It’s National Vegetarian Week in May, and while you might not want to give up meat just yet, learning to grow your own vegetables in your garden might just inspire you to do so!
Growing veggies in your garden is possible even in the most modest of outdoor spaces, and there is nothing more satisfying then making a delicious home cooked meal from freshly gathered herbs and vegetables that you have lovingly grown yourself.
Creating a vegetable patch or herb garden is easier then you think, and even novice gardeners will find that with a little love and care, they can grow some fantastic veg that will keep on giving all summer long.
So what are the easiest vegetables to grow in the summer? Here are eight of our favourites.
Salad Leaves
Salad leaves are fast growing and need little work, and the fantastic range you can plant gives your garden a variety of lovely textures too.
Different types of lettuce leaves can all be grown outside. Spinach is great as can be grown all year round, and punchy rocket is a sure fire hit for its peppery flavour which works well in salads.
Make sure your soil has been turned over, and fertilise it with a good compost before you seed. Water regularly, especially in hot weather and you should be-able to reap the rewards in as little as 2-3 weeks.
Spring onions and Radishes
These are both super easy, fast growing veggies and are perfect for those with a smaller space for their vegetable garden. You can grow both of these in pots or sow directly into the ground – whichever works best for you.
These lovely plants give salad texture and crunch and will keep on producing throughout the summer months.
Peas
Peas are great for gardens that don’t get a lot of sunshine as are happy to grow in colder weather.
You can plant peas between March and June and throughout the summer you can enjoy plucking fresh peas for a variety of dishes – even better, the more you pick them the more they’ll grow.
Just remember they need support, so make sure you have some chicken wire or similar to twist the stems around so they’ll stay upright.
Mint, rosemary and thyme
Fresh herbs are a brilliant addition to your vegetable garden, and are hugely versatile in the kitchen too.
You can grow them in individual pots or set aside a patch in your garden to grow them together for a lovely variety of textures – the more room you give them, the bigger they’ll get!
Broad Beans
Broad Beans are another satisfying vegetable that are very easy to grow outside.
For the best results sow them in spring, starting them off in small pots indoors. After a few weeks they’ll be ready to plant in the garden.
However, if that sounds like too much work you can simply sow them in well cared for soil in a sunny spot and they should do well here too.
Broad Beans also produce delicate flowers that make for a pretty addition to any garden as well.
Onions and Garlic
Onions and garlic pretty much look after themselves so are perfect for those who like the idea of growing their own vegetables, but don’t have time to spend hours in the garden.
Onion bulls and garlic cloves can be planted directly into soil either in spring or during the autumn months. When the foliage starts to turn yellow you know they are done and can just lift them out, let them dry in the sun and then all that’s left to do is to think about what you’d like to make with them.
Tomatoes
Sweet, juicy home grown tomatoes are so much nicer than any you can buy in a supermarket and give off a lovely scent in your garden too. Plant them in hanging baskets around your garden for a splash of glorious colour and use a good tomato plant feed to keep them flourishing.
Beetroot
Beetroot is one of those love or hate vegetables but if you do like beetroot the good news is it is easy to grow yourself and is packed full of nutrients that will make you feel all healthy and virtuous too.
Beetroot should be planted in moist soil anytime from March to July and you can enjoy delicious fresh beetroot from May all the way through to September.
These easy vegetables are perfect for gardeners who want to give growing their own a try.
For the best chance of success make sure that you have made proper plans for your vegetable garden and thoroughly prepared your soil before you start.
We offer a range of premium grade and specialist top soils which will help get your garden in great shape as well as soil conditioner which is perfect to help improve your soils properties and give your veggies the best start!