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vegetable A-Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
more coming soon...
For some reason, most people call this brocolli... not sure why. We found it very easy to grow, and after cutting the heads of calabrese, second and third etc smaller heads appeared. really easy - apart from fighting off the caterpillars
sowing time: Feb - April
sow either in modules in an unheated propagator in the unheated greenhouse - plant out in May-June
harvest: Jun - Sep
pest slugs caterpillars
do best on sandier stone free soil. I chose a carrot fly resistant variety, such as maestro, and also try to plant next to garlic or onions,, to deter the beasties.
sowing time Mar - Jun
harvest Aug - Dec
pests: carrot fly, slugs (can eat the roots when larger)
recipes: artichoke and carrot soup
often described as a difficult vegetable to grow, we have found them easy. There are winter types, summer types - we grow the variety 'all year round'
sowing time Jan - Jun
harvest: Jun - Oct
pests: slugs caterpillars
I have grown a number of different varieties..but jalapeno is my favourite - as they are good for using in chili con carne but also mild enough for chilli poppers
sowing time: Feb - Apr
Sow in a propagator or on a windowsill
harvest: Jul - Oct
such an easy veg to grow. I prefer the variety 'defender' as it seems to work, and gives standard green fruit. Packet will always tell you to leave 24" between plants.. and it's true - they grow huge, but they are attractive plants too. Usually a glut plant - but you can freeze courgette slices for casseroles etc and they make excellent pasta sauce and chutney. At some point you should end up with a courgette dominated fridge... but we all enjoy having too much of a good thing don't we!
Sow Apr - May plant out after danger of frost has passed
harvest Jul - Oct
recipes: chicken and courgette noodle soup,
a cucumber really, harvested small for pickling. For outdoor growing, apparently easy to grow and heavy cropping, but I have yet to find out as the slugs have eaten the plants every time I have tried before!
sowing time: Apr - May
Sow in individual pots in a popagator or greenhouse, plant out in May, outdoors.
nothing to do with globe artichokes, or Jerusalem, the jerusalem artichoke is a really great veg to grow - because its just so easy. Once you have a bed with them in, you will have trouble getting rid of them if you wanted to, and if you want them - any that are left will come back next year.
They deserve a place in the ornamental garden, with their small sunflower flowers, but do grow to about 8ft tall, so be aware. Once the leaves have died down - cut stems to about 2ft high and dig as required
plant: Feb - Apr
harvest: Nov - Mar
recipes: artichoke and carrot soup
invaluable in casseroles and stews. Good as a veg in its own right.
sowing time: Mar - Apr
plant out Jun - Jul
harvest: Nov - Feb
sow direct into a seed bed or in pots. In my experience - the pot grown ones get a big head start - but the outdoor seed bed ones catch up in the end. I do both. Lots of different ways to plant, but what I do is to dib holes 5" deep, 8" apart, in rows 12" apart. Drop each plant into hole, only trimming the roots a bit if they are very long (pot grown ones do this more than seed bed) and fill the hole with water to settle in.
sowing time Feb - May
harvest Sep - Mar
Never grown parsnips
before - and given my general failure to grow anything sown directly
into the ground, have decided to follow in my Granddad's footsteps and
sow them in toilet roll tubes
first, in the greenhouse, then plant them out, tube and all in the veg
bed. Found some dug up - now know it is the jackdaws - as I caught them
at it! I think they were after the cardboard for nest material. Declared
toilet roll growing a failure - germination was certainly better but
the rolls being dug up not so good. Next year I will try planting in
long modules.. but for this year I am depending on the direct sowings.
sowing time: Mar- Jun
sow every 2 weeks for continuous supply. I have never had much luck growing outdoors - the seeds get eaten before they get anywhere.. and so start them off in pots indoors.
harvest: Jun - Oct
pests: slugs and snails, pea and bean weevil, pea leaf miner, mice
sowing time: May - Jun
In 2006 we grew
'atlantic giant' and did grow a giant - 105 pounds! 
and
there was a smaller one on the same plant of about 70 pounds. Quite
by accident, we did everything right - I sowed the seeds late, planted
the plants on the site of an old compost heap, the weather was wet and
sunny we hardly did a thing! - But in hindsight, whilst a lot of fun
to grow a beast and wave the photo around, its not terribly practical
to grow giants.. as although pumpkins keep very well, once you cut into
them, the clock is running, and the pressure is on to eat/process it
all. Much better to have several smaller pumpkins, and store them -
and then be able to eat more as roasted chunks etc. So have grown the
smaller varieties.
Best way to freeze pumpkin is: first cook it down in very little water until its a pulp, strain and then pack in boxes ready for use.
harvest: Sep - Oct
recipes:
pasta with roast pumpkin, pine nuts and goats cheese, pumpkin cake pumpkin scones, pumpkin pie,
a great veg for that 'hungry gap', keep cutting the heads as will then be cut and come again.
sowing time May - July
sow in modules and plant out when large enough to handle.
variety 'rudolph' is early harvesting
harvest: Oct - Feb
recipes: PSB fritters
sowing time Mar - May or Aug
havest: Aug - Oct or Jun
I like to braise this slowly with onions, brown sugar, vinegar and spices - freezes well this way.
sowing time: May - Jul
sow directly into soil, water during dry periods to avoid bolting
harvest: Jun - Oct
This year I am growing a winter hardy variety
Sow April - Jun
Harvest Nov - Feb
I love vegetable spagetti. It's novalty value alone is worth it, but also its an easy vegetable to grow, keeps well once harvested and tastes lovely! It's a member of the squash family, with spagetti like strands making up the flesh.
sowing time: April-May
care: plant out after danger of frosts, and the plants are big enough to fend off the slugs. These are climbers, so a trellis or similar is handy.
harvest: August until first frosts.
cooking: either place whole inthe oven, or boil - time depending on how large it is, but until outer flesh is a little soft. Cut open, remove seeds, then folk out strands.