[AgnesStevenson]

How many people are going to try growing their own veg this year for the first time?
I usually grow salads in pots and, if the slugs don't get to them first, I love nothing better than baby spinach and rocket picked fresh from the garden.
Amongst my friends I've always been the token gardener, but this year I've noticed that even the ones with permanently-polished finger nails have seed packets hanging about their kitchens.
I work for Gardening Scotland, the national flower show that takes place over the last weekend in May at the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh and this year most of the 15 Show Gardens and lots of the mini pallet gardens will have veg and fruit amongst the flowers.
What I'm keen to discover is how far this trend will prevail. My bet is that if we get a good summer then lots of new gardeners will get hooked on 'growing-their-own' but that if the weather is as miserable as last year then the temptation will be to abandon the attempt.
I'm keen to find out what other gardeners and growers think, however.
Agnes

[Hilarysmum]

Hi Agnes, sadly between the pigs, chickens and ducks I dont have much success with veg or flowers.  Grow an awesome crop of weeds though.

[doganjo]

Since moving to a warmer part of the country, I'm giving veg a try this year.  While I was working John was at home looking after the garden and the dogs in between poring over climbing mags, and the last 6 years have been taken up with dog shows, building my previous house and moving down to this one.  I have a number of seeds started in the conservatory and the raised bed is filling up gradually with soil.  It is beginning to look as if it won't be big enough though, and neighbours are now asking if I'll be selling veg as well as the eggs.  Hopefully the cheap Lidl and Aldi fruit trees will start producing, as well as the soft fruits.  i've taken up Linz' suggestion of growing strawberries in hanging baskets  I'll need to protect everything else from the ducks and hens although that will also mean protecting them from the slugs.

[ballingall]

Hey Agnes,

I'm a bit like Hilarysmum- normally the goats, dogs, chickens and ducks take up too much time for me to grow veg. but this year, inspired by lots of people on here, I am determined to grow more. We did already have fruit trees, and blackcurrant/gooseberry bushes, so its really only the veg that is new this year.

[minidax]

I am a newbie, well I have grown a few tomatoes before but that was all.  I have decided to be super adventurous this year and have just about everything - how successful it will be is another story but I am having great fun trying! 

[HappyHippy]

Hi,
I'm growing veg for the first time this year - the usual suspects,
Potatoes, leeks, carrots, beetroot, onion, garlic - just to see how I get on.

Have grown herbs & lettuce before in big pots (with a band of copper tape round them to stop the slugs !) and had a fair bit of success.

I think the 'grow your own' trend is definately increasing, maybe thanks to TV programmes or maybe the media frenzy over the credit crunch ? Who knows...
but it's no bad thing 

[cmorrell]

Hi Agnes,

I've been growing herbs for a few years now, but this is the first year I'll be growing vegetables. I'm basically taking over my mother's garden as, although she always used to grow a good range of fruit & veg, she is no longer able to do much and the amount grown each year has reduced steadily.

Of course, now I get to grow the fruit and veg *I* want to... so that's a bonus imo 

[Greenerlife]

Of course, now I get to grow the fruit and veg *I* want to...



That is so true!  Also isn't it strange that the easiest to grow crops are the ones you want least of?  (I am thinking 90 pounds of courgettes last year! And there is only so much chard I can eat!  )

[sausagesandcash]

Best advice I can give re: veg is check your beds every morning...at the first sign of a weed or something you didn't plant, pluck it. Every day takes 2 mins...leave it for a week or two...forget it! Chimney soot is also a great 'natural' deterent to slugs....which where I come from are a damn pest. With Swedes or 'turnips' let them get 2 or 3 frosts to softer them up before harvesting. Raised beds are great for drainage. Always spray your spuds for blight (bitter experience). For spuds, hoe, stick in a line of manure, cover with soil (1 !/2 to 2 inches), then stick in the seed crop and cover over.....there endeth the (synopsised) lesson! I learned all that last year from my failures!

best of luck....it tastes all the sweeter when you grow it yourself!

Morgan 

[Hilarysmum]

Hi interesting post - I once left my leaks without checking for a week, and I never did find them.  The weeds had gone so high.  Its a Brittany problem!  Also pots. we get invaded by colorado beetles, who dont stop at the spuds but go for anything from that family including the toms.

Not that it matters since having Hilary, nothing survives a Hilary raid.

[Fluffywelshsheep]

hiya all,
 Well the olddies on the forums know i love my garden, Ihave grow veg each year (not much last year as i was way to busy at the important months)

This year i have two raised bed set up properly now and have started some veg off in them, must sort out my strawberries in the hanging baskets as they havn't got much soil in with them at the moment, but did buy some perlite today to have as help

Linz

[Hilarysmum]

You put me to shame!!!

[Fluffywelshsheep]

but the only live stock i have is my husband and Step son lol