I live in an apartment, hence no garden of my own; and I want to grow a potted plant vegetable, (I have a balcony where it will get sunlight) Can anyone recommend a plant that is 'no stress' for a beginner?
Tomatoes are usually pretty easy. You may want to do a window garden for herbs, too. Fresh cilantro, basil, parsley, etc are very easy to grow and can improve dishes greatly.
I second the suggestion for tomatoes - I would get a cherry or grape type tomato since the plants are smaller. They don't take up a lot of room and are very easy to grow. If you do full-size tomatoes, you'll probably need a cage to keep them from falling over. Since it will be in a container, you'll need to keep it watered well. Make sure your pot has holes in the bottom so it can drain, and water it everyday, if it's in full sun. Another good veggie for container growing is peppers. You can do either sweet or hot peppers, or both. Depending on how much room you have, you can grow cucumbers on a trellis, so instead of spreading out, they spread up or drape them over and around the balcony railing. You'd be surprised at how much gardening you can do in containers on a balcony. Good luck!!
Another idea, I just thought about. You can try growing strawberries. They make "tower" containers that hold 20-30 plants and only take up about 2 or 3 square feet. Strawberries are really easy to grow, and fresh, ripe berries taste sooooo much better than the ones you buy at the store. They're also a pretty plant by themselves, even if they didn't produce fruit. Keep in mind that there are two different types - June bearing, which produce a bunch of berries all at one time and Everbearing, which produce a smaller amount over a longer period. If you can, get a good mix the of the two - that way you'll have berries for at least 6-8 weeks. Also, unlike veggies, they are perennials, which means they'll come back every year. The first year, you probably won't get a lot of berries, maybe just a handful or so, but every year after that you'll get at least a quart or so every couple of days.
You should also consider Spring Onions. They are fast-growing so you won't have to wait too long to have a taste of vegetables you've planted, yourself. If you are after produce and you don't mind eating spicy food give planting peppers a thought. From the time they start producing and the time you're done harvesting, one pepper plant can produce enough peppers to last you a month.
Instead of vegetables you might want to consider herbs instead? Basil and thyme are really hardy and easy to grow.
Thanks for the advice guys you've been very helpful. I've decided to start my gardening experiment with tomatoes and peppers. Fingers crossed I don't drown them with water or leave them dry for too long, I am going to give it an honest try.
The type of container you use can give your choices on what you can grow. A vertical garden takes up less room than a container sitting on the floor. This is a thought.
When you choose pots, just make sure they have drain holes in them. This way, even if you over water them, the extra water will run out of the bottom and your plants won't drown. Also, if they are in full-sun, where they get at least 5-6 hours of sun each day, make sure you test them everyday. Just press your finger in the top of the soil, if it's dry and "crumbly", give it a good drink. If you don't want to water everyday, put a couple of inches of mulch in the top of the container and that will slow down the water loss. Good luck - let us know how it goes!
I disagree with the "basil is very easy to grow". People will tell you it needs a lot of water; others will tell you it barely needs water; the plant will eventually die because whatever advice you chose this time, it still did not work out! Now what is more than easy to grow is mint (great for drinks, by the way!) and parsley; thyme and oregano are also lil' champs of easiness. I used to just put the spring onions I bought from the market in a glass of water and they grew. Or put the bottom of it (the part with the roots) in water after I cut most of the onion, and it grew. So these are my suggestions of really easy to care for stuff that you can enjoy and use happily. Though I only seldom am successful with basil, I have to say, watering it gives a very pleasant smell. Same with thyme!
I agree that the containers should be just right, and yes, tomatoes and peppers are super easy to grow. I took the plunge and ordered a trough that came apart. the bottom held water, the top had the soil and veggies. I only had to water the reservoir once a week, and I was astounded. My area on the deck would get well over 100 degrees each day, and yet, the veggies thrived. What a thrill to come home and harvest right into my skillet and add rice for a excellent stir fry.
I believe money plants are definitely helpful. I do not think there can be any better alternative than that. I definitely think it is great to have money plants as it is considered lucky.
Not only is basil easy to grow, it's easy to propagate. If you take a cutting that has at least 4 leaves on it and plunk it in a shot glass of water in a sunny spot, it'll grow white roots in a few days and you can plant it. You don't even need rooting hormone. Maybe you don't live in the right zone/climate for basil. I've given up on tomatoes because the summers in Florida are too hot for them.
Huh. Maybe we have been giving the wrong indications on growing it -- I mean, we failed to grow it when we were in Rome, too. But I'll definitely try to cut it and see how it goes, too. It intrigues me. Since you seem to know this, can you tell me how I should water it for best results? Half the people tell me to not water it much at all, other half tells me basil needs a lot of water. It's very confusing.
