Wealden Times | WT182 | April 2017 | Gardens supplement inside

WT Garden Supplement
The soil is warming and it’s time
to sow some vegetables. This
year I’m trying to tailor the
crops I grow to what – and how much
– we actually eat. I’m sure that I’m
not alone in suffering from the ‘grow
it and throw it’ regime which comes
from sowing too many plants, or from
growing prolific crops like courgettes
that never seem to stop. It’s not always
easy to judge how much is enough. For
the time-pressed, crops that are quick
and easy to grow, harvest and prepare
are also a must. Vegetables that are
used in favourite recipes, crops that
taste much better than shop bought
– that are worth the effort – should
go onto the list too. Deciding what
to grow, and when, can be a bit of a
minefield, but with a little thought at
the beginning of the season (let’s not
make a meal of that bit) we can grow
“If you are short of time,
but still want to grow
something, then salad
leaves are wonderfully
quick and simple”
some useful ingredients, save money
and eat fresh and healthy vegetables.
Plot for portion size
This won’t work for everyone, or for
every crop, but I have found that
dividing your plot up into ‘meal sized’
sections can help with planning out
how much of some things you will
need. The dividing lines don’t need
to be permanent and the size of crop
will depend on how many are in your
household. I’ve found it successful for
peas and beans (dwarf and broad),
for salad crops, beetroot, spinach,
broccoli and herbs like coriander
and flat-leaved parsley. Some of these
can be sown in succession so that (in
theory) the beds can be used several
times during the growing season.
Salad days
If you are short of time, but still want
to grow something, then salad leaves are
wonderfully quick and simple to grow
from scratch. Scatter a pinch of seeds
straight from the packet (remember
portion sizes – it’s easy to sow too much)
and within a few weeks – earlier if you
like baby leaves – they will be ready to
harvest. You can make up your own mix
of seeds, or buy ready mixed packets of
salad seed. Rocket, mustard and stir-fry
mixes of oriental leaves tend to bolt (run
to seed) when grown in hot weather, so
are best sown in the spring and autumn.
Once you get into the habit of sowing
a few leafy crops, you will discover how
easy it is – and how much cheaper and
fresher your salads will be. Most will
keep growing as you cut them too –
hence the ‘cut and come again’ idea.
Convenience food
Some vegetables are tricky. They can be
tricky to grow, a magnet for pests and
Credit: FreeImages.com/John Byer
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