What Are You Growing?

[Kinoulton]

I've never previously been a gardner, least of all a food grower, but a delightful lady what keeps her horse here keeps giving me cuttings and I'm hooked!

I'm now growing strawberries, courgettes, and spinach.

Why is it so satisfying to do this when you can actually buy the stuff quite easily?

[Bill W (2)]

This is not a question of economics.

My asparagus, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers et al all taste much better to me simply because I have grown them. Even though they harvest when they are available at their cheapest elsewhere.

I convince myself of course that that is because firstly I have grown them and secondly I have been able to grow more tasty (and lower yielding) varieties than commercial growers.

I may be conning myself.

But I do not care!!!

[Kinoulton]

I think you've hit the nail on the head .

[Old Hob]

Old, sadly.

[Rizzo]

Herbs mainly, plus garlic and that's about it. Since the other half decided to put his new (big) shed on what used to be the only flower and plant border, I'm a bit stuck!

[Phil B]

I have just lifted about 2 kilos of spuds and half a kilo of peas for lunch today and tomorrow and they will taste great and have cost more than I could have bought them for. As as been said, it's not a question of economics, just the satisfaction of working outside, and I guess working the soil. I have tomatoes ( I have a competition with the neighbour as to who can grow the biggest cour de boeuf), haricot verts, celery, onions, shallots, beetroot, rhubarb, onions, carrots and cabbage (and Herbs) to come in a plot around 45 metres square - so it's a bit cramped!! But we have been helped by a wet spring, early sowing (March) and some warm days.

I love it.

[SPIKE@srufc]

Mophead has been growing spuds, garlic, onions, courgettes, butter nut squash and the thing he is most pleased with Habanero chillies (which he tells me will blow my face off!).

He's really enjoyed growing all this stuff and has plans for more to come.

[CJ]

I've got various varieties of cabbage, seven rows of different potatoes, broad, french and runner beans, onions (white and red) and garlic, butternut squash, sweetcorn, beetroot, parsnips (they did really well last year), mangetout and globe artichokes.

there is some space left so I'm searching for something you can still plant in mid June.

and I've got redcurrants, blackcurrants, blueberries and apples at the side of the house and a small fig tree. this is all a new venture so we'll see how it goes, but the currants look excellent and will be harvested soon.

I think it turns out to be about the same price as I would pay for it in the supermarket (though I do shop at Waitrose!), but that's not the point. it's the taste and the sheer enjoyment of growing it all yourself. especially satisfying when I'm up at the allotment, weeding away, and being watched by blackbirds and robins.

[cornish tigress]

Glad you've got the bug Kin. My greenhouse is packed with peppers (sweet, jalapeno and chilli) toms (cherry, normal and beef) and cucumbers (pickling and normal). Outside we have potatoes (earlies in pots and main crop in the bed), onions, shallots and garlic. Carrots, parsnips, salads (this year I'm trying lamb's lettuce too which I love) Swiss chard, cabbage and kale, ps broccoli, broad, runner and dwarf beans, leeks, peas and courgettes. Also have black and redcurrants, raspberries, loganberries, strawberries, rhubarb, apples x 3 varieties and pears. That lot should give us something all year.
Nothing is better than coming into the kitchen with arms full of stuff from the garden for the cook. I don't cook much, him indoors does that. And I always comment on how lovely the vegetables are! The peas never make it to the kitchen, I always somehow eat them all raw on the way. This year my plot is proper anal and is in little tidy rows with labels and crop rotation system in progress! Love it.

[Rizzo]

Wait until the bunny squad attack, Alix...

[cornish tigress]

I have a big fence now! And a roaming big dog. Oh, I forgot the spinach. It's a bit sickly this year though. The bunnies can have that!

[tigerburnie]

I have a big fence now! And a roaming big dog. Oh, I forgot the spinach. It's a bit sickly this year though. The bunnies can have that!

Thought you west country yokels wouldn't use the bunny wabbit words?

I love the taste of fresh picked veg,pride of the crop last year was watercress,growing more this year,tastes better than land cress and a lot,lot cheaper to grow than to buy.

[DCat]

Mouldy....

[cornish tigress]

Old Dough?

[Kinoulton]

I like the idea of growing these hot chillis. How do I start?

(I'm one of these ignorant people that tends to spice up my food before I've even tasted it. I know it's very frowned upon by people on Come Dine With Me, but I know my bird's cooking well enough to know that I always like it a tad hotter than she does.)