This year I am planning my annual veggies based on four criteria: ease of growing, how much better they taste home-grown than bought, whether we will actually eat them, and whether they’re expensive in the shops. Here’s how the analysis looks (green plus, orange maybe, red negative):
The ones with green stars to their left are the ones that make the cut: anything with one or more red minuses or no green pluses was out. After a little more debate I have ditched podded peas in favour of just growing mangetout (mostly eaten straight from the plant in the garden, mmm). Which gives me:
| Vegetable | Plant | Harvest | Bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potatoes | Mid-March – May (earlies) | 9-10 wks after planting (early June – August) | South-west (once broad beans are up) |
| Chard | Spring/self-sown | Throughout year | South/north-east perennial beds |
| Rocket | Throughout year (not July) | Throughout year | Wherever there’s space |
| Misc lettuce | Throughout year (not July) | Throughout year | North-west bed |
| Courgette | Indoors mid-April, plant out mid-May | From July/August | North-west bed |
| Pepper | Mid-Feb onwards indoors, plant ‘out’ mid-May | From July/August (harvest green to increase yield) | Greenhouse |
| Garlic | Nov (already in) | June | In edges of various beds |
| Mangetout | March | June | Next to fig up fence; in tomato pots until tomatoes ready |
| Broad beans | Nov (already in) | April-May | South-west bed |
| Podded beans | May | July | Square bean bed |
| Tomatoes | March in greenhouse | August/September | In pots along fence |
So my tasks so far look like this:
- February:
- Look over that list and existing seeds, buy seeds as necessary
- Transplant herbs into perennial beds
- March:
- Sow rocket as necessary (wherever)
- Chit potatoes (late March)
- Plant peppers on windowsill / in greenhouse
- Plant mangetout (in tomato pots / next to fig)
- Plant tomatoes (in greenhouse)
- April:
- Sow chard as necessary (perennial beds)
- Sow misc lettuce as necessary (NW bed)
- Plant courgettes in greenhouse (mid April)
- Pull up broad beans (late April)
- Plant potatoes (SW bed)
- May:
- Plant out courgettes (NW bed) (mid-May)
- Plant out peppers (greenhouse) (mid-May)
- Plant podded beans (square bean bed)
- June:
- Harvest garlic
- Harvest mangetout
- July:
- Sow chard as necessary
- Sow rocket as necessary
- Harvest podded beans
- August:
- Harvest potatoes
Next I need to work out what other tasks I need to do: fertilising, tying in fruit, peas, and tomatoes, etc. Then I can transfer it all into my calendar — thus minimising decisions to make and enabling me just to do things when I have a moment.
