What plant is the most giving?

[ancee]

For me this year, it has to be perpetual spinach! I have never known a plant so selfless! I cut a good bunch daily, and when I go back the next day it seems to have shot up overnight and looks like I haven't taken anything from it! Can't eat as much as it is producing so the chickens are having a daily feast - they'll begin to look like Popeye any day now!
Brilliant plant and aptly named

[Bren In Pots]

Ancee perpetual spinach is one of my favourite plants, I've even got some still producing from last summer they're looking a bit ratting and the leaves are getting smaller so that will soon be going for a friends chickens.

[Penellype]

For sheer volume per unit area of garden I would have to say runner beans. Having said that, my perpetual spinach is currently in 100% shade as the peas have outgrown their support and bent over it, but remarkably it is still alive, although looking sorry for itself. I'm hoping it will hang on in there for another couple of weeks until the peas have finished.

[Martin H]

Vegetable: Runner beans can't be beaten for continuous cropping over a long period. Honorable mentions for cut and come again lettuce leaves and for spinach beet.

Fruit: Autumn raspberries managed for production of 2 crops per year. Honorable mention for rhubarb.

Flowers: Sweet peas. Although I suppose some of the modern roses might run them close.

[FlossieD]

Year 1 - definitely the runner beans...12 plants gave us the most amazing crop for several months
Year 2 - Squashes/Courgettes - we had such a glut of all of these - and even still have 2 squash sitting in our kitchen waiting to be eaten - nothing wrong with them at all!
Year 3 - This year...lets wait and see!

[Greenleaves]

Runner beans and courgettes here, not only are runners good at giving, I also find them quite forgiving

[Knight of Albion]

In terms of vegetables, I'd agree with runner beans. They can pretty much keep a family going with fresh vegetables for a season and you can't ask more than that.

In general terms, I'd have to nominate laurel. Nothing is more dependable or tolerant.

[Philthy]

Beyond the greenhouse, I'd say my best return has come from gem squash.
I'd also second runner beans.

Under glass, I thought I did very well with cucumbers last year. I was surprised by the amount and the consistency.
And chillies always have the potential to be very prolific.

[snakeshack]

Winter festival squash , I got over 60 from one plant last year and still have one left


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[Chippy Minton]

Going on what the family refuse to eat at the end of the season....
Runner beans (back in the 90's we had neighbours with an allotment, people used to avoid them come the end of the runner season )
Courgettes, I always like a break from courgette and feta fritters with courgette soup :P
Swiss chard, daughter still won't eat it and that glut was 4 years ago at least....

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Strangely for me this year is the normally "Suicidal" cucumbers!



13 Fruits on the left hand plant alone!



You watch! Now that said! They'll all fall off!

[ancee]

Wow! What a load of kind vegetables we are all growing!

[Bigmallly]

Undercover it's got to be the good old Tomato & outside I'd go for the spud.

[Greenleaves]

I can see the merit of spuds, mine keep on giving........every year even when I have not planted them

[Chippy Minton]

I can see the merit of spuds, mine keep on giving........every year even when I have not planted them

I'll add the Jerusalem Artichoke in then, my ex-boss has bucket-fulls each year, hasn't planted any in years