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This year I made my very first garden. Not just a few veggie plants. I cleared my entire back corner of the yard, built boxes and planted veggies and flowers. I enjoy going to sit in my garden and listen to the birds. I love the food it produces. I love to see the change that develops on a day to day basis, that amazing food can come from a seed. It seems everyone I talk to really values doing something they love {careers, hobbies, education, etc}.
I may not become a pro-gardener, but having a small garden is something I want to do every year. Being a mom with 3 boys makes me be aware of the cost of food, and how with a little work you can have great outcome for less money. My friend Alicia helped put together this post on some easy gardening tips for you. Enjoy!

The Easiest Plants New Gardeners Can Grow

The warmer weather is upon us and so is the gardening season. Gardening is a great activity as it is a low-impact form of exercise, you get fresh air, it's enjoyable and rewarding to facilitate the growth of plants and, if growing herbs, fruit, or vegetables, you get to taste the bounty of your efforts. Perhaps you are just a beginner at gardening. Here are some of the easiest plants new gardeners can grow.

• Tomatoes – Tomatoes are one of easiest vegetables to grow. With some sun, water, and occasional fertilization you will have an abundance of tomatoes by summer's end. There are many different varieties of tomatoes, such as cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, and yellow tomatoes. In colder climates, you will need to start the tomatoes indoors in seedling trays about eight weeks before transplanting them in the ground. In all likelihood, you will have many extra tomatoes, which you can preserve by either freezing or canning.
• Green Beans – In late May or June, you can plant beans directly into the soil. There are many different varieties of green beans, but they generally come in two styles: Bush beans and pole beans. For bush beans, the plants are grow to about one and a half to two feet tall and produce beans in clusters for approximately one month. For pole beans grow up to ten feet tall on trellises and will produce throughout the growing season. Like tomatoes, green bean plants are highly productive, so you may want to find friends or family for taking that fresh produce off of your hands, or take the time to freeze or can the green beans for future use.
• Herbs – Many herbs are easy to grow and very low maintenance. Some herbs will grow so fast that you won't know what to do with them. Basil comes in many varieties and has many great uses in the kitchen, particularity in Italian food or curries. It is also a great compliment plant to grow near tomatoes, as this helps prevent plant diseases from cropping up. Other herbs that are easy to grow include mint, cilantro, chives, parsley, and lemongrass.
• Indoor Plants – If you don't have an outdoor garden space or you don't have the time and energy to maintain an outdoor garden, there are many low maintenance plants that can be grown indoors. This includes such plants as snake plant, English ivy, spider plant, rubber tree, schefflera, and Boston fern. 

Perhaps you are interested in pursuing a botany or gardening related career. For more information on educational opportunities, click here.

Sources

SparkPeople (2009)
Grit (2012)