Riz
30th January 2008, 03:56 PM
For a relatively easy vegetable garden go for plants that can be sown directly where they are to be harvested with little or no thinning.
Cut and come again salad leaves are ideal for this providing a succession of leaves. Vegetables with large seed, such as beans are a good choice as they are easy to sow. Radish are hard to beat for the speed from sowing to harvest, but many of the suggested veg can be harvested in three months from sowing.
Station sowing allows seed that is easy to handle to be sown at their final spacing, often sowing two or more seed and thinning to the strongest. Beetroot or lettuce can be station sown.
If sowing under glass large seed such as pumpkins and squash or courgettes and marrows are ideal as they can be sown individually in pots.
Pumpkins, squash
Most form large trailing plants, which can be trained in circles, over strong supports or left to sprawl. The large seeds are easy to sow, either in pots in April/May or in situ in June. Pumpkins and squash require a moist soil, but are otherwise easy to grow.
Early potatoes
For a summer supply of new potatoes, early potatoes are best as they are usually harvested before potato blight or drought become problems. Plant chitted seed in from mid to late March for first earlies, early to mid April for second earlies. Ready for harvest in 13 weeks.
French beans
Require a rich, well drained soil. To avoid the need for staking choose dwarf cultivars such as 'Purple Queen'. Sow outdoors once the soil has warmed up in May to end June. Harvest eight to 12 weeks from sowing.
Runner beans
Easy to sow, with attractive flowers and prolific. Runner beans need harvesting daily. The site should be well prepared and sheltered. Sow when soil is warm at the end of May/early June. Harvest 12-14 weeks from sowing.
Broad beans
The hardiest of beans grown. Dwarf cultivars require less space or staking. Harvest beans sown from March to May 14 weeks from sowing.
Beetroot
Beetroot seed is easy to station sow, but can be tricky to germinate. Sow from mid March and thin early to one seedling per station. Choose cultivars not prone to bolting, such as ‘Boltardy’. Round varieties are ready for harvest from 11 weeks after sowing.
Lettuce
Choose small lettuces such as ‘Tom Thumb’ or ‘Little Gem’ as there is little wastage. They are ready for harvesting eight to 14 weeks from sowing. Cut-and-come-again salads such as the Salad Bowl types, give a succession of leaves, from six to eight weeks after sowing. Prepare site with lots of compost to create a fertile moisture retentive soil. Start sowing from mid March, thinnng early.
Radish
Ready to eat three to four weeks after sowing, sow at fortnightly intervals from March onwards for a continuous crop. Seeds should be sown thinly to avoid thinning.
Courgettes and marrows
Marrows usually trail, courgettes are mostly bushy and are harvested young as small marrows. Sow seed in situ after all danger of frost has passed at the end of May to early June. Alternatively sow in pots in late April to early May for planting out. Harvesting begins 10-14 weeks from sowing.
Garlic, shallots
Shallots from sets are quick to mature, producing a further eight to 12 shallots per set. Plant sets in February or March.
Garlic needs a well-drained and sunny position. Plant in late autumn except in heavy soils when cloves can be grown in modules left out of doors over the winter and planted in the spring. Shallots will take 18 weeks from planting to harvesting. Garlic is ready for lifting and storing in July or August when the foliage starts to yellow.
Cut and come again salad leaves are ideal for this providing a succession of leaves. Vegetables with large seed, such as beans are a good choice as they are easy to sow. Radish are hard to beat for the speed from sowing to harvest, but many of the suggested veg can be harvested in three months from sowing.
Station sowing allows seed that is easy to handle to be sown at their final spacing, often sowing two or more seed and thinning to the strongest. Beetroot or lettuce can be station sown.
If sowing under glass large seed such as pumpkins and squash or courgettes and marrows are ideal as they can be sown individually in pots.
Pumpkins, squash
Most form large trailing plants, which can be trained in circles, over strong supports or left to sprawl. The large seeds are easy to sow, either in pots in April/May or in situ in June. Pumpkins and squash require a moist soil, but are otherwise easy to grow.
Early potatoes
For a summer supply of new potatoes, early potatoes are best as they are usually harvested before potato blight or drought become problems. Plant chitted seed in from mid to late March for first earlies, early to mid April for second earlies. Ready for harvest in 13 weeks.
French beans
Require a rich, well drained soil. To avoid the need for staking choose dwarf cultivars such as 'Purple Queen'. Sow outdoors once the soil has warmed up in May to end June. Harvest eight to 12 weeks from sowing.
Runner beans
Easy to sow, with attractive flowers and prolific. Runner beans need harvesting daily. The site should be well prepared and sheltered. Sow when soil is warm at the end of May/early June. Harvest 12-14 weeks from sowing.
Broad beans
The hardiest of beans grown. Dwarf cultivars require less space or staking. Harvest beans sown from March to May 14 weeks from sowing.
Beetroot
Beetroot seed is easy to station sow, but can be tricky to germinate. Sow from mid March and thin early to one seedling per station. Choose cultivars not prone to bolting, such as ‘Boltardy’. Round varieties are ready for harvest from 11 weeks after sowing.
Lettuce
Choose small lettuces such as ‘Tom Thumb’ or ‘Little Gem’ as there is little wastage. They are ready for harvesting eight to 14 weeks from sowing. Cut-and-come-again salads such as the Salad Bowl types, give a succession of leaves, from six to eight weeks after sowing. Prepare site with lots of compost to create a fertile moisture retentive soil. Start sowing from mid March, thinnng early.
Radish
Ready to eat three to four weeks after sowing, sow at fortnightly intervals from March onwards for a continuous crop. Seeds should be sown thinly to avoid thinning.
Courgettes and marrows
Marrows usually trail, courgettes are mostly bushy and are harvested young as small marrows. Sow seed in situ after all danger of frost has passed at the end of May to early June. Alternatively sow in pots in late April to early May for planting out. Harvesting begins 10-14 weeks from sowing.
Garlic, shallots
Shallots from sets are quick to mature, producing a further eight to 12 shallots per set. Plant sets in February or March.
Garlic needs a well-drained and sunny position. Plant in late autumn except in heavy soils when cloves can be grown in modules left out of doors over the winter and planted in the spring. Shallots will take 18 weeks from planting to harvesting. Garlic is ready for lifting and storing in July or August when the foliage starts to yellow.