Beginner-level gardening can be rough. If you’ve ever gardened before, you know there’s a bit more to it than planting the seed and adding water. Sure, you may be able to get a sprout to grow, but keeping your flowers or those bean plants alive is another story.
A common mistake a lot of new gardeners make is thinking about all of the foods that they want to grow so they can eat a salad or grab their own herbs for dinner every day. That is totally possible, but it takes time and experience! You have to walk before you can run, and, unfortunately, a lot of new gardeners quit out of frustration simply because they take on too much.
I remember the first time that I started gardening. I planted watermelon seeds in raised garden beds in a climate that was too hot for them. The sprouts shot up, and then eventually a small watermelon appeared. I was so excited!
Soon after, though, the watermelon grew to the size of a fist and then split. It was heartbreaking. I could have easily quit, but I recognized that it wasn’t that I wasn’t good enough, it was just that I wasn’t doing things the right way. I should have started with something easier.
Gardening has a lot to do with things like climate, soil quality, sun exposure, and how much time you can dedicate to your plants. It’s not a, “set it and forget it” hobby. However, there are some plants that are easier to grow than others.
There are plenty of options that you can grow from seed indoors to see success as a beginner gardener. Here are several easy plants you can grow from seed indoors.
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Hot Peppers
If you like spicy food, then you’ll be happy to know that hot peppers are one of the easiest indoor plants to grow from seed.
Take a look inside most gardeners’ homes, and you’ll likely see a pepper plant sitting on a kitchen windowsill or somewhere nearby.
They add color to your kitchen and there are usually enough peppers on the plant to guarantee that you never run out. Their seeds germinate almost immediately, and you see the results rather quickly.
You’ll be eating peppers off of your plant within several months of planting your seeds, so it’s a great way to see fast success as a gardener. It’s also great to plant with kids and watch the plant’s progress as it grows.
Cacti
You’ve probably seen cactus for sale at farmer’s markets, nurseries, and anywhere else plants are sold. They’re extremely durable and a great plant for families with kids or people who can’t be bothered to watch their gardens closely on a regular basis.
To increase your odds of cactus-growing success, ensure that you mix your soil with some compost to give the seed some more fuel to grow.
Thankfully, there are literally thousands of different cactus plants you can choose from, coming in a range of colors and sizes. After planting your seed, you should see it start to sprout in a couple of weeks.
Even though cactus don’t need that much water, keep an eye on your compost and add water when it looks dry.
Peace Lily
The peace lily is one of the favorite indoor plants anywhere because it’s terrific for beginners and looks beautiful. This white flower gives you that sense of accomplishment that, yes, you can do it, and that gardening isn’t a lost cause.
All you have to do is keep the soil above your seeds watered. The soil should be moist to the touch, but not overly wet like any sort of mud consistency.
The seed will sprout and your plant will start to grow. Just a tip, however, that peace lilies can take years to flower. You’ll see the plant, but it’s not like flowers just pop up right away.
Tomatoes
If you talk to any seasoned gardeners, they’re likely to recommend growing tomatoes because tomatoes are some of the easiest seeds.
Especially if you’re growing indoors, tomatoes are a great place to start because they sprout quickly and you get good results most of the time.
Planting tomato seeds indoors is also a wonderful way to get a jump on the gardening season. You can start them indoors and then transfer seedlings out into your garden right when the weather warms up.
Basil
Basil is a wonderful kitchen herb used in a million different dishes across various cuisines. Plenty of kitchen counters have basil plants on them.
You can plant traditional basil or some other variety, like purple basil. This herb doesn’t do particularly well in the cold, which is one of the main reasons why so many people start basil plants inside.
After a couple of months, you can move it outside if you want, or if you have big enough planters, you can just keep them inside.
Asparagus Fern
If you want some more indoor plants that you can grow from seed, then take a look at the asparagus fern.
Interestingly, despite its name, this is not a fern, nor is it an asparagus plant. But it is one of the fastest-growing plants that you can seed indoors.
They produce bright red berries that give you more seeds if you want to give it another go, and they’re relatively easy to take care of.
Just know that some people have a bad skin reaction to handling the berries, so you probably want to wear gloves as a precaution.
Lettuce
Lettuce isn’t the sexiest of plants, but it sure is practical! They grow fast from seed and do well in cool weather, so you don’t have to worry about pumping up the thermostat in the winter.
Romaine is a great choice when it comes to the type of lettuce, but you can mix and match different types of lettuce and see what gives you the best results.
Plan for about 5 weeks from the time you plant the seed until you start seeing good growth.
Swiss Chard
If you’re looking for something to mix up with your lettuce for home-grown salads, then give swiss chard a try. This is an easy plant to grow and it does rather well when things are cold outside.
They look amazing when they start to grow and they can grow quite large as well!
Parsley
Another herb rounds out our list of easy plants to grow indoors. Parsley is the ultimate garnish, and with a parsley plant at home, you never have to worry about buying a bushel of parsley at the grocery store only to have it go bad after being unused in the fridge for too long.
Parsley gives your kitchen a great feel as well, and it will do just fine in a sunny spot on a windowsill or a countertop. Just make sure you give it water to keep the soil moist and the seeds will do the rest. Plan for a couple of weeks until you start to see some action, and then all you have to do is wait for fresh parsley!