Lots of people, myself included, are growing their own vegetables to beat the credit crunch. And why not? Planting a few seeds in containers, in your backyard, or in your garden will produce delicious organic vegetables—and can save money, too! Growing organic vegetables is easier than you think. Here are 12 vegetables you’ll have no trouble planting, caring for, and harvesting in your own garden, even if you’re a first-time gardener!

#1. Radish

These are particularly easy to grow and can be interspersed with rows of lettuce to take up a minimal amount of space! The good thing about radishes is that very few pests bother them. Choose a sunny, sheltered position on the ground, well fed with organic matter. Sow the seed finely, evenly ½ inch below the soil surface with an inch of space between each. Water the soil well before sowing and after the seeds emerge, water them lightly every other day. Radishes are a great source of potassium, folate, magnesium, and calcium, and are perfect in salad dressings or as a garnish for salads. Radishes grow fast and should be ready to pluck in several weeks.

#two. pumpkin zucchini

Zucchini and squash grow well in most climates and need very little special attention. If you plant zucchini, you could end up with much more than they can eat!

Zucchini and squash are very low in calories but packed with potassium, manganese, and folate. Plant several zucchini seeds in a mound of composted soil a foot high and a couple of feet wide. Space each mound about 3 feet apart, water them abundantly every other day, and wait for them to sprout in a couple of weeks. They should be ready to harvest about a month later. For any early start, sow seeds singly about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) deep, in small pots and place at 65-70F (18-21C). After seed germination, grow in a well-lit location, harden off, and sow after the last spring frost when weather is warm.

#3. carrots

Carrots tend to be free of pests and need little attention. Carrots are rich in vitamin A, antioxidants, carotene and dietary. Dig a hole less than an inch deep and plant a couple of seeds in each, leaving several inches between holes. Thin in stages 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) apart. Keep the soil moist but remember to water the carrots less as they begin to mature.

#4. Spinach

A highly nutritious and easy to grow crop, rich in calcium and iron. Spinach can be eaten plain, cooked, and made into a dip for potato chips. Turn the soil over with compost and plant seeds less than an inch deep, placing them at least 4 inches apart to allow room for growth. Collect young leaves regularly. Seed the soil a couple more times in the first month and keep this area well watered.

#5. Green peas

Peas are another high-yield crop, both sweet peas and sugar snaps. Other than fruit flies, these guys attract very few pests. A good source of vitamins A, B and C. Cultivate the soil just before planting top dress with a balanced fertilizer. Keep in mind that your soil must drain well for peas to flourish. Space each seed several inches apart and plant one inch deep. Newly planted seeds require 1/2 inch of water each week, while older plants need a full inch. Any surplus peas can be frozen very successfully.

#6. Peppers

Bell peppers contain nutrients like thiamine and manganese. The peppers can be stuffed with meat and rice or used in sauce and pasta, and raw in salads. Till the soil with compost and Epsom salts, this will make it rich in magnesium to help the peppers thrive. Peppers can be grown outdoors in grow bags, large pots, etc. Since they grow best in warm soil, sow the seeds a foot or more apart in raised beds or containers. Water them frequently, keeping the soil moist, or they may taste bitter once harvested.

#7. Lettuce/baby vegetables

Lettuce is one of the easiest vegetables to grow; just plant the seeds, water and watch how fast it grows. Lettuce is a good source of folic acid and vitamin A, it is used as a main ingredient mainly in salads, but it can also be stuffed with various ingredients to make a lettuce wrap or sandwiches, burgers and tacos. When cultivating soil with nutrient-rich compost, break up the chunks and remove the debris. Be sure to plant the seeds 8 to 16 inches apart, and water them every morning. Avoid doing it at night because this could cause illness. Loose-leaf varieties are ready to start cutting about seven weeks after planting.

Baby greens are simply vegetables that are harvested while they are still young and tender. They are true instant gratification greens – you’ll be harvesting your first salad in less than a month! Sprinkle the seeds as thinly as possible over the soil in a band 2 to 3 inches wide. Space rows of baby vegetables 6 to 8 inches apart. Or plant baby greens in a pot and cut up your fresh salad every night!

#8. Onions

Rich in dietary fiber, folate and vitamin C, the onion needs little care, just give it plenty of water. Plow the soil one foot deep and dispose of the debris. The easiest way to grow onions is from sets which are small onions. Plant sets so that the tip is visible about 5 inches (13 cm) apart in rows 12 inches (30 cm) apart. Or plant the seeds an inch deep and several inches apart. Remove weeds from this area frequently but carefully and provide them with about an inch of water each week.

#9. beets

Beets (beets) can be peeled, steamed, and then eaten hot with butter; cooked, pickled, and then eaten cold as a condiment; or peeled, crushed raw, and then eaten as a salad. Betanin, one of the main nutrients in this dark red or purple vegetable, can help lower blood pressure. Clean and strengthen the seeds by soaking them in room temperature water for a day. Plow the soil and remove stones from the top 3 feet. Plant each seed 2 inches (5 cm) apart, thin to 4 inches (10 cm) apart, and water at least once a day.

#10. Broccoli

For the most part it doesn’t need much special care, broccoli is an easy vegetable to grow that gives the best return for the space it takes up and is grown when other green vegetables are in short supply. A 15 foot (4.5 m) row will accommodate six plants to provide self-sufficiency for a family of four. Sow broccoli seeds in spring in a seedbed ½ inch (1.25 cm) deep and transplant when seedlings are about 4 inches (10 cm) tall with 2 feet (60 cm) apart each way.

#eleven. Tomatoes

There are many benefits to growing tomatoes: they’re tasty, they’re good for you, and the dollar value of the yield can be very significant. Tomatoes are rich in nutrients like niacin, potassium, and phosphorous, antioxidants like lycopene, anthocyanin, and carotene, and vitamins A, C, and E.

Sow the seeds just below the surface in a peat-based compost tray. When the seedlings have produced two pairs of true leaves, prick them into 3-inch (7.5 cm) pots and place them in a warm, bright spot indoors (such as a windowsill). After the last danger of frost has passed, choose a spot in your garden that receives at least 6-8 hours of sunlight and test the pH level of the soil; it should be between 6 and 7. (To lower the pH level add sulfur, to increase it add lime). Spread compost over this area and mix it into the soil. After they harden off, place tomato plants 2 feet (60 cm) apart in rows 3 feet (90 cm) apart, shrub plants 3 feet (90 cm) apart. Water them a couple of times a week.

Tomatoes need a little more attention than the other vegetables on the list. However, for the little attention tomatoes need, you get an incredible payoff in the sheer amount of fruit they produce. To help you get started, here’s a complete guide to growing tomatoes.

#12. Herbs

There are many herbs such as thyme, rosemary, basil, mint, sage, chives, parsley, and oregano that need very little attention and can be successfully grown in pots on a patio, balcony, or deck. Buy some of your favorite small herb plants at your local nursery and get a container that is at least 6-12 inches deep. You can plant multiple herbs in a wide or long container or use at least a 6″ pot for individual plants and you’ll enjoy not only their fragrance and beauty, but their culinary benefits as well. Water sparingly because herbs don’t like to sit in soil water.

If you are a first time gardener, start small with any of the vegetables I have mentioned. Soon you will gain confidence and have a beautiful organic garden!