Top 5 for Beginners
Here’s what to grow for guaranteed success and fresh fruit and veg throughout the season.
Herbs - Easy to grow in even the tiniest container, or plant feathery dill and shrubby rosemary in flowerbeds. Mint is a must, too, but stick it in a pot rather than the border, where it will take over completely.
Tomatoes - They do well against a sunny wall, and you can even put smaller varieties in hanging baskets. Pinch out the growing tips to encourage flowering.
Runner beans - Erect canes to maximise the vertical space in your garden with a guaranteed good cropper. It also fixes nitrogen in the soil, which is great for next year’s crop.
Courgette - Produces a succession of flowers, each of which produces a fruit. Needs plenty of water, and if one gets overlooked you end up with a marrow. Bonus!
Strawberries - Put these at the front of your flowerbeds and give them plenty of manure to start off. They will need protecting from birds with some netting.
What if you don’t have much space?
While it may not be classed as a proper kitchen garden, any bit of outside space can be used to grow food.
Ideas for window boxes, balconies and containers Look for the ‘cut-and-come-again’ types of seeds, for example lettuces and herbs. Trailing tomatoes work well in hanging baskets, and there are dwarf varieties of most veg that are designed for containers. Feed regularly to ensure a good crop.
Rent an allotment
If you don’t have outside space but are keen on growing your own, rent an allotment. Contact your local council for details of available plots, which cost from £5 to £50 a year. Allotments UK is a handy resource for information and has an active online forum.
Dual-purpose the flowerbeds
Integrate vegetables within a regular bed, choosing more colourful and decorative varieties so they look attractive while maturing. You could also choose to grow edible flowers such as nasturtiums.
