Grow your very own delicious fruit and veg. No matter the size of your outdoor space, or whether your garden is particularly shady, you can find expert advice that will ensure success all year round. Discover step-by-step instructions from sowing to harvesting, and make savings on your weekly shop!
Welcome
Grow your own How to get started • Growing your own is exciting and easy – just follow our guide to planning and taking the first steps, whether you’re sowing vegetable seeds or planting fruit
Where to plant • The first thing to decide is where you’re going to plant your crops as this will determine what you can grow. Whether you’ve got lots of space or just a tiny patio, there are many crops to choose from
Planning & preparation • Before you can start planting and sowing fruit and veg, you need to do some groundwork, and to do groundwork you will need to have the right tools
Growing from seed • Harvesting crops that you’ve raised from seed is incredibly rewarding and surprisingly simple – it doesn’t require any great technical skills or know-how. All you need to get things started is a packet of seeds, some soil or a pot of compost
Easy ways to plant fruit • Fruit bushes and trees are a fantastic feature for any size garden. Discover the many ways to include them in your plot, whether it’s an apple tree adding height to the border or blueberries in a pot
Crops for containers • Growing fruit and veg in containers is easy, meaning you can have tasty pickings from patios and windowsills. Just choose compact varieties for bumper harvests from the smallest spaces
5 of the best crops for time-poor gardeners • Growing veg can be time-consuming, but if you choose your crops carefully you can reduce your workload and still enjoy abundant harvests. Pick fruit, veg and herbs that are easy to grow, can be sown or planted direct and are not troubled by many pests and diseases.
5 of the best for shady areas • By working out how much shade you have and choosing your crops carefully, it is possible to grow far more veg than you might think. Sun-loving, fruiting crops, such as tomatoes, cucumbers and aubergines, are never going to thrive in shade, but be realistic and there are plenty of tasty veg and herbs that are worth growing.
5 of the best for a quick crop • Some veg crops can take months of cosseting before you can enjoy their harvests, but others are ready in a matter of weeks – ideal if you’re the impatient type or are growing them with kids. Some of these also make good picks for intercropping – growing among more slow-maturing crops like sweetcorn or tomatoes.
5 of the best for growing on boundaries • Make the most of your outdoor space by using boundaries to grow climbing veg up, or use your crops as screening to add some privacy. Climbing veg, like runner beans, will cover a trellis quickly and they have attractive flowers, or try a fruit or bay tree that will bring height to your garden and create a useful screen.
5 of the best for growing in containers • You don’t need a large garden to grow fruit and veg. Many crops will thrive in containers on the patio or a balcony. Pots can also be moved to take advantage of micro-climates, like a sunny, sheltered patio. Even if you have a veg patch, a few pots by the back door are useful when you just want to grab a handful of something. For advice on growing in pots, see p16.
5 of the best for a productive & pretty plot • Even if you don’t have room for a veg patch, you can still have a productive garden. Many crops are beautiful and can be grown among plants in a border. For a decorative effect try growing red and green lettuce in a weave on one side of a garden or mix tall-growing plants with shorter ones, like sweetcorn and ground cherries.
Grow your...
