Kitchen Garden Forum

Sorry I haven't been around much. Nugget Aidan is now walking and keeping me really busy.

I'm looking at what to grow for next year. Problem is I'm pregnant again and will give birth around the end of May - I know prime growing season, silly woman.

So I'm looking for stuff I can put in before then and harvest afterwards without too much effort. I have onions already in.

I was thinking potatoes - my Maincrop Kestrel can go in the beginning of April. And carrots which I can start in April/ May and sow successionally over the summer. Think I will only grow one Gardener Delight tomato in the greenhouse for Aidan as he loves toms and I can put a big reservoir underneath for the occasional watering.

I could just put down some green manure on a few of the beds, but it seems a waste. And is there one that won't go mental and self seed everywhere while I recover.

Any other suggestions?

Congratulations......... Another little gardener in the making. How wonderful.......

How about some dwarf peas and beans. Once in the pretty much look after themselves and don't need staking if planted closly enough.

I'm sure others will have more ideas....

Congratulations! Spinach beet and chard don't need much attention, especially if you sow them direct into the soil. Just sow them fairly thickly and let them sort themselves out. I know it's not textbook gardening but you should get a good crop.
Beetroot similarly. You'll get a few tiny ones but ought to get some decent sized roots for little effort.
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Granny

Will do the swiss chard again this year as I liked it and it was a no brainer and more importantly no digger.

Think I'll give peas a miss. I have so many problems getting them to survive the slugs and pea beetle and weather. But love my beans, so might do dwarf borlotti again.

Granny beat me to it in recommending Swiss Chard. It seems to look after itself, and generally doesn't suffer from the same number of pests as other greens in the calabrese family.