[sarah1983jane]

This is my 1st year growing my own veg on a massive allotment/field and I am looking for advice on what to grow next year.

Family friends were very kind in giving me plants and seeds to grow but I found 1/3 of my time was spent looking after veg I wont be eating - brussel sprouts, broad beans,cabbage yak - no thanks!

I found peas great fun, potatoes were fun to dig up like a treasure hunt, asparagus is grat because its so expensive to buy, onions....we eat a lot of onions....I am looking through seed catalogues and I know I will be tempted into the wrong things.
I entered a veg section at a local show which was great fun - will do that again this year I hope.

Whats you top 10 must grow in the veg patch and why?

[arugula]

Number one thing is, what do you like to eat? There might be 10 of those things.

[Knight Family]

For me its Spuds, peas, corguets, garlic, oinons, beatroot,  Leaks, Corn, Soft fruit (rasberry, strawberry, Blueberry) oh and also 1 sprout for Christmas

[Fisherman]

My top ten in order: -

1 Salad veg: - baby lettuce, spinach, pak choi, water cress, radish, beetroot etc.
2 Ist early potatoes
3 Onions
4 Root crops, Carrots, Parsnips, Swede, Turnips
5 Courgettes & Squash
6 French Beans
7 Broad Beans
8 Swiss Chard
9 Various brassicas, cabbage, brussel sprouts etc.
10 Cucumber (greenhouse)

Salad costs a fortune to buy in comparison to growing at home.
Sorry I like broad beans and cabbage

As Argyllie says make sure you grow what you and your family want to eat. Sow seeds in succession so you have a continuous supply otherwise too much gets wasted.

The dark days ahead are good for developing a sowing plan for the next season.

[Geordie Gal]

I have to agree with you on the broadbeans and sprouts but after my first year I think that my top ten will be:
peas, peas and more peas but with better successional planting
Beetroot Beetroot etc.....
Sweetcorn
Potatoes
Asparagus (looking forward to first crop next year)
Shallots and onions
Carrots
Parsnips
Tomatoes but not as many as this year as we're chutneyed out!
Blueberries from the new bush my Mum bought me.

Oh and No 11 would have to be grapes. I'm about to plant a vine but am not sure whether we will get any grapes for a few years.

In the meantime just reading seed catalogues and planning

[compostqueen]

I can't believe that you don't like cabbage in any shape or form. I'm sure there'll be a way you will get to like it as it's so versatile and if cooked properly is beautiful. 

[mumofstig]

1st and 2nd early spuds,
Runner beans,
peas/sugarsnaps,
pumpkins,
cabbages,
onions,
leeks,
sweetcorn,
swede
and Tomatoes................(and of course loads of salad stuff) ten is not enough

[Beetroot queen]

Just because no one has already said it

Veg  I will grow most things infact can't think of one I won't be growing 

[rozalia]

In my second year of growing and next year I plan to concentrate on:
Onions white and red
shallots
leeks (useful for autumn/winter eating)
potatoes -1st and main
runner beans (and french if I can get them to grow!)
peas
courgettes
strawberries
raspberries
tomatoes salad and beef
salad leaves - 5 or 6 types
herbs
That's 12 categories! I grew 120lbs of produce this year - my target next is 200lbs (there are only 3 in the family so don't need to feed the 5000).
I also won't bother with broad beans or cabbage, and I won't grow borlotti beans again or gherkins - didn't get enough for one meal, let alone feed the family.

[fatbelly]

I have got a Full Plot for next year, so I will be able to not only grow more of what I grew this year but also some new stuff  

So although my list is not yet finalised it will be some like this.................

Early Spuds Lady Christl.  (Never grown them before but the post's on this forum about Earlie's has persuaded me)

Main Crop Spuds Desiree (Again never grown them before but the post's on this forum has persuaded me)

Main Crop Spuds Marfona (growing them for Jackets)

Autumn King Carrots had great success this year because of the Enviromesh I grew them under, Mrs FB loves Carrots so AK2 will feature heavily on my plot.

Butter Nut Squash Had medium success this year but will pay attention  to what the poster called Learner said and hope for better next year.

Crown Prince Squash, never had the room for these and I love the look of this squash.

January King Cabbage, to harvest in mid winter when all else has gone

Raspberries, Already on the plot.

Leeks had great success with these by using DD's method of growing.

Lettuce,.

Toms in the greenhouse.

Chills and Capsicums in the greenhouse.

Sturon Onions from sets bought in Wilkos, I have great success with these each year. Will also try Setton sets to see how they are.

Red Onions (heat treated) bought from T & M with free P & P will be delivered next spring.

Garlic , already sown.

Kelvedon Wonder Peas, these have been absolutely dreadful for me over the past two years and this in my last chance, if no success this year then they will be ditched

Boltardy Beetroot, not keen on this but easy to grow and fun. Plus Gardening news always have free packets.

Flowers, not made my mind up yet but will sow whatever is free in the Sunday newspapers between now and next spring.

Mares Tail and Dock, these do really well for me each year and I do nothing to encourage them  

Rocket, I know i have already covered Lettuce but this will be grown as well.

Swede, any variety the all seem good.

[mumofstig]

There's alot more than 10 there 

 

[Junie]

I like to grow things that are more difficult or expensive to buy, this year I had purple french beans, yellow pear shaped cherry tomatoes, Striped Tomatoes, white radishes, a mix of lettuces and rocket, Turks Turban squash and yellow courgettes.

[fatbelly]

There's alot more than 10 there  

 

Oops,   in that case can I please drop the Mares Tail and Dock. 

[michellela]

I only got into growing towards the end of last season but enjoyed the courgettes I grew from a garden centre plant, looking forward to growing them from seed next year.

Runner beans and french beans went down well and gave some away to colleagues who seemed to really enjoy them, which gave me a kick.

Carrots because I grew them in a pot and even though they were relatively small I loved pulling them and eating them.  Yum yum.

Tomatoes because they tasted amazing and they're really pretty.  These were also well received and another one I'm looking forward to growing from seed.

The rest of my list contains veg that I've not tried, even from plants...

Sprouts because I love 'em.

Salsify because it seems a little different and I've never tried it.

Broad beans because they seem quite popular and from what I can tell they can store well.

Sweetcorn because although I said it was too much hassle I've been talked round by various comments on this forum.  Plus they taste wonderful fresh, real fresh not supermarket 'fresh'.

Parsnips because there are few things that taste quite as good as these when roasted.

Potatoes but only earlies because I'm intimidated by blight.

Oh, that's ten already.  Runner beans and french beans count as one.  Actually, I'll count all the beans as one which means I get another go!  Cucumber is my tenth choice because I think it'll be interesting.

[diggerjoe]

I start out thinking I will grow only what we use then get tempted by other interesting things - but next year it will be more peas as the family said they were the best thing off the plot and we never seemed to have enough, more root veg and more soft fruit.