Pregnant and gardening

[Vixen218]

Hello all,
I am currently 18 weeks pregnant and am due in the middle of June.
What I need help with is...
What veg plants to grow this year that are low maintenance?

I have 2 raised beds about 3m x 2m max, a PVC style greenhouse 6'x4' and area for pots.

I don't want to grow tomatoes, I don't eat them and ended up having a glut of green tomatoes that got made into chutney, so I now have about a 3 year supply lol.

I am thinking of
Peas (climbing)
Carrots
Potatoes
Sweetcorn (this is going in a separate area than mentioned above but I will have space underneath them)
Cucumbers (climbing)
Courgettes (climbing)
French beans (climbing)
Onions from sets
Shallots
Parsnips
Edible flowers
Oh and I would like some mini sweet peppers similar to the ones by James Wong but that work this time if anyone knows where I can get them at a reasonable price.

Let me know what above would be suitable as I can't trust the others in the house with the garden, how we are going to mow the lawn and cut the hedges I have no idea lol...


If anyone knows of a good priced long handled garden claw and freestanding climbing supports then please let me know

[Mikey]

If you want peppers you really need to be starting them now, they have a long season. Either that or wait for plug plants, but you don't get the same choice.

You have the trinity in amongst that group, Sweetcorn acts as support for growing french beans and courgettes act as a ground cover to surpress weeds amongst them. That saves on space. I plant my onions and carrots amongst each other which wards off both carrot and onionfly until late in the season so no need to cover.
I like to grow sweetpeas and normal peas either side of a chicken wire lovely crop and sweet aroma to boot. I prefer herbs to most edible flowers personally, most herbs will flower too these can be grown underneath your peppers in the green house they like the warmth.
If space is a premium pick first earlies for potatoes (salad varieties) as these are most expensive in the shops, or opt to put these in large pots/bins and use the space they take up for something else. Personally to add to your list I'd be looking to include some soft fruit, strawberries or bush fruits like blackcurrants to place in the corner of your beds, maybe a cordon apple?

Have fun and make sure there is someone on hand to water when you start to bloom.

[catgirl]

First of all, congratulations!

I love growing courgettes, peas and climbing beans because they're so low-maintenance. Onions are also very easy and shouldn't cause you any trouble, and I've had a pretty easy time with cucumbers as well. I can't say much about the other vegetables you mentioned as I haven't personally grown them (yet!). But I will second Mikey and suggest you get some soft fruit plants. Strawberries are really easy, especially if you grow them in hanging baskets away from all the little creatures that love to eat them for you. I also planted some raspberry canes this winter and am under the impression that they don't require too much tending to.

Lastly, I'm sure you're well aware of this, but as a midwife I can't help myself - please be extra careful with gardening and eating fruit and veg from your garden, especially if there are cats that might like to do their business around your crops. Toxoplasmosis is not a good thing to pick up during pregnancy.

[bario1]

If you want peppers you really need to be starting them now, they have a long season. Either that or wait for plug plants, but you don't get the same choice.

Sorry to go off topic, but does that apply for sweet peppers too? I was under the impression that it was only hot chillies that needed starting this early?

[rustylady]

Congratulations Vixen. Is this your first?

None of the crops you mention are particularly high maintenance. The only thing that might require a bit of effort is harvesting the potatoes.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Personally I would grow the spuds in containers, you can then just tip em out and sort through the compost.

Potty

[Vixen218]

Thank you all for the replies.
This is my 3rd child, my eldest is 10 and my current youngest is 3.
I do already have loads of strawberry plants and a couple of raspberry bushes in the garden but most of the fruit doesn't make it into the house as the youngest gets their first lol.
Thank you for the hints about the sweetcorn/French beans/courgette.

[Jeanied]

One of my friends went off to dig the potatoes to help the baby along!

[ancee]

[QUOTE=Mikey;1199409]If you want peppers you really need to be starting them now, they have a long season. Either that or wait for plug plants, but you don't get the same choice.

I did not know that Mikey - that makes perfect sense as to why mine never work!!! Why doesn't it ever say that on the packets? I am now on a mission to buy some pepper seeds, I was going to give them a miss this year thank you

[TrialAndError]

Definitely runner beans and climbing peas (go for the variety Alderman). Simply because you don't need to bend down to pick them!

[salome2001]

I found I was fine bending over to weed etc up to about 8 months (which was October, so most of the crops were over). the main problem was getting up again!!
Do take extra care with your hands getting dirty as mentioned above.. my lottie neighbour wears latex gloves under her gardening gloves to stop dirt getting ingrained.

[Thelma Sanders]

Sorry to go off topic, but does that apply for sweet peppers too? I was under the impression that it was only hot chillies that needed starting this early?

I start my sweet peppers in January, as well as the Black Wax chillis