One Vegetable Is Perfect For Beginner Gardeners, According To Martha Stewart

Gardening is a fulfilling hobby that is as fun as it is frustrating. When you first jump into it, you think everything is intuitive. As long as you water your plants and let them get enough sunshine, everything should thrive and grow. But you quickly learn that's not entirely the case. Some plants require more sun than others, and some like to be drenched with water, while others like to pretend they're in a drought. Some plants are hardy and can grow under any conditions, while others are divas and will wilt on you at the drop of a hat. It can become very discouraging if you start your journey with high-maintenance plants, mostly because you don't know how to deal with their nuances yet. Luckily, the queen of gardening, Martha Stewart, has a tip for newbie gardeners. Rather than challenging yourself with difficult plants, she suggests first growing lettuce.

She says it's a great vegetable to start with because it doesn't require a lot of upkeep or experimenting. It will help you wet your feet in the gardening world and help you learn the basics of keeping your plants alive. Once you have that down, you can expand to more challenging plants. 

Martha Stewart recommends home-grown lettuce as a beginner plant because of its versatility. "You can plant all kinds of lettuce, and there are hundreds of varieties," she says in a video on her YouTube channel. While you might only see two or three different kinds at the grocery store, there are so many more interesting varieties to explore. This allows you to experiment with different types in your garden. You can also harvest it in different ways. "Lettuce is so rewarding because you can pick it as a leaf or let it go to head and get delicious, healthy greens for your salad bowl."

It's also very easy to grow. You can put the seeds directly into the ground, and it grows fairly quickly without much fuss or upkeep. All you need to do is keep them sufficiently watered, and they will reward you with months of bounty. She also recommends starting with a smaller plot instead of going all-in and creating a massive lettuce garden. Try growing a small row first, learning the basics of watering, weeding, and harvesting. Once you get comfortable, you can level up and make a larger plot.