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Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

Foolproof, can't go wrong, minimal input, easy to grow veg

65 replies

hmc · 10/04/2011 18:37

Tried to grow veg the summers of 2008 and 2009. Yields so poor relative to time and money invested that I was thoroughly pissed off by whole thing and did diddly squat last year. Feel I ought to do something this year but need to build my low confidence with something foolproof and easy. I am going to do tomatoes in hanging baskets since those were successful when I tried them - can you suggest anything else that is idiot proof?

OP posts:
KnickersOnOnesHead · 10/04/2011 21:34

Hula, are you sure you had red tomatoes though Grin

LifeOfKate · 10/04/2011 21:36

Ooo, Hulababy, tell me your secret for the spring onions! My (seriously greenfingered) MIL tells me that they are quite hard to grow, and last year I managed the grand total of one! I was just starting to think that maybe I should harvest it and then we had 50cm of snow Hmm

Hulababy · 10/04/2011 21:45

lol knickers - I do believe they were red on the front of the seed packet!

lifeofkate - no secret. It was 8y DD's first time of trying to grow veggies and tbh all we did was plant and water every so often. Did nothing more. They grew really easily with minimal input. And they tasted delicious - DD was pulling them up, giving them a rinse and eating them there and then!

Hulababy · 10/04/2011 21:46

Oh, but ours were sown around this time last year iirr and ready to eat in the summer iirr.

BonzoDooDah · 10/04/2011 22:11

TrillianAstra - I didn't know that about the basil and was carefully plucking basil leaves all the time - Dur!

I'd second runner beans and french beans - really easy.
Strawberrys are great and fab to eat straight off the bush.

Don't bother with carrots or parsnips unless your soil is really fine - ours split so much they looked like mandrakes
Don't put lettuce in the ground if you have slugs - ours even ate the rocket which is supposed to be slug-proof
Tomatoes are great but 2009 was a shite year for them - everyone I know had a rubbish crop so don't be disheartened by that year.

And isn't rhubarb technically a vegetable?

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 10/04/2011 22:12

Rocket is definitely easy, have sowed some in the allotment a couple of weeks ago and they were the first up out of a few things. Carrots aren't worth the hassle I feel as cheap to buy and you need to potentially worry about carrot fly.

Outdoor cucumbers (Marketmore) were successful last year, just chucked them in after last frost date and they did their own thing. For courgettes bury a big plant pot near the roots or plastic bottle with end cut off then you can water direct to the roots. We did runners last year and are sticking to French beans this year as don't really like them and has bags full.

Perpetual spinach is easy. Surprise success was rainbow chard, looks pretty as well. Stalks went in strirfry, curries, fritatta etc and leaves used like spinach but need a few mins longer.

PoppetOne · 10/04/2011 22:16

Re Basil, only water during day, never, ever water at night as will turn grey are hate sitting in cold water overnight.

PoppetOne · 10/04/2011 22:17

as hate, etc not are. Sorry.

oldsilver · 10/04/2011 23:37

Always plant marigolds near where you are growing carrots, they attract the carrot fly away from carrots and look pretty too!!

AngelDog · 11/04/2011 00:26

Yes, basil is best watered around noonish.

Another vote for rocket, spinach, chard, chives and spring onions. All self-seed here, although we grow them in pots due to the slugs.

Our spring onions stay alive through the winter - in a tiny pot which hasn't had its soil changed for about 3 years. I always forget to water them too. :)

mybabywakesupsinging · 11/04/2011 07:25

I seem to be incapable of growing coriander. Would love too, though...tips please! My mint died last winter, but rosemary, thyme and sage have stayed alive for years now.
We manage potatoes, carrots, rocket, beans OK.
Leeks were tiny (we did not thin enough, I think).
Purple sprouting broccoli (ds2 calls it juicy broccoli)
We are trying calabrese this year, also sprouts. I fancy trying mange tout if it is easy.

HeadfirstForHalos · 11/04/2011 07:31

Runner beans are idiot proof, we grew loads last year, bamboo canes are very cheap in wilko's/poundland.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 11/04/2011 07:55

Mybaby, we're trying Golden sweet mange tout this year from Real Seeds, though saw some in local garden centre. Apparently it has pretty flowers and the mange tout are yellow so should look pretty and make it easy to pick.

I can't grow leeks or any type of onions from seeds. Did red onions from sets last year which were good and bunged shallots in recently which are coming up and hopefully will just do their own thing .

TheChewyToffeeMum · 11/04/2011 08:26

Tomatoes were a total wash out here last year and 2009. My mother had success with some cherry type ones though so this year I am going to try some tiny ones that grow in bunches like grapes.

Successes last year included: carrots, peas, rainbow chard, potatoes (in containers), strawberries, rhubarb, rocket, mixed salad leaves, leaf beet, parsley.

Failures last year : sweetcorn (have finally accepted this won't work!), blueberries (birds-grr), pumpkin, courgette (due to neglect), french beans.

New for this year: mini pumpkins, celeriac.

I would love to try broccoli etc again but we are plagued by cabbage whites and their caterpillars here. Not had a problem with slugs at all - maybe due to planting in a raised bed.

upyourdiva · 11/04/2011 09:01

I have always wanted to try growing fruit/veg but have never even managed to grow a sunflower Blush

We don't have much space in the garden and lots of slugs/bugs/cats around would this be an issue? Would probably be better off with pots than in ground as I am clue less about soil etc.

Quite fancy strawberries, mixed lettuce leaves, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers as have heard these are all pretty easy anyone agree?

Would also like to grow sweetcorn, potatoes and carrots but I think these are supposed to be difficult.

Can I ask when is the best time to plant the easy stuff and will pots be sufficient? How do I get them started?

Thanks to all you green fingered folk :o

HarrietJones · 11/04/2011 09:03

Do carrots in containers/ window boxes. No problems with rough soil or carrot fly

Spacehoppa · 11/04/2011 09:37

rhubarb is terrific. We have a small forest of it!

BonzoDooDah · 11/04/2011 10:25

upyourdiva - start small so you're not disheartened - a load of pots is a good way - all the ones you mentioned are good. Courgettes are good too - you can buy small plants of all those from garden centres so have a good start.

You can grow potatoes in an old compost bag - rolled down sides and top up the soil and roll the sides up as the plant grows (just throw in a handfull of spuds from your potato bag that have started to sprout).

BonzoDooDah · 11/04/2011 10:25

Oh and DAM you all!! I spent £38 on seeds online at Thompson and Morgan last night Blush Shock

maresedotes · 11/04/2011 11:33

Pumpkins are easy (and I speak as one who does not have green fingers). Bought a pot from Asda, grew it in the pot and then planted it in garden. So proud of myself but it seriously took no effort.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 11/04/2011 11:36

Seeing as you've already spent your money Bonzo and are now safe, I'll link a few seed companies for everyone else:

Real Seeds, did a lot of damage to my wallet with this in January, run by a MNetter I think. You can save the seeds of these so economical in long run or so I tell myself !

More Veg Good selection selling smallish amounts of seeds (but you really don't want 100 of things like courgettes anyway), free postage over a fiver. Great when you're starting out and want to try bits and pieces. They sell Hestia I think which are runner beans that grow in a pot and don't get very tall if anyone wants to try some in pots.

Alan Romans Not used them but heard they are good and pretty cheap.

Premier Seeds on Ebay, heard good reviews about them]]

Lidl and Aldi do cheap seeds and Wilkinsons are good, fab crop of butternut squash off Wilkinson's butternut squash seeds last year and year before some very exotic looking green aubergines with white marbling from Lidl, for not a lot of money.

Church and gardening club sales are generally next month and might get a few bargains there. Our local market is good for things like cucumbers where a small plant is 50p but you don't want too many of them anyway. Car boot sales also worth a lot.

Speak to friends who garden, bet they have spare seeds they will give away or you can get together and go halves.

Upyourdiva, I'd leave sweetcorn for now, you need to put them in blocks or they won't pollinate and you need a fair bit of space. Tumbling tom is a variety of tomato that goes well in a hanging basket, fruits are very small though. Sungold is absolutely flipping gorgeous, tried them for the first time last year, very nice indeed, an orange cherry tomato. Strawberries can go in troughs or any spare container. You can get some that are called Everbearers or something like that which fruit over a longer season. People often have spare strawberry plants as they chuck off runners so you might be able to get some for free.

Carrots can go in now, Early Nantes have just germinated well for me in a couple of weeks at allotment and I often have trouble with them. As Harriet said, stick them in troughs or something and stick them up on something then no carrot fly issues. Strawberries are fine now as are lettuce and potatoes (you'll need to keep covering the foliage once it shows, called earthing up, especially important if a late frost forecast. Tomatoes fine to start on window sill but need to wait a bit till they go out. Cucumbers I'd wait for a little bit, then start inside in readiness to go out. Make sure you have an outdoor variety, eg. marketmore, Burpless Tasty Green, Lemon crystal (round yellow ones). Courgettes also very tender and grow flipping fast so maybe hold off for a couple of weeks before planting then start inside. They will need a pretty decent size pot though.

Finally for anyone in the south near Kingston Lacy in Dorset, they are restoring the Kitchen Garden which will be allotments and then used to grow to supply the restaurant. It will be open to the public and they were talking about having some play bits for the children, possibly Barford Farm ice creams and there are some pigs that were originally brought in to rotavate the soil for last year's temporary allotments. Official opening day 14th May, think it will be worth a visit mid summer when everything planted up and also I think they are running veg growing courses.Should be lovely when all done, before the war it was second only to Kew in the country and Queen Victoria used to send her gardeners to train there. Sadly fell into decline when most of the gardeners were killed in the war.

Apologies for the long post.

bebejones · 11/04/2011 11:36

I am a rubbish gardener but I have successfully managed to sprout carrots, peas, peppers & tomatoes this year. Fingers crossed they actually yield something. Carrots & peas are coming on brilliantly.

My strawberries are still alive from last year when I got 5 strawberries from 4 plants! Hmm Considerably more plants this year coz they sent out loads of runners! So maybe we might have enough for a jar of jam?! Hmm

All of these are in tubs btw as we have a diddy & mostly overgrown back garden that I can't tackle on my own!

HarrietJones · 11/04/2011 12:22

Can I recommend 'mammoth onion' shop or online? Can't link as I'm on my phone & in a rush but google it. It's on the expensive side but has 'interesting' stuff.

littlewizz · 11/04/2011 13:00

thought I might join in! For those having having carrot fly problems you should grow them very near onions as they deter the carrot flys, Last 3 years we have grown everything in 6 big half oak barrels with compost now we have added 5 raised beds. The half oak barrels have been fab for sugarsnap peas, sugarsnax carrots (hese are long thin and super sweet, Patio Aubergines dont fruit till end aug beg sept but 4 plants have produced masses of lovely aubergines. 1 Cucumber plant in half oak barrel produced masses of fruit. Yellow courgettes do well and are lovely and nutty. and masses of spring onions grown next to the carrots just sow and then thin, you can plant them quite close together.

Remember to net strawberries to stop birds and things eating yoyur lovely fruits and when you get a runner peg it into a pot and then just snip free when roots have formed. Most nurseries to strawberries as plug plants about now about £1 each they are good. I have 15 plants now from my 4 2 years ago.

Raddishes are good and lollo rosso, tom thumb and little gem lettuces. Keep Netted to keep the pigeons off!

Dont forget to water every day and feed, and water twice a day during peak summer heat, but only in the mornings and evening when cooler so as not burn the plants.

Cherry toms in baskets do well too.

Hope you all have a good growing season! The kids love to help, give them there own little space to have a go in!

purplebrickroad · 11/04/2011 13:51

I am going to get hold of an old Belfast sink, or something of that design, beg to put it on a neighbour's allotment, fill it with nothing with parsley, and hope for a summer of parsley soup and garnish. I found their dog last week. They owe me one Belfast sink's space.

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