What are you growing?

[slowworm]

Well to kick 2026 off I've picked up a bag of seed potatoes, Sharpes Express again this year and I'll be growing self saved Pink Fir Apples.

There's still plenty of leeks in the garden to use, our lemon tree has provided a good harvest over winter and I've just noticed another flush of Shiitake on the remaining oak log (the smaller logs have mostly rotted away now).
Anyone planning trying something new this year? We might try Amaranth if we get time, for us and the birds.

 

[Toddy]

Amaranth was a pain (literally) to harvest, I found, and the birds weren't interested...maybe too exotic for West of Scotland speugs
Fun to grow though.

We're still too dark to get much going. The rhubarb is trying to come through though and the Swiss Chard is coming away again in the cold green house.

I mostly use that to overwinter things that don't like getting sodden wet and then frozen solid....so Bay, Rosemary and the like.

Happily considering salad plants for this year and looking at some of the smaller gourds to grow just for the fun of them. I'll get my sweet peas into pots soon though, give them a long growing season. I grew broad beans like that last year, but the snails just feasted I did get a crop but it was an effort.
Having said that though, there's a Thrush taken to visiting my garden and it's smashing up snails quite happily I hope it nests

 

[bobnewboy]

I’ve got a dozen broad bean plants growing in seed pots on the windowsill. They’re about 10” tall now so need transplanting outdoors very soon. I’ll add a few extra seeds directly into the soil when I put the others outdoors for progression. Not a significant number of plants as my wife doesn’t like them, but I really do! Other than that we’ll do the same as last year - lots of tomatoes, onions, garlic, spuds in buckets, chilli (must get them going now!), and the Genovese basil is already coming up in some other pots. I’ve also tried over-wintering last years Padron pepper plants, as they were very good to eat and freely cropping last year.

 

[CrispyDuck]

Got a few bits in pots ready to go out to the allotment once I’m ready.

Broad beans, garlic, onions and sweet peas so far

 

[TeeDee]

Not that growing your own food is about ( all about ) money but this guy has updated his modest experiment.

 

[Woody girl]

Got my shallots in today, broad bean, and rocket seeds started off in pots, and also some basil. It was rather wet today, so gave up on any further plantings, but potatoes are chitting nicely and garlic, which ive brought on indoors due to being unwell over the Xmas period, are ready to be planted out as soon as I get a dryish day.
Must have accumulated 50 packets of seeds over the winter, many are from kitchen garden magazine, so fewer seeds per packet, but perfect for me as a small eater and only growing for myself.
I'm also growing sprouting seeds from dried chick peas, lentils, mustard, cress, chai seeds, alfalfa, mung beans, pinto beans, and peas.
Beetroot, parsnips, carrots and leeks to be sown soon. And I'm also going to put in peas, runners, and bush beans. If I can squeeze in a few sweetcorn I'll get them going this week too.
My new growhouse is going to be in full use this year with the present food insecurity.
I bought one large tomato today..over 50p!!! Local grocer said the price had risen by £2.00 a kilo from the wholesalers. Meat in the butchers is looking at only. £2.50 for one lamb and mint burger! Add in the salad leaves and tomato, and that's almost a fiver before you look at the bread.
Flour is set to rise to stupid levels. I already pay £4.50 for a small spelt bakery sourdough.
Thanks to an incredibly wet winter, all the flooding, and america and iran doing their bit, we are going to be paying a lot more for our food this year.
Ive stocked up on tinned peas, tomatoes, sweetcorn and baked beans, spelt flour, g/f flour, pasta and rice, and rice noodles to back up my veg beds. I'm going to be foraging a lot more this year too.
I've also dehydrated a couple of bags of frozen mixed veg, which protects from freezer losses, if energy problems develop and we get blackouts. I can get about 2 bags worth in one kilner jar, which takes up much less room , and sits in a dark cupboard for over a year with no problems.
I just found a book called grow your groceries which tells you how to grow 40 different things from your grocery shopping at zero extra cost. So today I started off some lemon grass, ginger, and tomato seeds from the 57p tomato. I'm determined to get my monies worth from it!

 

[Falstaff]

Thinking along the same lines myself but won't be growing as much as you. Out of season salad stuff all requires oil/gas energy costs. Looking forward to completing my greenhouse this week and getting planting in pots this weekend - start of spring!

Although prices have risen a bit, the cheapest form of protein is still eggs. I've a jar of home-pickled eggs, they seem to keep long term ok and are good eating. I've run out of saurekraut and need to make some more.
I ran out of fresh greens/veg the other day and realised supply of veg is my weak spot. I'm largely reliant on supermarkets and supply chains. I've been cooking a lot more asian/vegtarian meals these days, mainly for weight loss/cholesterol levels.
I stopped eating red meat years ago, stick to chicken thighs, pork and fish, and don't buy/eat bread now. Make my own chappati's etc and buy the odd wholemeal pitta's.

 

[Toddy]

If you have a south facing windowsill in a room that gets any heat, then you can grow enough salad crops to keep things going without any extra fuel bills. I have chillis growing on my Living Room windowsill right now. They sort of take up residence in late October and sit there like pot plants until the end of next month. Quite pretty really Lettuce is a bit too open, but sprouted stuffs do very well, and you get a lot of seed in a packet. Cress, chard, beetroot, carrot, any of the onions or peas....loads more but they all grow, just cut them off while young for salad Those are all quite happy on a cold windowsill.

 

[Woody girl]

Thinking along the same lines myself but won't be growing as much as you. Out of season salad stuff all requires oil/gas energy costs. Looking forward to completing my greenhouse this week and getting planting in pots this weekend - start of spring!

Although prices have risen a bit, the cheapest form of protein is still eggs. I've a jar of home-pickled eggs, they seem to keep long term ok and are good eating. I've run out of saurekraut and need to make some more.
I ran out of fresh greens/veg the other day and realised supply of veg is my weak spot. I'm largely reliant on supermarkets and supply chains. I've been cooking a lot more asian/vegtarian meals these days, mainly for weight loss/cholesterol levels.
I stopped eating red meat years ago, stick to chicken thighs, pork and fish, and don't buy/eat bread now. Make my own chappati's etc and buy the odd wholemeal pitta's.

I made a kimchi garden a couple of years ago in a couple of large pots. Chinese cabbage, mooli radishes and carrots. I had some dried chillis which I had grown the year before, so then I could make my own kimchi. An idea if you like Asian food. Doesn't have to be in a pot, it was just that I had the idea after my two raised beds were already planted up. So a couple of large pots were pressed into raising the ingredients for kimchi.
A basic 3 sisters garden (beans corn and squash/courgettes is a good basic garden to try if you are just starting out.
I always grow my tomatoes as cherry toms in a large hanging basket by the sunny front door. Basil and parsley can be added, and it makes for a practical and unusual hanging basket.
I'll be doing strawberries and nasturtium in another this year.
You can also put hanging baskets on other walls or fences to grow things. I get cheap brackets from poundland for them.
A minni herb garden, cut and come again lettuce with radishes..the possibility is endless.
The only drawback is the watering.at least twice a day if in full sun. Early morning and late evening work best for me.

 

[Falstaff]

Yeah, the watering bit blows it out for me, no time. Last year I came up with a scheme so that I only had to water my tomato plants in grow bags once a week. Planning something similar/drip feed for the greenhouse with a small recycled attic header tank.

I tried the three sisters last year, and brussels, failed badly. I'm still eating the leeks I planted around the runner beans bed though.

 

[Woody girl]

Yeah, the watering bit blows it out for me, no time. Last year I came up with a scheme so that I only had to water my tomato plants in grow bags once a week. Planning something similar/drip feed for the greenhouse with a small recycled attic header tank.

I tried the three sisters last year, and brussels, failed badly. I'm still eating the leeks I planted around the runner beans bed though.

Funnily enough, my 3 sisters garden works very well. , but the brassica are always a disaster!
I've got all my sprouting jars in full swing. I managed to find some biosnacky sprouting jars in the charity shop a few years ago, before that, I used old gherkin jars..the big ones with some old tights or muslin elastic banded over the top , which ive been doing since the 70's. They also do a tiered tray system which is great when you have limited space, to be able to grow several varieties of sprouting seeds at once.
My favourites are sprouted alfalfa, aduki and chick peas. I grow them separately , timing them to come to prime at the same time and then mix them together for use in salads and sandwiches. Keep them fresh in a plastic bag or container in the fridge salad drawer.
I used to buy them ready sprouted a few years ago to save time, and because I got lazy, but they got ridiculously expensive. Much cheaper to buy the mung beans, aduki beans, and dried chickpeas in bulk at a health food shop, and sprout them yourself rather than buy the special biosnacky packets, as you have some for cooking and some for sprouting at a much cheaper price.
Easy ,full of vitamins, minerals and protein. Winner! No excuse to not grow, even in a bedsit, which I have done.

 

[Woody girl]

Is anyone helping/encouraging their friends and neighbours to grow things?
Today I took rosemary herb cuttings and split up some chives to set one friend on his way with a pot herb garden, we also built a tomato grow house and put up some hanging basket brackets so he can grow tomatoes and strawberries in hanging baskets. Starting off small, but he's going to be growing potatoes too, he just doesn't know it yet!

 

[HillBill]

I'm growing very little this year (due to health reasons), other than what's in my pots. They are mainly trees and bushes. I am going to sewing some herbs for the windowsills though... Thai Basil being the newcomer. Rest are standard cooking fayre. Parsley, Coriander, Basil etc..

My main goal for this year is curing meats/Charcutier... Mainly focusing on Guanciale and Bacon, with some pate and terrines in the mix.. I have a supplier of pig cheek locally, and i'm going to build a curing/dry aging chamber... at least... that's the plan.

 

[Falstaff]

Not been a fan of chinese bean sprouts,and got put off Alfalfa years ago, but.. tried some sprouted Moon beans recently and they were nice so maybe I'll give it a whirl.

Talking of windowsill growing but what do folk think about hanging or fitting some outside window boxes if you're short of space/health? They used to be very popular in terrace housing and cottages, and certainly livened things up decoratively.

 

[HillBill]

Not been a fan of chinese bean sprouts,and got put off Alfalfa years ago, but.. tried some sprouted Moon beans recently and they were nice so maybe I'll give it a whirl.

Talking of windowsill growing but what do folk think about hanging or fitting some outside window boxes if you're short of space/health? They used to be very popular in terrace housing and cottages, and certainly livened things up decoratively.

I tried hanging basket tomatoes, problem is, the wind here gets bad from time to time (end of an open valley) And every time i try anything hanging, we will get at least one blow which makes em FUBAR. Sacked that idea off a good few years ago.

 

[Falstaff]

Yup, not a fan of the hanging stuff either, but a fixed-to-the-wall flowerbox is a different thing, more weather resistant and no end of planting options. Set up right they need less watering as well. I've got enough garden now that I don't need them, but for housing where the front is needed for parking they can be the answer.

 

[HillBill]

Yup, not a fan of the hanging stuff either, but a fixed-to-the-wall flowerbox is a different thing, more weather resistant and no end of planting options. Set up right they need less watering as well. I've got enough garden now that I don't need them, but for housing where the front is needed for parking they can be the answer.

Its not the basket where the issue is. Its the type of plant you put in them. Limp stems, trailing type patterns... Solid wall box, hanging basket... makes no difference. Its the wind that relocates wheelie bins that likely weigh 50kg or more, thats the problem (here anyway, you might be in a more sheltered area, in which case... use the vertical space)

 

[Woody girl]

Not been a fan of chinese bean sprouts,and got put off Alfalfa years ago, but.. tried some sprouted Moon beans recently and they were nice so maybe I'll give it a whirl.

Talking of windowsill growing but what do folk think about hanging or fitting some outside window boxes if you're short of space/health? They used to be very popular in terrace housing and cottages, and certainly livened things up decoratively.

I reckon it would be an excellent idea.
Some ideas for plants.

Bush beans. I like purple tipi, interesting colour but serve up green when cooked so no weird colours on your plate, very decorative growing.

Radishes.

Baby beetroot. Can't remember the name but there is a deep purple leaved variety, look amazing. Harvest when small, but maybe let a couple grow on bigger.

Garlic.

Herbs such as thyme, parsley and chives. Rosemary and sage will stay small if planted in a small growing area

Cherry tomatoes. Need a bit of space, but one plant will provide many small tasty mouthsize snacks.

Pick and come again lettuce leaves.or maybe try rocket.

Pop in a trailing nasturtium at each corner for tasty peppery leaves, and flowers for salad decoration, also flowers are edible. Makes it look more like a flower box, with plenty of colour.
Tageties for pest control and maybe calendula for long lasting colour and medicine.
medicine.
The possibilities are endless.
You can get specialist seeds for growing in patio pots, including patty pan squash, which might work in a window box too.

 

[Everything Mac]

Planted a load of seeds a week or so ago. Mangetout, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, beetroot, sweetcorn, cucamelon and french beans. oh and a couple of potatoes.

I am not a very good gardener though so we'll see what actually grows.
I don't know why but I have a real thing about growing tomatoes. I have tried every year for the last several years but can never get them to grow well.

No signs of growth yet but I'll grab a pic if I spot anything.

 

[HillBill]

Planted a load of seeds a week or so ago. Mangetout, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, beetroot, sweetcorn, cucamelon and french beans. oh and a couple of potatoes.

I am not a very good gardener though so we'll see what actually grows.
I don't know why but I have a real thing about growing tomatoes. I have tried every year for the last several years but can never get them to grow well.

No signs of growth yet but I'll grab a pic if I spot anything.

What tomato's are you trying to grow, and how?

Vine, Bush... Basket...?