Photo by pintando la cuz on unsplash
You have fed your soil, built your raised beds, and are ready to plant and grow - so what should you choose? The obvious answer is to grow what you know you will eat, but there are also five cornerstone crops that Kim (Stoddart) thinks everyone should try.
The first is herbs, especially parsley which is delicious and rich in vitamin C, and bronze and Florence fennel which looks amazing, tastes great and is a great way to attract beneficial wildlife and insects into your yard.
Pick-and-come-again lettuce such as the variety ‘salad bowl’ is another no-brainer as it crops for a long time, is relatively cold hardy and can even be grown on a windowsill.
Cherry tomatoes are another winner - Kim lets hers trail through her polytunnels where they root from the stems and crop generously.
Ball-shaped ‘crystal lemon’ cucumbers are another hardy hero that can be grown as ground cover, stay fresh for longer than finger cucumbers, are delicious when fresh and also make delectable pickles.
Finally, Kim sings the praises of eye-catching nasturtiums, as moisture-saving ground cover, as trap plants (or sacrificial plants) that attract pests before other edible crops, as peppery additions to salads and also as a natural de-wormer for chickens.
~ Ruth Hayes
