Giving up on old friends...

[KevinM67]

Every year there are some veg that I instinctively plant - spuds, onions, peas, carrots, etc.

However, this year I have decided that I want to be a lot more adventurous and start planting more "exotic" produce - especially those that are relatively expensive to buy in the shops.

Therefore, I have been focusing on starting things like Sorrel, Chinese leaves, kale, fennel, and different kinds of beans.

I have came to the decision that I'm not bothering to grow peas this year. Whilst they are fairly easy to grow, it's the additional work like supports and netting that when you think about the hassle - I could easily just buy a bag of frozen peas.

I'm not sure if I'll even bother with carrots either this year....

Whilst that may be blasphemy to some - is there any other "staple" veg that some growers don't bother with, due to either the hassle, inexpensive to buy, taste, etc.....

[Martin H]

Peas for me. Too much faff for too little output - and it's hard to beat Birds Eye frozen peas for taste.

For the rest, I'm going to keep trying to grow carrots and spuds because when I succeed the taste is really good. Onions too.

[Bren In Pots]

I grow in my back garden so don't have that much space so the only onions I grow are spring onions. I do grow leeks though, they go in when the broad beans have finished and any spares get planted in the buckets I've grown my potatoes in.

[Nicos]

I only grow red onions now, although I am very aware that the huge bags of cheap onions I now buy aren't organic.
Once I have more time I may well go back to growing them .

[KevinM67]

Spuds - I'll always grow them. Whilst some years harvest is better than others, there is very little work involved in them and you can 'taste' them.

Onions - again, ease of growing is a major factor. I'm growing more red onions than ever before and more shallots. That is mainly due to taste, however cost is another reason.

Leeks - the family love them, easy to grow and the cost in the shops is shocking.

Carrots - after watching the Allotment programme on BBC 2 last week, I'm going to experiment using some spare downpipes I have. If they don't work - then I'm not bothering with them next year.

[Moopmoop]

I've given up growing broccoli as I don't have the room and I think it's relatively cheap in the shops, the space that I used to grow maybe 6 broccoli plants in now has dwarf french beans and onions in. I may give up on onions in the future, I do enjoy growing them but again I get 5 onions from a patch where I can get 12 dwarf french bean plants.

[Bill HH]

I don't usually grow brassicas as they just never seem to do that well for me and take up so much space that I cant afford. Also the pests are unbelievable. last year I relented and put in some winter cabbage and cauliflower plants, they got reduced to stumps very quickly but have sprouted now so maybe I shall get something. Then on the other hand tomatoes and cucumbers were wonderful last year and considering the price in the shops they are well worth it. I grow spuds just because I love the reveal but when you can buy 56 lb for a fiver it seems all rather pointless, I might just do earlies next year. Sweet corn is a must, onions, carrots and leeks too. I am trying melons, celeriac and fennel this year, they will only get one chance to shine. Have never done road beans maybe I should. Its all down to space, my wife complains I am turning our back garden into an industrial trading estate. Wait till she sees my plans for the garage roof nest year.

[KevinM67]

I'm lucky in having a larger than normal plot at my allotment, therefore space is not really problem.

Re: Brassica - I gave up for a couple of years, mainly due to bolting. Last year though I tried broccoli again, only gave it one good soaking a week (although with the hot summer it was tempting to do more, but I refrained). I also used my own nettle tea every fortnight and it was a great success. So this year, I'm giving them a bash again.

Over the winter I've also rediscovered the delights of Savoy cabbage - so trying plenty of that.

[Jeanied]

Must grows:
potatoes for the taste and colour
pumpkins and squashes of any kind
broad beans (hard to find in the shops either fresh or frozen)
shallots
sweetcorn
Not worth the bother:
onions
carrots
brassicas
peas
rocket (flea beetle)
So my range is far more limited than I thought! Need to dig out some of my more adventurous seeds.

[Moopmoop]

Over the winter I've also rediscovered the delights of Savoy cabbage - so trying plenty of that.

I love Savoy cabbage too, I also love kale and with me not having a lot of room it makes more sense for me to grow kale in a bucket and pick the leaves as I need them.

[bretty666]

not worth it for me has to be white onions and carrots pureley because i cant get as good a carrot or onion than the shops and they are soooo cheap and we use a lot. beetroot was not even tempted this year after last years failure. leeks...i weeded them maybe 5 times last year ..i think i planted 90 from seed and i ended up with 2kg maximum..so 3euros worth maybe?? i know we do not do gardening for just the money aspect but when you put sooo much time in for such a small return i would rather double up on a good producing crop
have to grow.
sweetcorn. outstanding result last year and chop in half then throw in carrier bags in the freezer 1euro each in the shops...more than doubled this years crop to 180plants..red onions.not very cheap in shops but i love rhe colour in a salad or curry..this year i have used red onions as borders outlining other beds..squash or pumpkins of any variety at all..sooooo expensive! so damn tasty/versatile.easy to grow.colourful.long shelf life.fun at haloween.i have easily over 100 plants so far this year when i only had 25 buternit last year..tatas..cant beat new tatas with some parsley or mint.mmmmmm. 4euros a kilo in the shop!! i paid that for 3kg of seed tatas..radish! fast and fun for the kids and so crunchy when picked fresh like that. and my bigtime definately is parsnip. iv upped to about 2000seeds planted in total as opposed to about 500 last year.
so all in all..i plant what is worth growing now in bulk and what isnt..i biy from the shops.its always fun to give everything a go but i think iys important to know why you grow what you grow. my reasons being i love being outside and getting a bargain by producing my own and learning at the same time...edit.....i forgot to mention the amazing garlic!!145plants this year as opposed to 50 last year. a kitchen is not a kitchen unless it has fresh garlic in it...newbies for me this year are aubergines.chilis.haricots.peas.a few squashesflowers!!!runners.mangetouts.swedes.pak choi.bloody butcher corn.popcorn.self blanching celery..ill see how they produce this year!!..2nd edit..gherkins are a heavy cropper and good for preserving.doubled crop thos year in my pumpkin plot

[WPG]

This year I've decided not to bother with the normal types of courgette, as they always seem to turn into bland-tasting marrows overnight. Instead I'm only growing courgette rugosa friulana, which produces loads of firm yellow courgettes (tastier too I think).

Have also given up on runner beans this year - grew far too many last year and we all got a bit of a sickener for them.

I've always grown broccolli romanesco, but am wondering this year whether it's worth it. They take up so much space, but just produce one meal per plant. I'm thinking the space might be better used for more compact veg like leeks and parsnips.

Haven't planned to try out anything exotic this year, though I got some white winter broccolli from the VSP which will be a new thing to try. Also got some Crown Prince squash from the VSP, which have now germinated, so they'll be a first for me this year too.

[KevinM67]

Moopmoop - yep, savoy cabbage and kale, I'm addicted to both (cooked with smoked bacon in a creamy sauce -hmmm)

Bretty666 - I agree with many of your points, especially about getting the kids outdoors and it's not all about saving money. Sweetcorn and Butternut squash are musts for me and the kids - however, peas take too much time and effort for such little output.

WPG - I've never grown courgette as I'm not really keen on it. The neighbouring plotholders though always offer me their excess 'marrows' each year, which I always find quite awkward when I refuse.

[Greenleaves]

If its about giving up on failed crops, I had better give up based on last year.

I know of the crops take up a lot of space and results are often below par but that for me is the joy of gardening.

However that said I dont grow tomatoes anymore as none of us are great fans and their take a lot of greenhouse space.

I also tend to grow what will fill the freezer and usally grow an abundance of runners and sprouts.
can say peas have ever appealed as everyonr says the investment in effort and space is disproportionate

[KevinM67]

Greenleaves - sorry, I didn't really intend it to be about giving up on failed crops, it was more "what staple/norm veg do you not bother growing.

For me peas have certainly been easy in the past to grow, however it's the time and effort required in providing the support and protection. Added to that, the support and protection has to be safe and accessible to my 5 year old boy.

I can buy a bag of them frozen from the shop across the road for around £1.50

I've decided this year to put the time and effort into growing some crops that are either rare to find in most shops and/or expensive to buy.

Peas are unfortunately the first casualty.