Top of the Crops

[Holly]

Wow, you lot are hard to keep up with! I've added cauliflower, courgette and how could I forget potatoes!! All are now in their rightful place.

But, at 15 options that's the lot though. Apologies to anyone who can't see their fave on the list... maybe your second best is up there instead?

Thanks for all the votes so far!

[Speed Gardener]

A bit difficult to pick just one, given that different things follow on from each other. I picked peas because I'd cover the whole allotment (of 3 plots) if I could but my wife keeps me rational so I don't..After that, it's courgettes, can't get enough of either quantity or varieties, I'm was up to about 35 plants this year; followed by tomatoes, best year ever having converted both greenhouses to direct planting in the ground.
Roll on 2011!!

[Aberdeenplotter]

my vote has to go to onions because they are the base of so many dishes but my mouth is positively watering at the thought of freshly pulled carrots, peas straight off the vine, a newly pulled cob of corn, a sweet cherry tomato. I guess it's why we grow vegetables.

[Suky]

Where are the runner beans? They are the one veg I cannot 'grow' without. Even when I had very little garden space I grew them in tubs. I can't wait for the first picking every year and they are a great frozen veg too.
I guess if that's not on the list then it would have to be tomatoes, so versatile and varied. Eat fresh, cooked, baked, stuffed or sauced. Freeze, bottle and dry.

[Comfreyfan]

Well I've voted for Sweetcorn - because you can't beat the flavour when you're eating it a few minutes after picking it. But that's my second favourite as nothing beats asparagus for us - it's so exciting when the first spears come through and then the flavour is simply awesome.

[Gearoid]

Tomato, with beans a close second.

[zazen999]

French Beans and Onions; cant choose one over the other but Onions can be in all year round whereas French Beans aren't anywhere near as tough.

[valmarg]

Runner beans are not listed, but they are an essential summer veg.

Another is 'climbing' french beans. So much easier to pick than dwarf.

Agree sweetcorn, and our favourite is Swift.

Tomatoes - where would we be without them? Summer salads etc. Added to which are lettuce, cucumber, radish, spring onion, etc.

valmarg

[binley100]

I'm going with Courgettes cos of their versatility. Raw in salads, cooked either plain grilled or roast with tomatoes etc, in cakes, pickled ,they can be frozen cooked or raw. We've cooked them on the griddle from frozen and they've been fine, in soups stews etc.... Then onions cos they are the base of so many dishes and Beetroot cos until you've tried beetroot and chocolate cake you haven't lived........

[hailtryfan]

Potatoes for me. Easy to grow, delicious and versatile.

[Loudbarker1]

I voted for 3 - leeks, french beans and courgettes.

All easy. All productive. And all very tasty.

[Tomatoking]

Tomatoes have always done it for me. From a tiny seed they grow to a 15ft plant full of fruit; you have to care and tend to them all season.
The satisfaction that you get from seeing the first tiny seedling leaves, then the forming of the first truss, to picking and eating your first tomato of the season is priceless.

Cucumbers are just as much fun, but not on the list .

[LolaLou]

My all time favourite is Sweetcorn - on the cob or in kernels - you just cannot beat the taste of fresh corn.....yum yum yum!!!

I've also voted french beans as they are just so versatile (fresh, shelled or dried) and if they were on the list, I'd definitely vote for squashes as I'm addicted to growing those too!

Maybe there is indian blood running thinly through my veins as I seem to thrive on the 'three sisters' vegetables (although I must admit as much as the corn shares some plot room with the squashes, the beans get their own beds!).

[scarletrunner]

Celeriac is more popular in shops now,after growing and enjoying for 2 years,especially in soups and stews,will be growing extra next year and storing surplus.

[salilah]

I adore tomatoes, and will never be able to grow enough to be self-sufficient. Potatoes are great fun and relatively easy; french beans were wonderful this year and I love being able to save seeds easily. I voted however for lettuce - cut & come again leaves of all sorts keep us going right through the summer, they are much nicer than the bought type and so much cheaper as well!
Salilah