Self perpetuating veggie plot - daft idea?

[mothhawk]

I've never been a neat and tidy gardener, so this type of veg growing is right up my street. I love to see things self seeding, I just wish the snugs and slails didn't nip off nearly every little seedling that sticks its head above the parapet. That's one benefit of free range chooks. Oh, for a bit more room.....

[veggiechicken]

Here's another candidate for the self-seeding veg patch - Tree spinach. I sowed these 2 years ago in the chicken run about 6 feet away from where 3 seedlings have emerged amongst the weeds. Pretty aren't they?



Also some tomatoes

[Bren In Pots]

Had to google Tree spinach not heard of it before, I do think it looks pretty with that dark pink-ish colour at the top.

[veggiechicken]

Its very ornamental. TBH I haven't eaten much of it - just a few young leaves. Think Scarlet grows it.

[veggiechicken]

2018 update

Self seeders to have emerged in 2018:-

Chard
Kale
Tree Spinach
Landcress
Flat leaf parsley
Leeks
Lettuce & Oriental mustard in the GH
Tomatoes in the GH
Potatoes
CFBs (2)

[nickdub]

Going to have to give you a technical violation for including potatoes, which are surely from sleepers not seed VC - still, good marks for the rest :-)

[veggiechicken]

They've been there for 3 years - does that make a difference?

[veggiechicken]

A few more self-seeders amongst the weeds. See if you can spot them.

Tall kale from approx 5 year old parent plant



Leeks



Flat leaf parsley



Gigantes bean

Either self seeded or from last year's root.

[Bren In Pots]

I've been finding lettuce, parsley and radish popping up amongst my other veg, only one I'm not to happy about is oregano.

[veggiechicken]

Stand by - its another Daft idea update.

Anyone for lettuce?



The bare patch in the middle is where there was a tomato bucket. All the rest are selfseeded.

[Bren In Pots]

You can never have to much lettuce

[veggiechicken]

2019 update

Some of the plants from previous years are still going strong. Many are setting seed now and I'll leave them to it - again.

Flat leaf parsley


Kale, of course! I've left the seeds to fall on the path - the chooks will enjoy the seedlings!!
They can also be propagated from the green shoots lower down the stem. I'll cut these plants down to new growth soon.


Carrots in the C Bed



Celery, a surprising new entry in the C bed.



Gigantes bean - back for the 3rd year.

[veggiechicken]

Trying some more veggies to see whether they'll self-seed.

In the D Bed Daikon radish, sown a couple of months ago, left to bolt and I'm hoping they'll re-sow themselves soon to overwinter.



These are tomatillos from saved seeds from the Physalis Forest I played with a couple of years ago.
This bed was the Chard bed - and its still coming back.
I've added Dwarf Green Curly Kale, Wild tomatoes and Broad Ripple Yellow Currant tomatoes which are part of my blight free? tomato experiment.