GARDENING TIPS - GROW YOUR OWN HERBS & VEG

GARDENING - 6 EASY TO GROW HERBS AND VEGETABLE

It’s one of the questions anyone remotely proficient in cultivation gets asked the most when friends who aren’t green fingered come over. ‘What would you recommend for someone who doesn’treally know what they are doing?’

There are several possible answers to give, and really it comes down to what the person wants to grow- are they looking for a colourful flower bed, a lush plant paradise, or something more functional like a vegetable patch? To make things a little simpler and easier or at least colour coordinated (to some extent), let’s stick with vegetables; here are 6 that almost anyone can get right.

Beetroot

Sow the seeds directly into moist ground between March and July and you should be laughing in no time. Don’t expect anything to emerge until after about September and from thereon through the winter, though, but that’s kind of obvious.

Tomatoes

Many bush variety tomato plants can be grown in hanging baskets and window boxes, making them ideal for people who don’t have that much space. They also grow really quickly, meaning you won’t get bored (or worried) waiting for something to happen.

Onions and garlic

You can plant onion bulbs and garlic cloves in drained soil, next to one another, in either spring or autumn and expect to have plenty of both with little maintenance come late summer. Easy as growing onions and garlic...

Mint

Of all the herbs mint is the most attention seeking. Not only does it have that unmistakable taste, plant a little in pretty much type of moist soil and it will go crazy. As such we recommend using a pot to restrict how far it can stake its claim.

Potatoes

By using potato bags there’s little that can go wrong. Plant in late-February or March, part filled with compost, and as the green shoots begin to appear cover with more compost. Do this until the end of the season, not forgetting to water, and once the foliage starts yellowing you’re ready to rummage for your spuds.