What would you like to grow in 2011?

[binley100]

My aubs were started in Jan and I had plenty of fruit but it was long and thin, this year I'm trying ones that are hopefully fat
I'm going to try celeriac and I have some different varieties of things (thanks to a kind grape , you know who you are)
and I'm probably going to cut back on the amount of gherkins ..........

[Two_Sheds]

I'll be growing lots of beans & chillies for swapsies

And trialling making a permanent bed for onions & spuds, which both do badly on my soil

[coreopsis]

And trialling making a permanent bed for onions & spuds, which both do badly on my soil

I think I need trialling bed for beetroots.I just can't get the bl**dy things to grow

[chris]

I'd really like to grow one of those money trees - that'd help a lot!

Back in reality I've a load of things, too many to name that I'd like to grow before finally settling down to what works in season 3 of growing properly (will be in my 2nd season next year).

[northepaul]

It is the Nottingham one. I only grafted it last year onto a mature pear, so I hope for fruit soon !

What have you got ?

I have an Iranian one on quince C - highly recommended for eating qualities so I am told
(And not quite so large!!)

Would love to know how yours gets on...they are beautiful trees.

[northepaul]

I'll be growing lots of beans & chillies for swapsies

Just to us all to shame

I am planning on 5 different chillies this year

[Mell]

And trialling making a permanent bed for onions & spuds, which both do badly on my soil

You might have problems growing spuds in one position year after year, rotation is best I@m going to use bags this year, as I can them reuse the compost for the apple graftings

[Mell]

I have an Iranian one on quince C - highly recommended for eating qualities so I am told
(And not quite so large!!)

Would love to know how yours gets on...they are beautiful trees.

I don't know the Iranian. Mine is on a family tree at the moment, I might graft scion onto its own rootstock this winter. How big is yours ?

I have to do family treees or I'd lose the garden to a fruit forest as there are so many interesting cultivars !

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

My old Auntie Jean had a permanent potato bed for 20+ years, she stored the tatties in the old Anderson shelter. Every winter muck went on and tatties went in the following Spring. No disease issues. She grew Ayrshires every year. TS let us know how it goes, have been tempted by a permanent bed for tatties but I'd need more room.

[Jono]

Aside from the usual staples, I'm going to have another go at sweet potatoes. This year, I put mine in the ground and they didn't really get going. My mum did hers in a container on the patio and got loads of good sized ones, so I'm going to follow her lead (could be a good one to try if you haven't got much space Piglet?).

Also going to try my mangetout and peas in containers. I've always grown them in the ground and I've had limited success, but did an experimental planting in boxes last year and got a crop. Will do this all through the summer.

I found this today, which was quite interesting. Its about different stuff to try:
New life on the veg patch | Life and style | guardian.co.uk

I'm getting all excited now. Might light the fire and sit with the seed catalogue tonight.

[Mell]

My old Auntie Jean had a permanent potato bed for 20+ years, she stored the tatties in the old Anderson shelter. Every winter muck went on and tatties went in the following Spring. No disease issues. She grew Ayrshires every year. TS let us know how it goes, have been tempted by a permanent bed for tatties but I'd need more room.

Interesting a quick search on blight papers suggests it can't over winter in the UK, so I wonder why all the books suggest rotating to avoid it ?

[Two_Sheds]

You might have problems growing spuds in one position year after year, rotation is best

I know it is (in theory at least). However my soil is alkaline and all my spuds go scabby

They didn't get scab when I grew them in pots of MPC and leafmould, but I can't afford that much MPC every year. The overall yield was low too

As I can't acidify the whole plot, I will make them a special bed and add goodness to it every year

[Mell]

They didn't get scab when I grew them in pots of MPC and leafmould, but I can't afford that much MPC every year. The overall yield was low too

As I can't acidify the whole plot, I will make them a special bed and add goodness to it every year

Yes I understand about buying in compost, but I have to buy it in anyhow for the apple grafts & I'm hoping this way will work !

I did have a huge manure pile turned composty, but its finished now

[Brengirl]

Any tips on growing younger will be much appreciated.

[Glutton4...]

Any tips on growing younger will be much appreciated.

I was going to say my Bank balance!