Five vegetables for winter/spring crops

The vegetable plot can be just as productive in winter or spring as in summer, especially if you grow the following staple crops for winter use.

• Kale ‘Thousand Headed’ Very hardy cabbage, producing an abundance of delicious leaves and shoots. Sow mid- to late spring, setting plants 45cm/18in apart each way. Best grown in fertile soil, but tolerates poor soils.

• Leeks Very hardy, long growing season. Leeks like fertile well-drained soil. Sow outdoors early to mid-spring, transplant in late spring or early summer. Plant 15cm/6in apart, in rows 30cm/12in apart. Drop each plant into 15cm/6in deep dibber hole; water well. Read the rest of this entry »

Vegetables grown at home and used immediately after gathering have a much better flavour than those bought in the shops. Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessary to have a large garden. Various small vegetables do well in containers on a patio, or in patches in a flowerbed or border. There are several vegetables, too, for the greenhouse, and even for growing in partial shade. It is possible to have an all- round supply: many people especially appreciate fresh produce in the depths of winter.

As an alternative to the traditional method of arranging vegetables in rows, the “deep-bed” system allows you to grow more crops in the space available, because the plants are closer together. The crops are grown in blocks or bands across the I.2m/4ft wide beds, which are separated by 30-45cm/12-18in wide paths, from which you work at all times, except when digging. Initially you should prepare the beds by double-digging (see p36) and adding plenty of manure or garden compost. Repeat the double-digging every3-4 years: in the intervening years, use normal single digging. Rotate crops to get the best from the soil. Read the rest of this entry »

Most herbs are easy to grow. The following selection provides a variety of flavours to complement home-grown vegetables and enhance everyday food. Site the herb patch in a sunny well-drained spot near the kitchen. Some of these herbs will also grow well in containers.

• Angelica (Angelica archangelica) Aromatic leaves have various uses; stems are candied and used in cake decoration. Biennial grown from seed. 180cm/6ft tall. Sown outdoors in late summer, under a cloche in cold areas. Transplant to 30cm/12in apart the following spring. Remove flower heads. Read the rest of this entry »