Grow your own permalink
Veg for One
This discussion has been closed.
-
Message 1.Â
Posted by crazygillie (U14577799) on Friday, 6th August 2010
I am a single person with a reasonable amount of space to grow veg and fruit - but not as much time as I would like. I really want to supply most of what I eat and probably could with the space I have but I seem to have gluts and then nothing. How do I get better organised with continuous supply of varied veg. Ideas very welcome
-
Message 2
Posted by nooj (U13729031) on Friday, 6th August 2010
I can only think of sowing little and often right through the season, and of course preserving any excess by freezing, drying, bottling etc
-
Message 3
Posted by sunnymount (U14480938) on Saturday, 7th August 2010
I agree with nooj. I have been getting more successful with growing veg year by year but as I grow more and experiment I seem to have loads a once. So next year I am drawing up my own planting calender so that I can plant less seed but more often. I'm going to try and get the most growing season out of each veg.
-
Message 4
Posted by pinxit (U14558922) on Saturday, 7th August 2010
Hi crazygillie. Have you got a greenhouse? I got a little one last year and I bless the day; over winter it grew rocket, spring onions and winter lettuce; in summer it has grown tomatoes chillis, carrots, dill, coriander, strawbs in hanging baskets and the peppers are beginning to form. It's only 6ft 7in x 5ft 3in! Not a huge amount of work - a little watering each day in summer. It was good for starting off seedlings in spring, too. If a GH is too expensive, a couple of cold frames allow for plenty of winter salad and starting seedlings.
-
Message 5
Posted by tattiebogle (U11728394) on Saturday, 7th August 2010
Hello crazygillie, I agree with the other comments. This year, for most crops, I limited myself to sowing only 6 of anything at a time and it worked better than other years. So I still have the same number of peas and bean plants for example, but they are maturing at different rates. Use different varieties as well, as they will all mature at different rates to give you a succession.
Some varieties of peas can be eaten as mange tout, or as ordinary peas, or if you leave them til late, as marrowfat peas. Same with French beans, eat what you want as young pods and leave the rest to mature into beans.
You have to sow all your sweetcorn at the same time but I've discovered you can eat it at any stage. I have been eating mine when the cobs are bigger than the baby cobs you get in shops but still not fully grown and they're lovely.
Potatoes, too, you don't need to leave until they are mature, you can eat them as soon as the tubers are the size of 'new' potatoes, so you get a longer harvesting time. -
Message 6
Posted by LilAmbar (U14195859) on Saturday, 7th August 2010
I've slowly been working towards this over the last three years and I'm by no means there yet. I'm in a similar position and getting closer to growing almost all my veg. It'll definitly take you a little time to get it right but don't let that put you off. Do your research and work with seasonal food and you'll get it right eventually. Find a planner that shows you when to sow and harvest different types of veg so you don't grow things that ripen at the same time. Start with a few different veg and work up; use different varieties of the same veg to extend the harvest time. I've found the key is to grow a small amount of lots of different things in different varieties so you don't get gluts.
Take some time selecting your fruit. For example, if you select the right three or four varieties of blueberry, you can harvest for months rather than just a few weeks.
Salad leaves - sow three to four weeks apart early in the year. You should be able to cut three or four times before you need to resow. Change the variety as the year goes on to improve winter hardiness and use a cold frame or greenhouse to ensure you get a continous supply throughout any snow or very hard weather. Not much work and much tastier than the bags from the shops.
Another thing I've started growing chard this year - it's been great and is still going strong. Six plants have been feeding me for a couple and the best thing is you only need to cut what you need, leaving the plant in the ground to continue growing. I've frozen some as an experiment in the hope I can use it later in the year. -
Message 7
Posted by Kleftiwallah (U13700999) on Saturday, 7th August 2010
Have you thought about contacting a charity who may know of someone looking for a little piece of land to grow crops on? (single parent family, or recently widowed person).
They could help you with the heavy stuff and an occasional visit and someone to talk to over the compost bin may be nice. Cheers, Tony. -
Message 8
Posted by gaffelbiter (U14481810) on Saturday, 7th August 2010
Get a good book! I was in a similar position when I got my plot 12 years ago. I found 'Growing Your Own Vegetables' By Joy Larkom to be invaluable.
-
Message 9
Posted by crazygillie (U14577799) on Saturday, 7th August 2010
Hi thanks for the response I love books especially gardening and self-sufficiency books. Will get this one.
-
Message 10
Posted by crazygillie (U14577799) on Saturday, 7th August 2010
Thanks for your advice - will take on board. Little and often and lots of variety
-
Message 11
Posted by crazygillie (U14577799) on Saturday, 7th August 2010
Hello - I must get a bit more organised and as suggested sow just a few seeds but more often. I grew 6 climbing french beans more than I could eat and my friends and neighbours. I really only need one cucumber plant. Why did I plant 2 summer squash and 2 winter squash. Life and learn for next year.
-
Message 12
Posted by crazygillie (U14577799) on Saturday, 7th August 2010
I bought a plastic greenhouse this year and it is overrun by toms which I have not managed to keep under control. Am looking forward to using it for overwintering salad leaves.
-
Message 13
Posted by crazygillie (U14577799) on Saturday, 7th August 2010
Hi. I think you are right and will start my own chart during the winter and try to plant little and often. Thanks
-
Message 14
Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Saturday, 7th August 2010
I found a way to extend my strawberry season this year. When they started getting flower buds, I nipped off all the first set of buds on a few of the plants. This delayed them a bit and they produced buds again a few weeks later. I began picking strawberries in June and am still picking them in August.
-
Message 15
Posted by honeysuckle (U8412568) on Saturday, 7th August 2010
I had a similar problem, but I find that putting a cut plastic bottle or similar over some of the plants brings them on earlier than the uncovered ones.
-
Message 16
Posted by the2 jays (U14383723) on Sunday, 8th August 2010
Another good book is Salad Leaves For all Seasons by Charles Dowding. I have both his books & they are a really good read. He advocates the no dig method which saves time too.
-
Message 17
Posted by Songe (U14579027) on Sunday, 8th August 2010
Hi Crazygillie I am also a single person, I grow all my veg in containers as I have no ground space, apart from a piece which I planted runner beans, they actually grew along my washing line last year, very easy picking. I water each day & feed when I remember too. I have a greenhouse which is full of tomatoe plants, never nip the tops out, they are growing across the roof now, I always grow Sungold Orange cherry tomatoes which produces bundles of tomatoes. I also have a 4 tier mini greenhouse & cold frame which I brought recently, so I am going to try and grow some salad things this winter.
I have sown my Dig In seeds & some carrot ones from last year growing in a long container. My lettuce is grown in an old Butler sink. Every thing is doing great so nice to just go out & pick it fresh.
I sow little and often as suggested by others, some is trial & error. Never had much luck with courgettes in a grow bag, this year I planted one plant in a container got 8 courgettes and a couple more coming along nicely. I have had a few handfuls of dwarf beans, I grow my pototes the bags.
You will have lots of fun and be proud at the end of the day. Happy gardening!! -
Message 18
Posted by gaffelbiter (U14481810) on Sunday, 8th August 2010
Keep your enthusiasm going during the winter:
I order lots of catalogues and use them for bed~time reading. Sounds a bit sad, but when you're caught by the grow your own bug there is no escape! Not too late to plant some winter greens. Lots of autumn planting collections available, if you haven't got round to sowing your own, these are worth considering. -
Message 19
Posted by crazygillie (U14577799) on Sunday, 8th August 2010
Thanks for book recommendation will add to my want list. What is his other book? Also like Bob Flowerdews books.
-
Message 20
Posted by crazygillie (U14577799) on Sunday, 8th August 2010
Thanks for all the great information - have been gardening for some time now but have become more determined this year to grow as much as I can for myself. I like to know what I am eating - would like to spend more time in the garden just need to earn a living as well.
-
Message 21
Posted by crazygillie (U14577799) on Sunday, 8th August 2010
I must be sad as well because my bedside reading pile is gardening books and some cooking books.
-
Message 22
Posted by the2 jays (U14383723) on Monday, 9th August 2010
Not sad at all. My daughter's bedtime reading are veg & allotment books. If I could read in bed they would be my choice too. Was it the other Charles Dowding book you wanted the title of, if so Organic Gardening... The Natural No Dig Way.
About this Board
Welcome to the new Gardening Board. If this is your first time, then make sure you check out the
or  to take part in a discussion.
The message board is currently closed for posting.
Weekdays 09:00-00:00
Weekends 10:00-00:00
This messageboard is .
Find out more about this board's
Search this Board
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú iD
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú navigation
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú links
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú © 2014 The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.