GrowingHQ

Straightforward crops to start with

Difficulty is a GrowingHQ editorial judgement rather than a sourced fact, so this list is our opinion about which crops forgive a beginner's mistakes — useful, and worth knowing it is a judgement.

How this list was built

Generated from the catalogue by the same engine that powers What can I grow? — 59 of the 102 edible plants qualify. It is published because it names a question people ask, returns enough plants to be useful, does not return most of the group it is about, and rests on fields that are actually populated. Lists that fail any of those are on the coverage page instead.

59 plants
PlantTypeLightSpacingMin. pot depthIn a container
AmelanchierAmelanchier lamarckiiTree or shrubStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade400–600 cm100 cmmarginal
BayLaurus nobilisHerbStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade150–300 cm35 cmwell suited
BeetrootBeta vulgarisVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade10 cm20–25 cmwell suited
BlackberryRubus fruticosusFruitStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade250–450 cm40 cmmarginal
BlackcurrantRibes nigrumFruitStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade150–180 cm40 cmworkable
BorageBorago officinalisHerbStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade45–60 cm30 cmworkable
Broad beanVicia fabaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade20–23 cm30 cmworkable
ChamomileChamaemelum nobileHerbStraightforwardFull sun20–30 cm15 cmwell suited
ChardBeta vulgaris subsp. vulgarisVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade25–30 cm25 cmwell suited
ChivesAllium schoenoprasumHerbStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade20–30 cm15 cmwell suited
CourgetteCucurbita pepoVegetableStraightforwardFull sun90 cm35 cmworkable
Crab appleMalus sylvestrisTree or shrubStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade400–600 cm100 cmmarginal
DillAnethum graveolensHerbStraightforwardFull sun20–25 cm25 cmworkable
French beanPhaseolus vulgarisVegetableStraightforwardFull sun15–20 cm25 cmwell suited
GarlicAllium sativumVegetableStraightforwardFull sun15 cm20 cmworkable
Garlic chivesAllium tuberosumHerbStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade20–30 cm20 cmwell suited
GooseberryRibes uva-crispaFruitStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade150 cm35 cmworkable
HyssopHyssopus officinalisHerbStraightforwardFull sun40–50 cm25 cmwell suited
Jerusalem artichokeHelianthus tuberosusVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade30–45 cm40 cmwell suited
KaleBrassica oleraceaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade45 cm30 cmwell suited
KohlrabiBrassica oleraceaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade25–30 cm25 cmwell suited
Lamb's lettuceValerianella locustaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade10–15 cm12 cmwell suited
Land cressBarbarea vernaVegetableStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade, Full sun15–20 cm15 cmwell suited
LeekAllium ampeloprasumVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade15–23 cm30 cmworkable
Lemon balmMelissa officinalisHerbStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade, Dappled shade45–60 cm25 cmwell suited
LettuceLactuca sativaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade15–30 cm15 cmwell suited
LoganberryRubus × loganobaccusFruitStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade300 cm40–60 cmmarginal
LovageLevisticum officinaleHerbStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade60–90 cm60 cmmarginal
MarjoramOriganum majoranaHerbStraightforwardFull sun20–30 cm15 cmwell suited
MintMenthaHerbStraightforwardPartial shade, Full sun, Dappled shade30–45 cm20 cmwell suited
OnionAllium cepaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun10 cm20 cmmarginal
OreganoOriganum vulgareHerbStraightforwardFull sun30 cm20 cmwell suited
Pak choiBrassica rapaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade20–25 cm20 cmwell suited
PassionflowerPassiflora caeruleaOrnamentalStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade200–300 cm50 cmworkable
PeaPisum sativumVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade5–8 cm25 cmworkable
PlumPrunus domesticaFruitStraightforwardFull sun300–450 cm45 cmmarginal
PotatoSolanum tuberosumVegetableStraightforwardFull sun30–38 cm40 cmwell suited
PumpkinCucurbita maximaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun150–200 cm45 cmunsuitable
QuinceCydonia oblongaFruitStraightforwardFull sun400 cm50–80 cmnot assessed
RadishRaphanus sativusVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade2.5–5 cm15 cmwell suited
RaspberryRubus idaeusFruitStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade40–45 cm40 cmworkable
RedcurrantRibes rubrumFruitStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade150 cm35 cmworkable
RhubarbRheum × hybridumFruitStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade90–120 cm45 cmmarginal
RocketEruca vesicariaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade10–15 cm15 cmwell suited
RosemarySalvia rosmarinusHerbStraightforwardFull sun90 cm30 cmwell suited
Runner beanPhaseolus coccineusVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade15–20 cm35 cmworkable
SageSalvia officinalisHerbStraightforwardFull sun60 cm25 cmwell suited
Salad burnetSanguisorba minorHerbStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade30–40 cm25 cmwell suited
SavorySatureja hortensisHerbStraightforwardFull sun20–25 cm15 cmwell suited
ShallotAllium cepa var. aggregatumVegetableStraightforwardFull sun15–20 cm20 cmwell suited
SorrelRumex acetosaHerbStraightforwardPartial shade, Full sun, Dappled shade30–38 cm25 cmwell suited
Spring onionAllium cepaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade2–5 cm15 cmwell suited
StrawberryFragaria × ananassaFruitStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade35–45 cm20 cmwell suited
SwedeBrassica napusVegetableStraightforwardFull sun23–30 cm40 cmmarginal
TayberryRubus fruticosus × idaeusFruitStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade300 cm40–60 cmmarginal
ThymeThymus vulgarisHerbStraightforwardFull sun30 cm15 cmwell suited
TurnipBrassica rapaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade15–20 cm25 cmworkable
WhitecurrantRibes rubrumFruitStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade150 cm35 cmworkable
Winter savorySatureja montanaHerbStraightforwardFull sun30–40 cm25 cmwell suited