Grow Your Own Fruit
Small is not just beautiful, but tasty too. Miniature fruit and vegetables are becoming more and more popular, both on the plate and in the garden.
Whilst for many people, the idea of growing your vegetables conjures up images of Felicity Kendal in ‘The Good Life’ and of gardens and allotments turned over to large vegetable patches, it is actually possible to grow your own vegetables in small spaces and in patio containers.
Many of these varieties will perform literally ‘in a bucket in the backyard’ as long as there is ample daylight.Window boxes are also ideal, as is the kitchen windowsill for herbs, and salad leaves in particular.
Nothing compares with the satisfaction of growing and harvesting your own vegetables, so why not have a go? Through staggered sowings, it is possible to have your own crops on demand all year round. Best results will be obtained using rich compost or soil with regular liquid feeding and plenty of water during dry weather. Always give a good soaking and do not just moisten the surface.
At Dunscar we stock a large selection of Thomson and Morgan seeds. Here are a few suggestions.
For the patio container:
| Tomato Gartenperle |
Try growing them in a hanging basket. Produces heavy crops of cherry sized fruits. |
| Runner Beans Hestia |
Attractive red and white flowers on dwarf, bushy plants. Produces masses of succulent beans. |
| Aubergine Mohican |
A dwarf bushy variety that bears white fruits. Pick the fruits when small to encourage further crops. |
| Mini Vegetables |
A growing trend because of their excellent flavour |
| Courgette Tricolour F1 Hybrid |
An abundance of round fruits that are green or yellow. Use for cooking or eat raw. |
| Cabbage Shelta F1 Hybrid |
Mini rounded cabbages. Can be steamed or shredded raw in salads. |
| Leek King Richard |
Use instead of spring onions for a milder flavour. |
| Fun crops that are easy for children to grow: |
| Pumpkin Ghost F1 Hybrid |
Cream skinned and thus easy to paint in the Autumn. Can be cut into shapes or put into pies. |
| Sweetcorn Honey Bantam |
Tasty and ideal for the barbeque. An early variety with a sweet flavour. |
| Radish Rougette |
Ideal for quick results and can be grown in containers. Bright red roots. |
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We also stock a range of young plants such as melons, courgettes and peppers that are easy and fun to grow.
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