Getting food from your own backyard can beat the supermarket any day, on both taste and price. Think that’s too much work? You’d be surprised.

You don’t need to have a green thumb or a massive backyard to plant and tend to your own garden.

Mint.com user Paula Olson of Carrollton, Texas, began growing tomatoes in a windowsill container in 2000, after noticing store prices on her favorite produce jump. Now she has a backyard garden that also includes peppers, squash, Brussels sprouts and green beans, among other veggies. She’s spent $50 on garden supplies so far, and expects to get more than $250 worth of produce (based on last year’s yield). “It’s not like I’m getting rich off it,” she says. The real payoff shows up at the dinner table, hearing her kids ask for more vegetables. “Homegrown produce just tastes better.”

So what’s a novice gardener to grow? Like Olson, start by considering which fruits, vegetables and herbs account for a hefty portion of your grocery bill. Then look to those you pass up as too expensive, says Julie Parrish, the chief executive of Coupon Girls, whose sites include HotCouponWorld.com and OrganicGroceryDeals.com.

Many of those refrigerator-drawer staples — including tomatoes, lettuce, peas and carrots — are also among the easiest to grow. “They’re hearty; not tender [plants] that require special care,” says Rebecca Cohen, the president of Rebecca Plants, a firm that coaches novice gardeners. Most can even work in containers on a balcony or even a windowsill. All you need is a space where the plants can get six hours of sun and daily watering. Before you buy, check with your local garden center that your area has the right climate to grow a particular item.

To get the most produce for your buck, don’t put all your seeds in the ground at one time. Plant a row every week, Cohen says. That way, veggies ripen in stages, instead of leaving you with more strawberries than you can possibly eat one week and none the next.

Try these nine fruits, vegetables and herbs, which can yield bumper crops with very little effort. (What should Frugal Foodie grow on her balcony? She’s leaning toward blueberries, basil, lettuce and peas. Weigh in!)

Basil

Instead of paying $3 to $5 for a bunch of fresh basil at the supermarket, plant a $2 pack of seeds to harvest enough for year-round enjoyment. Instead of drying basil and other herbs after harvest, chop them and put them in an ice cube tray with a little water and freeze, says Maria Finn, the author of “A Little Piece of Earth: How to Grow Your Own Food in Small Spaces.” The perfectly portioned cubes can be popped in soup, stir-fry and other dishes to add flavor.

Blueberries

One blueberry plant can produce as much as 20 pounds of fruit during the summer, says Parrish, who planted a hedge of them in her yard. “This year we’re going to get an insane amount,” she says — likely more than 100 pounds. For immediate results, buy a bush that’s already a few years old and ready to start producing fruit. You’d pay about $15 for one in a five-gallon tub. Not bad, considering that even in peak season blueberries go for $2.50 per half-pint at the grocery store.

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