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All gardens can produce some food, and especially suitable are areas of land which are at present unused or supporting overgrown trees and shrubs. We can help you first by discussing the factors affecting growing successful crops such as soil fertility, shelter, trees giving shade, aspect, space requirements, suitable crops, any problematical perennial or Scheduled invasive weeds, and other factors specific to your site.
Contact us for a consultation to talk over the suitability of your garden or spare overgrown land for food growing. Initial visit usually free of charge depending on distance from KT3 enquiry@akimdal.com
And after that .....
We are equipped to cut down overgrown vegetation, cultivate land and transport bulky materials to site. Availability to carry out after-care of food growing areas.
Successful Easy Crops for SE England
The easiest crops to grow are those which can be directly sown or planted out into their final positions and need need minimal thinning out, no further transplanting, little protection against pests, attack by diseases and which can tolerate periods without watering. All direct sown crops need some hoeing between the rows and probably one hand weeding.
- Beetroot - 비트뿌리 - Such as Cylindra or Bolthardy
- Carrot - 당근 - example Detroit 2
- French Bean - 강남콩 - Examples are Royalty, Safari
- Lettuce - 상추 - Examples are Lollo Rosso and loose-leaved mixtures
- Parsnip - 양흰당근- Such as Tender and True
- Potato - 감자 - Examples: Red Duke of York, Pink Fir Apple, Desiree
- Spinach - 시금치 or근대 - Examples: Bloomsdale and Perpetual spinach (also known as Chard)
Vegetables that are not so easy to grow and why:
- Broad Beans - attract blackfly attack
- Broccoli, Brussels, Cabbage, Calabrese, Cauliflower, Oriental leaves, Turnips, and other brassicas: eaten by pigeons, flea beetle, caterpillars etc need transplanting, feeding and watering
- Celery - needs lots of water and earthing up
- Courgettes, Cucumbers, Marrow, Pumpkin, Squash: need lots of water and space but are pretty pest-free
- Leeks: need transplanting and earthing up - other than that are pretty easy
- Onions: can rot in wet weather, and go to seed if too dry (but grown from sets are pretty easy it should be said)
- Peas and Mange-tout: pigeon attack, have to be supported, get pea moth
- Peppers and Chillis - need lots of heat and water
- Radish: flea beetle, cabbage root fly, bolt, and do you actually like them?
- Runner Beans: Need support, beans often quickly get woody
- Sweet Corn (Maize): seed is expensive, takes up a lot of space, needs hot weather to do well.
- Tomatoes: have to be started indoors, need loads of water, need support, need hot weather to ripen properly, get blight in a wet summer
Typical selection of crops you could expect to harvest during the year:
Up to April: perpetual spinach, leek, parsnip, brussels, purple sprouting broccoli (have allcome through the winter)
By mid June: early potatoes, baby salad potatoes, baby carrots, beet, mange tout, American cress, spinach and mixed lettuce.
End of July: savoy cabbage thinnings, pak choi, French Bean royalty, French Bean Safari, perpetual spinach, potato Pink Fir Apple, French Bean Sprite and in the centre courgette Marrow Long Green Trailing.
Late August: Marrow, courgette, spinach (everlasting), cucumber, tomatoes, calabrese
Mid September cabbage head, broccoli (Calabrese), second sowing of beetroot, tomatoes
November: Parsnip, carrot, beet, lettuce leaves, rocket, leek
Page Updated 21st December 2009