Calling all veggies - planting suggestions please

[ChocClare]

Hi chaps

I generally plant out tomatoes, French and runner beans, onions, garlic, beetroot, courgettes, herbs, salad and potatoes, as well as "attempting" peppers in the greenhouse with varying degrees of success. Our ground is very stony, so carrots and parsnips don't achieve much except comedy shapes.

Since last season my daughter had become a vegetarian. As my ultra-carniverous son now has a girlfriend and we see little of him, this means that the "whole" family has become more veggie than ever before.

Could you veggie types suggest what the gourmet vegetarian most enjoys eating, please? I could fill the garden with all sorts of stuff, but I have to know it's worth eating and I feel I should be planting more!

[Two_Sheds]

This one enjoys whatever veg are ready, either in salad or stir fry form, with a chilli-loaded salad dressing on top. Or in a curry.

My protein comes from beans or a little cheese, or nuts (toasted, more flavour).... and no, I've never been anaemic in my life (been veggie for 20+ years now)

[rustylady]

Any vegetable that you enjoy eating. To what you already grow I would add sweetcorn, herbs, celery, celeriac, turnips, leeks. And don't forget the fruit.

[chris]

My wife used to be veggie, but when she was pregnant began eating decent (aka properly organic) meat. Still not a huge fan of meat, but we eat it more so now for the little sleepless monster that popped out. So we eat a lot of veg, often meals are 100% veggie, so for example we'll replace meat in a curry with either potato, squash, or beans.

I'd ask them what they like to eat, and try to grow as much as possible - I love roasted veg, and often have cherry toms, squash (butternut), peppers, chilli (if available), onion, garlic, carrot, courgette etc all roasted together with something that compliments that. Each to their own really though, but any veg is a winner to me, except cauliflower (had a green caterpiller boiled and served up inside my cauli when I was a kid, as everytime I eat it it goes through me head!).

[Helgalush]

Spinach and aubergine are two of my favourites!!
Herbs, spices and garlic, leeks and onions are great for adding flavour.
Beans as well.
Lots of root veg for lovely winter casseroles/stews/thick soups.
Nice mediterranean veg for summer salads, pasta, roasting, BBQ kebabs with halloumi cheese, yum!
I dont know if we can grow sweet potatoes in this country but they offer a lovely alternative to potato.
I would just say variety is the best bet, to keep things interesting and to get as much nutritional value.
Green leafy veg - broc, spinach etc all useful for iron.
Could you try growing short varieties of carrots in containers?

[womble]

I'm not a vegetarian as such, I tend to feel a meal isn't complete without a bit of dead animal, but I do have an idea.
It does depend how much space you have, PSB is a must for us, tastes divine, but takes alot of space, home grown sprouts are lovely.

Perpetual spinach and rainbow chard, not the best tasting but good for you. Also what about beans for drying or freezing as flageolet?

Sweetcorn of course. Herbs and different salad leaves for salads, like your rocket, spicy salad leaf mixtures etc.

Tasty varieties of tomatoes and of course your soft fruit by the ton.

[ChocClare]

Thank you for all your suggestions. I'd forgotten leeks (I do grow those), but I can't grow sweetcorn as DD has a brace and it's one of those things she's not allowed

I planted out PSB today, we all LURVE that. I always have herbs and salads by the ton and every kind of fruit - strawberries, raspberries, black/redcurrants, apples, pears, plums, cherries, blueberries - you never know, I might even get a peach to ripen this year

I think mediterranean veg is a brillo idea - already grow practically everything for it except aubergine - I might give that another go this year as previous attempts have not been very successful.

Every single one of my spinach plants was eaten by my chickens last year, but this year we have Wooden Picket Fence Of Doom round the vegetable garden, so I'll definitely give that another try, thanks for the reminder.

I've never had chard, but I planted some seeds yesterday, so we'll see.

Thanks very much for your helpful suggestions.

PS - I notice the Jerusalem artichokes I planted as screening have gone a bit doolally again this year - anyone like/recommend them? I've heard they cause general unpleasantness, and no-one eats soup except me. Can you roast them along with all the other roasted veg? Or are they a bit bleurgh?

[Tam]

Do try to find some space for asparagus. Asparagus cooked minutes (or if
possible seconds) after it is cut has a taste that you never get even close to with bought sticks. There again, most vegetables are like this.

[Helgalush]

[QUOTE=ChocClare;683256]Thank you for all your suggestions. I'd forgotten leeks (I do grow those), but I can't grow sweetcorn as DD has a brace and it's one of those things she's not allowed

I planted out PSB today, we all LURVE that. I always have herbs and salads by the ton and every kind of fruit - strawberries, raspberries, black/redcurrants, apples, pears, plums, cherries, blueberries - you never know, I might even get a peach to ripen this year

I think mediterranean veg is a brillo idea - already grow practically everything for it except aubergine - I might give that another go this year as previous attempts have not been very successful.

Every single one of my spinach plants was eaten by my chickens last year, but this year we have Wooden Picket Fence Of Doom round the vegetable garden, so I'll definitely give that another try, thanks for the reminder.

I've never had chard, but I planted some seeds yesterday, so we'll see.

Thanks very much for your helpful suggestions.

PS - I notice the Jerusalem artichokes I planted as screening have gone a bit doolally again this year - anyone like/recommend them? I've heard they cause general unpleasantness, and no-one eats soup except me. Can you roast them along with all the other roasted veg? Or are they a bit bleurgh?[/QUOTE]

I like Jerusalem Artichokes but have only had them in soup. I have heard that traditionally they were added to meat casseroles/stews which I wouldnt know anything about so in that case I am sure that like any other winter veg they would be lovely in veggie stews. I tend to just put in whatever roots and tubers I fancy/have in store and change what I cook them in (ie tomato-based or stock based - in the past I have used beer in veggie stews which gives a different dimension although you may have to play around with different strengths/types and quantities!) Lots of herbs added to that, plus some garlic or spices YUM!