Growing stuff.

Tom’s – from the August Break 2011.

Last year the boy, our then housemate and I tried our hands at growing
stuff we could eat in our little yard. We had some strawberry plants, runner beans
and tomatoes. And it was a pretty good success. We regularly had freshly
picked, taste just like sweets toms that never made it to the table because we
ate them all straight off the plant, more runner beans than we could eat and a
decent amount of strawberries.  The raspberry plant languished in the
shade of the tomatoes and the butternut squash did not like not being watered
for a week at all.


This year however, I am stepping up the game. It is part of my 31
things
 – to grow 5 things I can eat and then eat them. I have a list
of things I fancy planting. A seemingly long list that .  This year I will
be going to a garden centre and buying plantlings, not just acquiring them.
This year I am going with the ‘go big or go home’ school of thought to the
gardening {nothing to do with the ‘plant more then it won’t matter if half of
it dies’ school of thought, nope, nada}


This year, my list includes;

Strawberries – we still have a plant alive. From last year. I know. Wtf?

Raspberries – They’re already there, and I promise I won’t plant a
Tomato near it this time.

Blackberries

Rhubarb – with a bit from my dad’s plant

Squash
or Pumpkin – I love how they look as they wind their way round things.

And a shed load of herbs for the boy to cook with.


I have been reading books and devouring the advice on Seed to Plate, including
planning how to get the best from our little raised beds and planters, but does
anyone have any advice for me. Is there anything I should take off this list.
Is there anything I have missed? I know I ought to start in a bit. But when? Is
the farmers market on Saturday too early to start buying things?

4 comments

  1. When we go to the stores I keep seeing so many plants and seeds I want to grab and grow. Darn not having a yard to be able to grow some things especially salads and fruits. Home grown tomatoes are so tasty. My parents never had much look with radishes – never knew why.

  2. So excited to see another blogger interested in gardening! I want to do a blog post on growing fruit and veggies but I worry no one else would be interested! I have started germinating the seeds of everything I'm growing this year in propagators or pots on the windowsill and then I'll harden them off in the next couple of weeks and plant them out mid April or so. I'm growing a lot of what you are but also peppers and chillies, as well as lots of flowers to put in to make the garden pretty! You can get started now but don't plant things outside until after the last frost. And if you want to copare notes feel free to drop me an email or a tweet! 🙂 xxx

  3. MMM homegrown things are sooo much nicer! we grew blueberries, potatoes and my fav was the peas in pods – sooo nice x

  4. Rachael – I bet you could get some super tasty things grown on windowsils. Herbs at least. Although with indoor growing, how do you get rid of those little black flies?

    Rosie – I can't believe you're growing from scratch. Amazing. I don't think I am up to that. But i'd love to read what you're doing and growing and how they are coming along. we should have a garden geek off.

    Nic – We tried pots at my m&d's but they were the most expensive potatoes ever grown. Tasty though. And I hadn't thought of blueberries. I might scrap something on the list and grow them!

    xo

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I accept the Privacy Policy