5 Easy to Grow Veggies to Plant in Early Summer

I'm not much of a green thumb but I do like to garden and I've learned a thing or two by trial and error. Our spring weather is fairly mild here in Seattle, and I like to plant my vegetable garden mid to late April. I am a no-fuss kind of gal. I plant hardy plants that I know I can grow year after year. These 5 easy to grow veggies are the perfect plants to start in early summer or late spring to give you a jump start on the gardening season and help you get some freshly grown food on your plate before you know it!

5 Easy to Grow Veggies to Plant in Early Summer

Should I plant seeds or buy starts from the nursery?

This is totally up to you. However, I mostly plant seeds in my garden. These veggies are really hardy and grow well despite my lack of any gardening knowledge, so I think it's fun to give it a try to start some things from seed and see what sprouts. There is nothing more rewarding than watching the garden start to have little green starts pushing through the ground.

Should I start my seeds in a pot or tray inside first?

Again, this is totally up to you, but this seems far more high-maintenance than what I signed up for! If you start your seeds in your garden after the threat of frost is over, you should be fine growing the seeds directly in the garden.

1. Sugar Snap Peas

These are my kids favorite! They love to plant them and snack on them directly off the vine. You can plant several different varieties of peas, but this particular variety grows in tall vines and needs to have a trellis to grow on for best results. 
You can sow seeds a few weeks after you plant your first round of seeds so that you have mature crops of peas at different times of the season.

2. Lettuce

There are many different varieties of lettuce you can plant in early summer. They will grow quickly and you can then plant another round as you harvest for fresh greens all summer long!

3. Radishes

Radishes are the fastest growing veggie you can plant. In days they pop out of the ground! Kids love to plant these because they grow so quickly and can be harvested in just a few weeks. 

4. Spinach

Spinach sprouts fast and can be planted close together and then harvested nearly all summer long. Pick the spinach leaves early because if you wait too long, the plant grows quickly and gets bitter tasting before turning to seed.

5. Squash

These guys need lots of room to grow and like to be planted in a mound. They like the warm sun so I find planting them from seed in my raised bed before it's too late, gives them plenty of time to grow so I can harvest them in mid-late summer.
I think these 5 veggies are the easiest vegetables to grow. You can plant them early and enjoy them just as summer is starting to gear up. Give them a try. There is no need to have a green thumb. Promise!


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