Doin’ The Dirt Directory

366 Days of Gardening Directory

Easy Growers for New Sowers!

Part One – 1 – 5

Part Two – 6 – 10

Part Three – 11 – 15

Continuing along with this small series  … in Part 1 yesterday we looked at five easy to grow vegetables if you were new to gardening – but also even if not a novice gardener, those five vegetables are what are classed as basics or staples in many vegetable gardens.

1 – Peppers [Capsicum]

2 – Salad Greens

3 – Radish

4 – Beetroot

5 – Runner Beans

All the above are easy to grow from seed – although many sellers now offer slips, plugs, seedlings and plants – so as a gardener keen to get going, there are many options available in addition to traditional and conventional seed growing. With the exception of Runner Beans all can be grown indoors on window sills or small containers in the conservatory or around the house. The runner beans are the exception because they can grow to staggering heights. It is always adviseable to pinch out the tops of the plant once they have acquired the height of your support system.

Today’s five are also just as easy to be grown in the house in small pots on window sills or tables, indoor containers, outside containers, raised beds or sown directly to the ground or even grown on in the likes of greenhouses or conservatories.

6 – Peas

Growing Peas

Sow from February to June and Harvest from June till October

Peas don’t mind cooler weather – so whilst you can sow seed indoors earlier, this vegetable can survive being sown direct to the ground earlier than others. Like the runner beans however, they are also going to need a support system in place and once they have achieved their optimum height – remember to pinch out the tops. This is a continuous harvest cropper, so the more you pick during the growing season, the more harvest bounty the plants will provide.

Having discovered that Pea is one of my stomach enemies we will not be growing as many as we have done previously, but Pea is still friendly to Suze so there will be a small support dedicated to her needs.

7 – Potatoes

Growing Potatoes

Sow late February through to March and harvest from July through to September

Despite what many growers think, potato is not that hard a crop to grow, it just requires a little more preparation in consideration to the others already listed. This season we will not be growing this crop due to the problems it causes us both, but we will be growing sweet potatoes.

However the best results l think for this particular vegetable are in bags or containers, although other gardener’s swear by direct to ground sowing and growing.

The secret to success is to keep covering the shoots so as to encourage healthier growth, with soil or compost soil and water well. They love water. When the foliage dies off, as in turns yellow and brown, dig out your pots or empty your bag and scrabble around for your spuds!

One of Suze’s highly successful harvests from using Grow Bags in 2015.

8 – Rhubarb

Growing Rhubarb

Plant crown/seeds/plugs between October through to March. Leave for a year, harvest second year between March to July.

We have a rhubarb plant here by default as in it came with the rental, but this year l have purchased a trio of crowns of my own to plant to containers. We are also planning on transferring the default rhubarb in the very back garden near to the compost bins to the side of the greenhouse due to it being accidentally trodden on when l am working out back.

Rosie Rhubarb at the beginning of February, now at the end of the month she is four times the size in the image.

Rhubarb is a very easy plant to grow, and extremely low maintenance – a case of sow and leave. It does prefer a well drained soil and likes sun, but can survive in shady areas too. It is an extremely hardy plant.

9 – Broad Beans

Growing Broad Beans

Sow November through to March and Harvest from June onwards.

Sow to small pots, containers first indoors around November or sow directly to the ground February.  Stake as required to encourage growth, keep well watered. Pinch out the tops when they are around two and half to three feet in height. This will ensure continuous growth and crop production and reduce pest problems.

10 – Onions

Growing Onions

Sow indoors Later February or direct to ground March to April, harvest crop July through to September.

Mostly an easy maintained vegetable to grow – for best results – plant in sets – which is quicker than seeds. Onions appreciate well drained compost rich soils and some decent sun.  Only water if weather is dry, as in don’t overwater – onions don’t like excess watering. 

Harvest the crop when the leaves turn yellow and die off. If the onions start to flower, pick these out to encourage the growth on the bulbs. There are alternative options to conventional onions found in the likes of Spring Onions.

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Anyway, that’s our second five easy growers for new sowers. Tomorrow l will finish off with part 3. For the time being, many thanks for stopping by and l’ll catch you next episode.

Doin’ The Dirt Directory

366 Days of Gardening Directory

Easy Growers for New Sowers!

Part One – 1 – 5

Part Two – 6 – 10

Part Three – 11 – 15