No vegetable plot is complete without runner beans. They are probably the most productive vegetable you can grow and you will often give them away. Because they are so productive, they require humus-rich soil, and it is often a good idea to build a bean trench.
Sweetcorn is an easy crop to grow and loves long hot summers. Sweetcorn is wind pollinated, so you will need to grow it in blocks and traditionally each plant produces one or two cobs. Continue reading
Sweet potatoes are traditionally growing in warm climates, but hardier varieties are now becoming available in the UK and can be grown quite easily as long as they are grown in a warm sheltered spot.
Plums are one of the great unexplored parts of the fruit world. In the past there were many different varieties, all with different flavours and textures, but now all knowledge of such fruit seems to have been lost. At most, one or two varieties surface occasionally in shops, but few people seem to know of the treasury of delights that could be available. Fortunately, many of the old varieties are available from specialist nurseries, and anyone who takes the trouble to search them out is really in for a treat.
Onions can be grown in two ways; from seed or onion sets. Onion sets are small onions that can be planted out in autumn (over wintering onions) or in spring. If possible, purchase onions sets that have been heat-treated as this will stop them running to seed. Continue reading
Nothing beats eating fresh peas straight out the pod on a summers days. You can sow your peas in a cold frame in autumn or straight into the ground in spring. The soil will need to be warm though as peas will rot in cold wet soil, so if you want an early crop cover the soil beforehand to warm it up. Continue reading
Home grown tomatoes taste so much better than the supermarket tomatoes and they are easy to grow in any garden as long as its in a warm sheltered spot. They can be grown indoors, a greenhouse, containers and hanging baskets, or outdoors so it’s important to choose the correct variety for where you want to grow them. Continue reading
Potatoes are probably one of the easiest vegetables to grow. They can be grown in an type of soil even containers if you’re short of space. However before you can begin, you must choose the variety you want to grow and whether you want to grow first or second early, or maincrop potatoes.
First early potatoes are ideal if you want to harvest them a little quicker or short of space. They are normally ready to harvest within 8-10 weeks depending on the variety you decide to grow. They are also less likely to encounter pests and diseases. Second earlies can be harvested roughly 16 weeks after planting, usually from late June and into August. Maincrop potatoes are ready to harvest after 18 weeks from planting. Maincrop potatoes generally take up more space but are ideal for storage. Continue reading
Originally from South America, where they have been part of the staple diet for centuries, pumpkins are extremely popular in North America, and it is from there that their recent revival in Britain has come. They are, in fact, winter squashes but are frequently separated from the other members of the family simply on grounds of their size and uses. The distinctive name of pumpkin is usually given to the large, round winter squashes. Continue reading