what do you grow veg or flower

[piskieinboots]

I grow veg, fruit and ornamental. I'm now lucky enough to have a big enough back garden to allow me to do all three, so I'm channeling the cottage garden look - sort of.

[happyhumph]

I grow all 3 for various reasons. Veg I grow because it tastes better, is stupidly expensive to buy, or you just can't get it (e.g toms & cucs, mangetout & lettuce, chard huauzontle raapini etc). Fruit - quite easy once it's established & rasps in particular are so expensive for how easy they are. Ooh - & I love a glut & eating seasonaly. Flowers because I love them - pretty, some smell nice, & help wildlife.

Mainly I grow stuff for the love of it - makes me happy pottering around. Also the children love being outside, picking all 3 for the house, exploring all the insects etc they can find, & the marvel that is a seed

Right, best stop waxing lyrical & do some tidying...

[rary]

HH.you were doing fine till the last three words

[spamvindaloo]

I started growing around 10 years ago because I just couldn't buy what I wanted (habanero and scotch bonnet chilli peppers - well I had bought them but in the Caribbean and I thought it was a bit far to pop back every time I wanted to make a curry ). Before that I'd not grown so much as a pot of parsley on the kitchen windowsill.

When I got the allotment it was to grow stuff that was expensive or difficult to obtain but to be truthful now it's just because it tastes so much better. Money has never been a reason and I probably spend far more to grow stuff than it would cost in a supermarket anyway.

I don't grow flowers but I do want to plant a few next year to bring in the pollinators and deter the pests.

[Mr Bones]

We grow about 75% veg, 15% fruit and 10% flowers. It's because we want to and enjoy it for everything it is but the veg is mainly for the flavour that only comes with plot to plate organic freshness. Same with the fruit really. (cut) Flowers to me are a luxury and makes Mrs B feel "posh" even if the house does become full of wildlife and their poo.
We're not quite but almost self-sufficient in veg, and we eat plenty of it.

[Jimmy]

I grow veg because flowers are poncy.
Basically green manure.
Jimmy

[Jimmy]

However the wife thinks different so I have to grow some !
Jimmy

[snakeshack]

If I can't eat it or it doesn't have a useful purpose I don't grow it.So mostly veg and fruit, any flowers must work for their space, so pot marigolds to discourage pests and green manure that flower are ok and left to flower as are the herbs ,which the bees love.
Mind you the allotment is MINE and that's where the veg is ,the garden is SWMBO's and has only flowers,plus herbs in tubs for immediate use and the chooks