Allotment; what are you all growing this year?

[Staceyj]

I tend to just buy seeds or plants that they have in the shops, are these usually ok? Or do you all buy yours from certain places only ask as there seems to be so many different varieties that people grow. Sorry if it seems like a silly question new to all this my knowledge isn't to great 😀
Thank you

[Owamya]

I grow all mine from seeds, that's the cheapest way if you have the time and room. Just put seeds on wet paper towel in a tray and as soon as they germinate pot'em. I've just ordered 2 honeyberry bushes for my plot.

[hamamelis]

Not a daft question; the seeds you can get in places like supermarkets and suchlike are generally perfectly good, reliable varieties. What they don't tend to be is unusual or particularly exciting, and a lot of people (me definitely included) like to grow stuff that you can't easily buy. Broadly speaking, the seed varieties that everywhere sells are the ones that are or look like the vegetables you can get at the supermarket.

Even if they don't taste all that different, there's something very satisfying about coming home with a bunch of purple carrots or daft shaped courgettes, and often the unusual varieties do taste better, or different. Plus there are vegetables that simply aren't available in this country unless you grow them yourself.

There's nothing wrong with growing the standard varieties (sometimes they are standard for a good reason), and if you're not very experienced, they're a good option to start off with (they're cheap, for a start), but I reckon it is nice to branch out and try a few different things as well!

[johnjohn]

I tend to just buy seeds or plants that they have in the shops, are these usually ok? Or do you all buy yours from certain places only ask as there seems to be so many different varieties that people grow. Sorry if it seems like a silly question new to all this my knowledge isn't to great 
Thank you

I have to agree with Hamamelis on two counts, firstly there are NO stupid questions, that's what this whole thing is about, and secondly basically everything else
You grow the crops that appeal to you and if you want to experiment but are unsure grow something that you know you like, say a particular tomato and grow another type of tomato as well. What's to lose? Chances are if you like one type you will probably like another but maybe you like it more so grow that next year and grow something different with it and expand your knowledge as well as your taste

[Jay-ell]

Hello Staceyj and welcome
I'll have my staples - stuff that I can get in the shops I just like to grow instead, e.g. onions kale, parsnips

Stuff I like but cant get in the shops round here e.g. scorzonera, salsify

I have my fruit as I think it tastes much better straight from the plant when ready, rather than picked early - strawberries, raspberries, red currants, black currants, gooseberries

Things I just fancied trying to grow e.g Yacon, kiwi fruit, grapes, purple carrots, blue potatoes,

add to that things to fill in e.g radish, turnip - although not too much as I'm the only one who eats them.