2011 - Are you growing your own this year?

**LibertyGal72** · 22-02-2011, 05:26pm

I made a stab at some grow-your-own in my backyard last year, and I am keen to try a little bit more in 2011.

So what are you growing? What is relatively easy for a relative newbie?

I am thinking tomatoes, salad leaves, radishes,.... but I am wondering what else to try.

I do fancy aubergine and courgette but do they take up loads of room? And I fancy trying some turnips as I can never find them in the shops these days. Do seed/plant catalogues sometimes label them as swedes?

LG

**donna-j** · 22-02-2011, 05:45pm

I am sort of doing the following (Mum will grow from seed then pass to me when they are big enough):

Tomatoes (just Sungold x 6 as they are the only ones that had flavour last year)
Runner beans
Peas

I will also do salad leaves, spring onions and maybe cucumber.

I always have herbs on the go.

This all has to go in my small front garden as it gets all the sunlight. I have a perfect bit of flat-topped wall I can put low pots on.

**RedVelvet** · 22-02-2011, 05:48pm

Courgettes are fab. They don't take up much room and mine have yet to fail. Tomatoes I find hit and miss, potatoes, beetroot and butternut squash are easy but need some space. We do ok with peas but they never make it to the kitchen, likewise stawberries. Grow what you like to eat!

**lafleur** · 22-02-2011, 06:03pm

I'll be doing a bit this year. I have a separate patch in my back garden with 3 large raised beds in which most things do really well.

I think I'll be doing courgettes, potatoes, salad leaves, broad beans and onions. I have some rhubarb in situ in one of the beds which always does really well.

I find tomatoes never flourish in my garden. I think they do best with a greenhouse, but then my neighbour's do fantastically without. I've heard aubergines aren't easy, and are best in a greenhouse too. Carrots I find a bit hit and miss in my garden too, but I think that's because I have quite stoney soil, so end up with rudely shaped veg!

**fifitrix** · 22-02-2011, 06:12pm

Yep, I am just planning my veg for this year. I do it all in pots and raised beds so no need to prep the ground or anything.

I'll be doing courgettes (easy as anything) tomatoes, runner beans, green beans, radishes, spinach, rocket and other leaves, carrots, a few onions, garlic, loads of herbs and maybe some sweetcorn (not done before but J is begging for it) My garden is sheltered and south facing so pretty much anything grows so long as it gets plenty water and I keep the bugs down.

I can't wait - I love it so much and J really enjoys growing it all too

**Lemony Posset** · 22-02-2011, 07:06pm

We do ours in large pots (plastic trug things), this year I think we're going to do: broad beans, runner beans, french beans, sweetcorn, courgette, beetroot, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, cucumber, salad leaves and maybe some peas, shallots and radishes.

We have some strawberries and herb plants too, and I want to add some bay this year.

Fifitrix, we tried sweetcorn last year as DD really wanted to (I was v.dubious as to whether it would work) and actually they worked really well. We got 6 cobs off 5 plants in one big plastic trug. (Grew some dwarf french beans in the same pot in the spaces in between too which worked ok).

**Zia** · 22-02-2011, 07:16pm

I grow my own every year, but I'm away for a month this year so I can't really. It'll probably be too late to start when I'm back

.

Tomatoes (I grow numerous varieties) and courgettes are easy to grow for beginners.

**LibertyGal72** · 22-02-2011, 07:25pm

Originally Posted by Lemony Posset

..., we tried sweetcorn last year as DD really wanted to (I was v.dubious as to whether it would work) and actually they worked really well. We got 6 cobs off 5 plants in one big plastic trug. (Grew some dwarf french beans in the same pot in the spaces in between too which worked ok).

Wow! How big was your trug then? Do you have any pictures to share?

**claireh** · 22-02-2011, 09:04pm

We will be planting when we get home at the end of April, well DH will be, I am not a very keen gardener at all.

Last year we had huge success with our peas, mange tout, string beans, green beans, sweetcorn, tomatoes and courgettes. The only one that I am not keen to grow again are the courgettes. We got an amazing crop but tbh I just don't like courgettes that much. Bet I get overruled and they get planted anyway!

Our celery, celariac, purple sprouting brocolli (died over winter) and chilli's were not that great.

Our strawberry plants, tayberry, gooseberry and blueberry had ok crops but the birds got to them before we could. We did have them covered by nets but the birds still managed to get them. We need better protection for our fruit this year!

ETA LP sweetcorn was fab to grow! Would definitely recommend them.

**fifitrix** · 22-02-2011, 09:37pm

Originally Posted by Lemony Posset

Fifitrix, we tried sweetcorn last year as DD really wanted to (I was v.dubious as to whether it would work) and actually they worked really well. We got 6 cobs off 5 plants in one big plastic trug. (Grew some dwarf french beans in the same pot in the spaces in between too which worked ok).

Oh brilliant, thanks that is good to know! J will be chuffed to bits as she thinks it's hilarious to see it growing