Way back in February 2009 after I had my mastectomy MadDad built three raised bed in the garden so we could start to grow our own vegetables. This is those raised bed in July 2009. That year we planted cabbage, cauli, broccoli, kale, chard, spinach, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, leeks, beans, peas, pumpkins, courgettes and strawberry plants. We were rather over-adventurous that first year and crammed everything into the beds and pots. Our cabbage and cauli was eaten by cabbage whites. The pumpkins took over the small space we had and invaded our neighbours too! The carrots got munched by carrot fly, but we had a super time growing things and it was a brilliant experience for the boys and to this day runner beans go by the name Robbie Runner Beans!
As the years have gone on we have learned that we just can not grow carrots. That cabbages are hit and miss for us and although we can grow onions they are actually really inexpensive to buy so are not best use of our tiny bit of land.
This year we have planted new potatoes, cabbage, sprouts, broad beans, peas, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers (in the conservatory), pak choi and salad leaves. We have three raised beds which have the peas in one, potatoes in another and broccoli and sprouts in the other. Each year we rotate what is in each of the beds and as soon as the potatoes come out in a week or so we will be planting some winter kale and other winter greens (spring cabbages).
We have two large barrels which both have broad beans in this year. We want to encourage the boys to eat them and growing them is often the best way for us to introduce a food to them. In fact, the peas never get from pod to plate, just pod to mouth! We are growing strawberries in hanging boxes and baskets, but they are very small this year. Perhaps we need to replace them next year. Has anyone else had this issue? We have since learned that there is more than just planting strawberrys to make sure you get the best from them!
Tomatoes are also grown in planters and we have one tumbler in almost the flowers, which has done remarkably well.
I also have a number of pots with herbs including Sage, Chives, Mint, and Rosemary, which remain outside all year round and we have more tender ones in the kitchen including Basil.
Wow! You’re garden looks fab!!
Wow what a great way to fit all that great fruit and veg in without having to dig up half your garden for a big flat plot! Loving the use of space – especially the strawberry planter (or that might just be because I am a devil for strawberries!)
I’m making notes ready for when we do our renovating and extensions next year and the back garden gets a re-vamp. Sadly I know not about strawbs this year as I am being uber lazy and just growing one pot of tomatoes – I know, I know I’m almost ashamed of myself!
Thanks for joining in and sharing 🙂
Looks amazing. My attempts this year were all eaten by slugs. I’ve got 1 runner bean and 1 pea left. The only thing that worked this year were the strawberries, even the blueberries which were a huge success last year are a failure this year – only 5 berries in total
I’m afraid I don’t have any gardening advice but I just wanted to say that your veg patch looks fab. I’m really keen to start one in our garden and I have a patch marked out just waiting for me to motivate myself! Great to be able to eat what you have grown.
That looks fantastic! So lush. I have totally failed this year, as I forgot to water what little did start to grow in our green house.
How old are those strawberry plants? You need to replace them (with their own offspring) every two years. Otherwise they start giving less and less fruit.
My attempts are recorded on my blog. But be warned, I’ve messed up a little…
Your vegetable garden is looking great. I’ve had no luck with carrots either. They survived the carrot fly (try putting freshly chopped rosemary around the seedlings) but the stoney soil produced franken carrots that were all disfigured and only about an inch long. I thought I’d left the other half in the ground when I pulled my first ones up 🙂