight weeks to mature, and they then crop for about a month. There are both climbing and bush varieties.
• There are both dwarf and climbing forms of French beans.
• We think: Why bother buying them when they're easy to grow and taste better fresh?
• Learn how to grow runner beans 

Courgettes

You should be able to get up to 30 fruits off a single plant

• Courgettes are perfect for patio containers - keep them well watered and pick the fruit regularly. 
• One or two plants will easily produce enough fruit for most households.
• The flowers can also be eaten and taste great when stuffed and fried.
• Worth knowing: Courgette plants are tender so should be planted outside after the danger of frost has passed in mid-May to early June.
• Learn how to grow courgettes

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Tomatoes

A great choice for the greenhouse or a patio pot, but worth growing in the ground, too

• Tomatoes are easy to raise from seed in March on a warm, well-lit windowsill. Alternatively buy plants from a garden centre in May.
• They do well in a greenhouse, in containers or the border. There are even dwarf varieties for hanging baskets.
• Alternatively, plant them outside once the danger of frost has passed in late May or early June.
• Worth knowing: Let the fruits ripen fully in the sun to enjoy unrivalled flavour.
• Learn how to grow tomatoes

Potatoes

Easy to grow, even in patio pots

• Early varieties can be planted in late March, and the rest follow in April.
• They can be planted in the ground or in patio containers.
• We like: In just a few months, you'll be digging up delicious fresh potatoes.
• Learn how to grow potatoes

Don't bother with...

• Vegetables in the cabbage family (brassicas) are prone to pests.
• Pumpkins and marrows take up a lot of space.
• Even experienced gardeners find celery, celeriac and Florence fennel a challenge.

Buying veg seeds and plants

You can buy veg seeds and plants at garden centres, supermarkets and DIY stores. However, for the best selection of varieties, it's worth buying from specialist suppliers online. Kings Seeds, Real Seeds and Chiltern Seeds all did well in in our survey and Brookside Nursery performed well for plug plants.

Get more advice on growing veg