Carrots
Used in soups, casseroles, stews, grated in salads or eaten raw.
Where to grow
Grow in light sandy soil or soft peaty soil. Avoid heavy soils. Carrots are not a very hungry crop but do require a decent level of nutrients. Apply well rotted manure a season before planting, best done in the autumn. Applying fresh manure before planting can lead to forking. A dressing of general fertiliser can be applied to light soils.
How to sow
For early varieties, start growing in March, ideally in a sheltered sunny location. Cloches are a great investment. Place over the soil a few weeks before sowing to warm up the soil. They can then be placed over the plants again to protect them from adverse weather. Do not sow all at once. Leave two weeks between batches until mid April. Sow at a depth of 1cm with rows spaced at 20cm. Carrots for storing and use in autumn and winter start sowing in late April, with the main sowing time in July. Sow at a slightly deeper depth of 2cm inch with rows spaced at 30cm. Take care not to sow too thickly. Thinning out releases an odour, this attracts the dreaded carrot fly. Ideally 3 – 5cm between plants.
What to grow
Good early varieties include Nantes and Amsterdam. Good main crop varieties include Autumn King and St Valery.
How to care
Keep free from weeds by careful hoeing and hand weeding. Do not allow soil to dry out in warm weather. This can lead to carrots splitting.
Watch out for...
Carrot fly. The females lay eggs which hatch and tunnel into the roots, killing young plants and spoiling mature ones. Best practise is to erect a fence around the plants using garden fleece buried into the soil and kept to a height of about 3ft. The female carrot flies hover close to the ground looking for the plants on which to lay their eggs and generally do not fly over the obstacle.
Parsnips
Eaten, boiled, roasted or fried. Lovely mashed up with some carrots.
Where to grow
Will grow in heavy or light soils that are deep, and, well manured from previous crops. If using virgin soil apply well rotted manure the autumn before planting and avoid stony ground to prevent forking.
How to sow
Generally one of the first vegetables to be sown, starting in late February and early March. If they are sown later they tend not to grow as large but do germinate better. Drills should be 2.5cm deep and 40cm between rows. They generally do not germinate as well as other vegetable seeds, so thinning out is not as important.
What to grow
Good varieties to grow include White Gem and Offenham.
How to care
Keep the ground weed free, taking care not to damage the root which can lead to the development of canker. Be sure not to let the soil dry out as this can lead to splitting. Parsnips are slow to grow and stay in the ground for a long time. They can be dug up once the leaves begin to die back. They taste sweeter when they get touched by the autumn frosts.
Green Brocolli (Calabrese)
High in vitamin C, contains vitamin A.
Where to grow
Grow in a light fertile soil; following on from potatoes is ideal. It needs to root deeply very quickly so the soil should be loosened and well cultivated. Choose a space that is sheltered in full sun.
How to sow
As it is not frost hardy, it is best not to sow until April or early may. Frost protection may still be needed in the form of fleece or low polythene tunnels. Sow in batches in succession allowing three weeks between sowing up to July to spread out cropping. Sow seeds directly where crop is to mature. Seeds can be sown in pots in the greenhouse for planting out in April.
What to grow
'Decathlon' is a vigorous grower that resists summer heat, and does well on less-fertile soils. Belstar is a later maturing variety, ready for harvest in late summer and autumn.
How to care
Ensure your plants are never allowed to stress in warm dry weather. The soil must be kept moist to prevent ‘buttoning’, where the plant produces small heads. Broccoli is ready to pick after about twelve weeks after sowing. Cut the main bud, but leave the plant in the ground as this will produce smaller side shoots which can be picked after a few weeks.
Watch out for…
Being a member of the cabbage family, it is susceptible to common pests and diseases of cabbage and cauliflower. It is fast growing so it generally avoids most of these. Watch out for caterpillars and greenfly.
Cauliflower
Where to grow
Cauliflower prefers a neutral to slightly alkaline soil that is firm and fertile, in a reasonably sunny position. If you don’t know the PH of your soil, pick up a PH test kit from any good garden centre. Acidic soils tend to lead to the development of Club Root.
How to sow
Can be sown outside in April and transplanted in about 7 weeks. The seeds can be grown in a fine seed bed or in little pots. They should be transplanted while they are small. Plant in their final rows with spacing of about 60cm. Water immediately after transplanting, and, during any dry spells.
What to grow
Cauliflowers are divided into early crops and later crops. A popular older variety is All Year Round, ready for harvest in late summer. Autumn Glory is a good variety for later harvests.
How to care
Like broccoli, cauliflower will not tolerate any stress during its growth so water well during dry spells. The first plants can be harvested when the plants are the size of a fist. When the white curds become visible as the plants become larger, fold over some of the leaves to cover and tie with some string to protect from the sun until they are needed.
Watch out for...
Birds- they like the younger plants especially, so protect with some anti bird netting. As a member of the cabbage family it is prone to many of the common pests. Cabbage root fly can be a problem so use protective discs at the base of the cauliflower plants as they lay their eggs in the soil. The discs can be made from old pieces of carpet Prevent club root by practicing crop rotation, and liming acidic soils.
Summer cabbages
Used in coleslaw, salads, and boiled for the favourite dish of bacon and cabbage!
Where to grow
Cabbages like a reasonably fertile soil. Prepare the soil in autumn by incorporating well rotted farmyard manure. Never use manure just before planting. They only grow well in an alkaline soil so if the soil is acidic apply lime. Choose a sunny location.
How to sow
It is best to start the seeds in cell trays. Sow three per cell and pull out the weakest two as they develop. Early summer varieties can be sown in greenhouses in late January or February. Other sowings can take place indoors or outdoors in March up till June. The early sowings can be planted out in April. When transplanting, keep as much soil around the roots as possible. Allow a spacing of 30cm between smaller varieties, and 45cm for larger varieties.
What to grow
The most common variety is 'Greyhound' and the fast-developing 'Hispi' is also excellent. Both of these are relatively early.
How to care
Keep the weeds away by regularly hoeing, but do so carefully as the soil must remain firm. Apply a foliar feed during summer as the plants respond very well to this. Far more nutrients are absorbed than by feeding at the roots. Water well during any prolonged dry spell. Summer cabbage quickly forms hearts and these can be used as soon as they are judged large enough.
Watch out for...
Refer to growing cauliflower, as these are in the same family.
Swede Turnip
Eaten, raw or boiled, mashed, or grated. Essentially Swedes are a winter crop and are not sown till late in the sowing season.
Where to grow
Swede prefer a limey, fertile soil, add manure to the soil during the previous autumn before planting, and plant in a sunny location.
How to sow
Sow in May or June. Do not sow any earlier as there can be a danger of bolting. Best sown directly into the soil where they are to stay. They do not transplant well. Sow in groups of 6 about 15cm apart in rows 60cm apart. When the seeds have produced two true leaves thin out the plants in their groups by half, three weeks later reduce this to one plant in each group, and finally after a few weeks again remove the remaining plant in every second former group. This is insurance against groups which may fail due to a pest or disease.
What to sow
Three of the best varieties are Ruby, Invitation, and Marian.
How to care
Water the seedlings during any dry spells and control weeds. They can be lifted when they are big enough but develop their flavor in the cooler months of autumn. Similar to parsnips they taste better after they are touched by frost.
Lettuce
There are many different varieties available, divided into five different types; butterhead types, looseleaf types, crisp types (iceberg), cos lettuce from eastern Europe and chinese lettuce. The easiest to grow are the butterhead with cos and crisp varieties slower to grow.
Where to grow
A rich well drained soil is needed as the plants grow quickly. Full sun with some shelter is ideal. Can also be grown in pots or window boxes.
How to sow
Lettuce can be sown almost all year round, although cos and crispy varieties are really a summer crop as they need the heat. Sow from late march or April, plating some every two weeks until mid July for continuous cropping. Sow seeds in drills 12mm deep and 30cm apart.
What to grow
Some great varieties are All Year Round, and Salad Bowl. Try a packet of mixed lettuce seeds for variety.
How to care
During dry weather, water well. Thin out where necessary while plants are small. Cut those lettuces with fully developed hearts early in the morning using a sharp knife making the cut just below the bottom leaves. Looseleaf varieties can have there leaves pulled off without cutting the stem. Remove all those that have started to bolt or they will run to seed.
Watch out for...
Greenfly- lettuce can be infected in a short period of time. Bolting, scorching or wilting is generally caused by unsuitable growing conditions.
Sprouts
Sprouts can be eaten raw, though they are usually boiled or steamed. Contains vitamin C as well as other vitamins and minerals.
Where to grow
Any reasonably well drained fertile soil in full sun. Soil too rich in nitrogen from fresh manure can cause leafy growth resulting in the sprouts opening into leafy rosettes rather than forming a tight bud.
How to sow
Although they can be grown from seed it is often easier to buy young plants. Transplant out in May and June. Space 60 cm apart. Avid planting in windy locations as the plants grow large and can be wind damaged.
How to care
Water when transplanted, other than that water only during spells of a waek or more. Pick sprouts when they are of a useable size. Watch out for the same pests and disease as are prevalent with cabbages.
What to grow
Bedford Winter Harvest is a great old variety. Peer Gynt is a popular newer variety.
