Fancy creating your own supply of juicy fruits, crunchy vegetables and fresh salad greens? This selection of great foods sprout more-or-less like magic out of the ground—with the minimum of effort. Whether you’ve only a windowsill, garden or balcony, get planting today. That is not only help saving your money but also health your life.
Here are 9 of the easiest fruit and veg you can grow by your own with a detailed directions.
PEASHOOTS
Why?
Young pea shoots are tasty and make a great side salad
Cut the shoots off when they’re young and they’ll keep coming back for more
Alternatively, leave the shoots to grow into full plants and pluck the fresh peas straight from the pods.
When?
Plant: late March – July
Harvest: June – October
Container: the ground
Location: garden
SALAD
Why?
Super-easy to grow indoors all year around
Constant harvest – leaves can be picked over and again and they’ll grow back
Pick’n’ mix your favourite flavours, textures and varieties – peppery rocket, crunchy lettuce, exotic oriental saladini
When?
Plant: all year
Harvest: all year
Container: seed tray (alternative container: pot, the ground)
Location: window sill (alternative location: garden)
TOMATOES
Why?
Satisfying, tasty and fun to grow, especially for kids
It doesn’t get any easier than this: plant in late May in a sunny spot.
Feeling adventurous? There loads of different varieties to try out.
Relish the superb home-grown flavour that goes with everything.
When?
Plant: Late May
Harvest: August – October
Container: grow bag (alternative container: pot, the ground)
Location: outdoor space (alternative location: garden)
COURGETTES
Why?
Easiest if bought as a young plant in early summer
Simple to grow in a pot or in the garden.
One plant will easily feed one person. Two plants is just greedy!
When?
Plant: late May – June
Harvest: Late July – October
Container: the ground
Location: garden
STRAWBERRIES
Why?
Very verstaile, they can be grown in the garden, in a large pot or even in a hanging basket. Bite that fruit straight off the plant!
If bought as young plants in April or May, they’ll produce tasty fruit in weeks.
They also produce beautiful flowers.
Kids love them
When?
Plant: April – May
Harvest: June – September
Container: grow bag (alternative container: pot; the ground; hanging basket)
Location: outdoor space (alternative location: garden)
BEETROOT
Why?
Really easy to grow. It’s one of the nation’s best selling vegetable seeds.
Can be sown straight into the garden or in a big pot.
Harvest the fat red globes in the autumn.
Tender and crunchy when fresh.
When?
Plant: March – July
Harvest: June – October
Container: Pot
(alternative container: the ground)
Location: Outdoor space (alternative location: garden)
ONIONS
Why?
Not even slightly difficult to grow. Just plant sets (small baby onions) in the spring. Dig them up from late summer.
Experiment with whole range of different onions: spring, pickling, shallots
With a big enough plot you could easily to get a year’s supply from one crop (if stored well, they keep for months)
When?
Plant: Late February – April
Harvest: July – August
Container: the ground
Location: garden
PUMKIN
Why?
Super tasty and super healthy and super fun to grow.
Choose between a giant kind for carving into a lantern or a more tasty variety (which often look a little weird!)
Plant. Wait for Halloween season. That’s it.
The super-healthy seeds are even delicious toasted.
When?
Plant: late May – June
Harvest: September – October
Container: the ground
Location: Garden