[Only1Dionne]

I am so, so looking forward to having plates and plates of veggies that I haven't had to buy! I've been saying to everyone: "This time next year, you won't have to buy any veggies at all, they'll all come from me!"

Let's hope its true, eh? :-)   

[suziet88]

I said the same thing too!  Fingers crossed!

[Elcie]

It is very exciting.  I focused so much on my brussels sprouts that I didn't think of anything else!  Next year I may aim to have grown all our Christmas day veg.  Must admit, it isn't the most productive of times, that is in the summer, but it is definitely possible to have grown everything for Christmas day, lots of people on here have done it.

[PennyS]

Me too. 

And I'm having great fun planning.  I now have my final design on a big piece of paper.  All the paths drawn in, and 2010 plantings all mapped out. 

Now comes the hard work.  I've only got about a sixth of the rabbit proof fencing put in so far, and I still need to dig most of the plot.  (All the undug stuff has been under plastic or weed matting since July though so hopefully the weeds have died off).

Still, the thought "this time next year" makes the hard work to come, worthwhile!

Penny 

[bailey]

you won't have to buy any veggies at all, they'll all come from me!"

I said that once and regretted it they took it seriously and expected the veg for every meal, cheeky sods soon stopped though when I saved the slugs and carefully planted them in the veg they had. heheheh

[titch]

had mostly our own veggies this year and it was fab.........note to self, next year more carrots and avoid getting blighty spuds 

[Poolfield2]

I did the new potatoes in a bag in the polytunnel  for Christmas but we would have been very hungry if I hadn't bought some as back up

[Kristen]

I said that a couple of years ago and I'm pleased to say that we've been mostly self-sufficent since.

The best bit is the kids / family saying "I hate sprouts**" (** Replace as appropriate!) and actually after they try a couple of home grown ones they realise what proper flavour is - compared to stewed-school-food, or even supermarket-bought for that matter 

Christmas was Brussels, Parsnips, Leeks, Spuds (stored from main crop harvest) - all of which are pretty normal / straightforward - and also Celeriac and Jerusalem artichokes (Personally I reckon they give very good return / area and can be grown in a clump in an out-of-the-way area). Also have Swede in the ground, so its not that barren a time ...

[solway cropper]

I'm glad that I grew some veg in tubs in the unheated greenhouse otherwise we wouldn't have had much of a Christmas dinner The ground was so hard you couldn't get a spade in it and it looks set to continue for a while yet.

If you plan things right and have some protection for your veg you can still have a decent selection in the middle of winter. I'm picking lettuce, spring onions and beetroot from tubs to put in my turkey sandwiches and the swiss chard is a useful addition to the usual meat and two veg.

Then of course there's all the stuff in the freezer.......

This time next year I'll be trying to figure out how to squeeze more out of my plot. OH says I'm not allowed to dig up the front lawn.

[poppies]

Wait untill the runner bean harvest,  relatives, friends, and  neighbours run when they see you coming with another  carrier bag full of beans

[Poolfield2]

Wait untill the runner bean harvest,  relatives, friends, and  neighbours run when they see you coming with another  carrier bag full of beans