Cucumbers

• Cucumber Marketmore An excellent variety of cucumber for growing outdoors producing good sized juicy cucumbers that are crisp with a fabulous flavour. Awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM).
• Cucumber Green Fingers F1 These are ideal for the children’s lunch box. Green Fingers produces small finger sized 10cm or 4 inch cucumbers which have a smooth skin and are bitter free.

Leeks

• Leek King Richard An ideal variety for growing on the patio producing extra long slim leeks that can be sown direct and do not require earthing up. Grow King Richard leeks close together for delicious baby leeks.
• Leek Volta F1 An early variety with a good length stem that can be sown direct and used as tasty baby leeks.
• Leek Tornado Suitable for growing as baby leeks, Tornado produces good long stems that have some rust resistance.

Lettuce

• Lettuce Little Gem A deliciously sweet and crisp small lettuce with a solid head which is ideal for growing in containers.
• Lettuce Tom Thumb A compact, small butterhead type lettuce which has lovely, crunchy but soft leaves and is perfect for close spacing.
• Mixed Salad Leaves Most of the seed suppliers sell packets of mixed salad leaves which are ideal for container growing as a sprinkling of seeds will produce a harvest of various varieties, colours and flavours all in one container.

Mangetout

• Mangetout Oregon Sugar Pod This variety produces a heavy crop of large mangetout pea pods, also known as snow peas, which are crisp and delicious. The pods are stringless when young and are excellent stir fried. Growing to 90cm or 36 inches simply give the plants some twiggy pea sticks for support.
• Mangetout Norli Norli is a true French type mangetout pea which produces small dark green pods that taste so sweet and crisp. This variety is resistant to fusarium wilt and grows to 60cm or 24 inches. Again give the plants a little support from twiggy pea sticks.

Marrow

• Marrow Baby Bush A bush type marrow plant producing a great harvest of tasty baby marrows which are approximately three quarters the size of standard marrows.

Pak Choi

• Pak Choi Green Revolution F1 This is a compact variety of pak choi, which is slow to bolt, can be used as a tasty ‘baby leaf’ in salads or the heads can be left to mature.
• Pak Choi Hanakan F1 When mature Hanakan produces gorgeous green leaf baby heads of Pak Choi which are fabulous in stir fries.

Peas

• Pea Kelvedon Wonder A prolific cropping dwarf variety of pea producing huge crops of pods containing approximately seven extremely tasty peas that grows to just 45cm or 18 inches in height. Give some support with twiggy pea sticks. Resistant to pea wilt and tolerant to downy mildew. Awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM).
• Pea Half Pint Half Pint is a wonderful dwarf variety which will grow to only 30cm or 12 inches in height and requires no support. Continous picking of the pea pods will prolong the harvest. A great variety for children to grow.

Aubergines / Eggplants

• Baby Rosanna F1 Produces a prolific harvest of golf ball size aubergines which are bitter free. Growing to 60cms or 24 inches the plants need a sunny, sheltered position on a patio or in a conservatory.
• Baby Belle F1 A dwarf, compact, spine free plant growing to just 30cm or 12 inches in height producing a great harvest of small jet black aubergines. A sunny, sheltered spot is best.

Beans

• Dwarf (Bush) Borlotto Bean Firetongue Dwarf borlotto beans are a colourful addition to the vegetable garden with stricking bright red speckled pods up to 16cm or 6 inches in length containing red speckled beans that can be eaten fresh, dried or frozen.
• Dwarf (Bush) French Bean Kenyan Safari An excellent french bean that is very heavy cropping producing large clusters of beans which are held high making harvesting easier. The beans are the ‘filet’ type, very slender and stringless with a fabulous flavour. Awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM).
• Dwarf (Bush) French Bean Sprite An outstanding variety producing 15cm or 6 inches long dark green, fleshy pods which are completely stringless and taste great. Awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM).
• Dwarf Runner Bean Hestia A beautiful red and white flowering plant growing to just 45cm or 18 inches in height producing a bumper crop of delicious slim and totally stringless runner beans.

Beetroot

• Beetroot Pronto A baby globe beetroot variety, making it perfect for container growing, with a superb flavour and wonderful coloured foliage.
• Beetroot Pablo F1 This variety produces dark red round beetroots with only a small tap root making it ideal for tasty baby beets. Use the leaves as you would spinach.

Carrots

• Carrot Little Fingers This variety is as the name suggests, delightful little roots that are so sweet and full of flavour that can be harvested at only 9 weeks.
• Carrot Parmex A quick growing variety that produces golf ball sized carrots with an excellent flavour as good as any of the traditional carrot varieties. Awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM).
• Carrot Paris Market A really tasty bit sized carrot with smooth round roots that are fast to mature. Wonderful cooked whole in stews and casseroles.

Chili Peppers

• Chili Pepper Cheyenne F1 Hot! An early ripening compact variety that grows to 45cm or 18 inches in height. Cheyenne produces a large harvest of hot orange coloured fruits.
• Chili Pepper Demon Red Very hot! A very prolific dwarf variety producing masses of green chili peppers that turn bright red when mature.

Courgettes / Zucchinis

• Courgette Defender F1 Defender is an excellent British bred variety resistant to Cucumber Mosaic Virus that never fails to produce a huge crop of dark green superbly flavoured courgettes. Awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM).
• Courgette Black Forest F1 This is a climbing variety of courgette so it is perfect for patio’s and backyards producing tasty dark skinned courgettes.
• Courgette Midnight F1 Another British bred courgette which produces compact plants that are spine free so making it easier to harvest the delicious dark green glossy fruits.

Which Container To Use

There is no need to buy special potato growing bags or a potato barrel because virtually any container can be used to grow potatoes in as long as it is at least 30cm or 12 inches in diameter and depth. Buckets can be used, large flower pots, flower buckets from the local supermarket, dustbins and even empty compost bags turned inside out but you must ensure to make drainage holes in the bottom.

Planting The Potatoes

First put some broken pots in the bottom of the container to aide drainage then using a good multi compost place 10cm or 4 inches of compost in the bottom of your containers. If using a bucket or large flower pot simply place one seed potato with the sprouts facing upward on the compost and cover with a further 10cm or 4 inches of compost. Be sure to water well. When using a dustbin to grow your potatoes place large pieces of broken polystyrene, that is used for packaging, in the base to aide drainage. A dustbin should take four or five seed potatoes.

It is important to either wait until after the last spring frost before planting or protect your containers with fleece if a frost is forecast.

Growing On

When the potato shoots are 15cm or 6 inches tall you need to start earthing up. Add another 10cm or 4 inch layer of multi compost and continue earthing up this way until the potato plant is above the top of the container leaving a 4cm or 2 inch gap at the top of the container for watering. Potatoes need watering well especially when the tubers are growing as under watering can result in a poor crop but don’t drown the plants!

Harvesting

Harvesting is easy when growing one seed potato per bucket or pot, just tip out the entire contents of the bucket for fabulous, fresh and extremely tasty home grown potatoes. First early and second early varieties of potatoes should be ready to harvest after approximately 13 weeks when the foliage starts to turn yellow and die. If you harvest too early you might be disappointed by a small crop of tiny potatoes. Have a careful root through the compost to feel the size of the tubers if you are unsure whether or not the potatoes are ready to harvest.

Christmas Potatoes

Yes, it is possible to serve freshly harvested home grown potatoes with your Christmas Day meal. You will need to order second early seed potatoes from an online supplier which will be ready to plant out as soon as they arrive in July / early August. Be sure to water the plants well especially during a hot summer. The potatoes will be ready to harvest in October but leave them undisturbed in the containers they are growing in and you should enjoy the treat of a Christmas harvest.

• Masterpiece Green Longpod An excellent longpod variety producing long pods that contain up to 8 green beans. A very high yielding heritage variety dating from the late 1800′s with a superb flavour. Awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM).
• Aquadulce Claudia Probably the best broad bean variety for sowing in the autumn. It is hardy enough to withstand winter frosts and gives an early harvest of tasty, white seeded long pods. Another heritage variety from the 1850′s which has received the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM).
• Bunyard’s Exhibition This variety was introduced pre 1835. A longpod variety producing a large harvest of delicious flavoured white seeded beans with up to 9 beans per pod.
• The Sutton A great dwarf variety growing to just 12 inches which makes it ideal for small gardens and exposed sites. First intrduced in 1923 The Sutton can be sown in late autumn, under cloches, and gives a good yield of 6 inch pods containing 5 tasty beans. Awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM).
• Red Epicure If you want to grow a broad bean that is a bit different then try this variety. The pods contain up to 5 crimson red beans which aswell as tasting lovely add a vibrant splash of colour to the dinner plate (when steamed). Dates from 1894.
• Imperial Green Longpod An excellent variety that ticks all the boxes. The plants produce a very heavy harvest with pods growing up to 15 inches in length containing 9 green beans. The taste is superb and the beans freeze well. Awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM). What more could you ask for?
• Witkiem Manita A good variety for early spring sowings with tolerance to the cold weather. It is very high yielding and fast maturing so gives an early harvest of short pods containg top quality white beans. Awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM)
• Medes A medium height, compact plant which produces an excellent, heavy crop of medium length pods containing up to 6 white tender, juicy beans. Suitable for a spring sowing and awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM).
• Optica Being a lower growing plant it is ideal for small kitchen gardens and has been awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM). It is a very heavy cropper with short pods containing 5 white beans which have a wonderful flavour. If the pods are picked young they can be eaten whole.
• Stero An extremely popular slender podded variety which sets mange-tout style pods that are so tender and sweet that they can be eaten raw or just lightly steamed. Regular picking will ensure a heavy yield and later in the season you can allow the beans to form inside the pods for harvesting in the normal way.

Ingredients

• Courgettes
• 2 x Onions
• 6 x Eggs
• Garlic
• Seasoning

These quantities are for a 10 inch frying pan, I use 2 eggs in a 7 inch pan. It is an easy recipe to scale down for smaller frying pans.

Method

• Slice the onions and lightly saute in olive oil with a little chopped garlic, black pepper and sea salt.
• Add plenty of sliced courgettes to the onions and continue cooking until the courgettes soften but don’t let the courgettes go too soft.
• Whisk the eggs then add to the courgette and onion mixture. Cook over a low light taking care not to burn the base of the frittata.
• When the base of the frittata is set place the frying pan under the grill to set the top of the eggs.
• For a change you can sprinkle grated cheese or sliced tomatoes on the top before placing under the grill.
• It is great served with sausages. Enjoy!!

Ingredients

• 1 Red Cabbage
• 2 Medium Onions
• 2 Cooking Apples
• 3 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
• Freshly Grated Nutmeg
• Salt & Pepper
• Garlic – 1 clove chopped

Method

• Shred the red cabbage, dice and core the apples and slice the onions.
• In a casserole dish add a layer of red cabbage, seasoning with salt and pepper, then half the onions, half of the apples, half the garlic, half of the sugar and a grating of fresh nutmeg.
• Repeat the layers and finish with a layer of red cabbage on the top. Add the red wine vinegar.
• Put a lid on the casserole dish and cook in the oven for about 2 hours. 150C / 300F / Gas Mark 2.

It can be cooked for a shorter time in a large, lidded saute pan on top of the cooker, stirring from time to time and adding a touch of water every now and then especially if the apples start to stick.
Posted

• Blue Lake A climbing french bean which is an heirloom variety dating from 1885 producing very high yields of straight, stringless pods that have an excellent flavour. Towards the end of the season the pods can be left to mature to produce a crop of haricot beans.
• Cobra This variety is a vigorous growing climbing french bean which will provide you with a huge harvest of long, straight and totally stringless pods. The beans are very tender and extremely tasty. Awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM).
• Kenyan Safari A dwarf french bean that is very heavy cropping producing large clusters of beans which are held well clear of the soil. The beans are the ‘filet’ type, very slender and stringless with a fabulous flavour. Awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM) it is an excellent variety to grow in containers.
• Cherokee Trail Of Tears These black beans were carried by the Cherokee Indians when they were displaced from their lands in 1838. Thousands died on the march hence the name Trail Of Tears. It is a very prolific climbing french bean with purple pods containing black beans. The pods can be eaten fresh and the beans can be dried.
• Purple Teepee Another excellent dwarf french bean variety that is suitable for growing in containers. The quick maturing pods are purple, pencil thin and stringless. They are carried above the foliage of the bean plant making harvesting easy. Unfortunately the wonderful purple pods turn green when cooked but still have a superb taste.
• Kingstone Gold A beautiful yellow podded climbing french bean. The plants grow to 6 foot tall and easly set beans which are tender and full of flavour. Awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM) the golden yellow pods make a striking addition to any vegetable garden.
• Cosse Violette (Purple Podded) An heirloom climbing french bean variety which dates from 1868. It is a very early maturing variety with beautiful deep purple flowers. A very vigorous variety and high yielding with purple beans being produced in large clusters with slightly twisted, slender pods until late in the season.
• Tendergreen This is a dwarf french bean which has been grown since the early 1900′s producing meaty, fleshy, stringless beans which are tender with a delicious flavour. The pods mature early and a high yield is maintained throughout a long season. Another excellent variety for container growing.
• Blauhilde A colourful purple podded climbing french bean which produces extremely long, fleshy, stringless pods up to 11 inches in length over a long season with an excellent flavour. Resistant to Common Bean Mosaic Virus.
• Borlotto Lingua di Fuoco An Italian variety of climbing bean originally grown in the early 1800′s producing large fabulously coloured pods and beans which are heavily streaked with red. A vigorous climber the stringless pods can be harvested young and eaten whole or allowed to mature to shell for borlotti beans.

If you are growing vegetables on your patio then any container or pot will do as long as it is at least 25cms or 10 inches in diameter and approximately 12 inches deep. Plastic pots are better than terracotta as the compost doesn’t dry out as fast but all pots and containers must have drainage holes.

There is no need to buy new pots – recycle where you can – potatoes can be grown in buckets, simply plant one seed potato per bucket. You will tip out a great harvest of lovely, clean potatoes!

Fill your containers with a good sterile compost which can be mixed with top soil to aid water retention but not garden soil as this can contain diseases. Putting a good layer of well rotted manure in the bottom of the containers not only acts as an organic fertilizer but also helps with water retention. If you have really deep containers you can place a thick layer of polystyrene in the bottom first. This will mean that you don’t use as much compost filling the containers up. Put copper tape around the top of the pots to stop slugs and snails which gives them an electric shock or use bird friendly slug pellets.

Remember that container grown vegetables will need watering properly and once every two weeks feed with a good organic general purpose fertilizer. Try to give them a sunny spot with a south or south west facing position.

The list of vegetables that you can successfully grow in containers is endless. I said earlier tomatoes can be grown in hanging baskets, one plant per basket, try Tumbling Tom or Balconi Yellow. Grow standard tomato plants in pots or grow bags – Bloody Butcher is an excellent tasting, heirloom tomato. One plant per pot or two plants in a grow bag with a cane stick for support.

Dwarf runner beans Hestia, dwarf french beans Purple Teepee and Kenyan Safari are great in pots and need no support. You could grow a climbing french bean, Blue Lake is good and use either cane sticks or an obelisk to support the plants. The more you pick the beans, the more they grow!

Courgettes and squashes can be grown and left to scramble across the patio or try Tromboncino courgettes and Festival squash which will both climb. These would look stunning growing up an obelisk. Defender is a good courgette variety that never fails to deliver tasty courgettes.

There are carrot varieties especially bred for growing in containers. Parmex is a round carrot and Little Finger is a small baby carrot. Give Pak Choi and beetroot a try. These are both easy to grow and the beetroot leaves can be cooked like spinach. One thing that you mustn’t forget is cut and come again salad leaves and salad onions. Buy a mixed selection of salad leaf seeds so you are guaranteed a colourful and tasty side salad.

Remember to water and feed the vegetables, enjoy growing them but most of all enjoy eating your own grown, organic vegetables!!

These unusual varieties are often called “Ugly Tomatoes” but they really are not, they are how tomatoes used to be before people began breeding tomatoes to create the “perfect” tomato that everyone grows and loves.

The look and flavour of many of these tomatoes is fantastic. One excellent variety is a black tomato called Black Cherry which is very unusual and another fabulous tasting variety with a great name is called Bloody Butcher which produces an excellent crop of good sized tomatoes.

Many of the more unusual tomato varieties taste so much better than the average varieties that people like to grow. I am sure that once you have grown these unusual tomato varieties that you will never go back to the regular commercial varieties again.

Unusual varieties generally are heirloom varieties meaning that they are old open pollinating varieties. Many of these heirloom varieties are becoming very rare, in-fact some of the best varieties are no longer available as the seeds are so scarce.

Unusual tomato varieties are always fascinating to grow and you really should try to grow a few of these varieties every year.

• First In The Field is a heirloom variety from the early 20th century. It is a determinate (bush) tomato variety and is extremely good for growing outdoors, with a vigorous habit, producing a good harvest of very well flavoured red fruits.
• Bloody Butcher is another heirloom variety and although best grown under glass will grow outdoors in warm areas. Bloody Butcher is a very early and very productive indeterminate (cordon) variety producing excellent flavoured fruits.
• Pink Brandywine dates from the 1880′s. It is a indeterminate (cordon), potato leaf variety which can be grown outdoors. It produces late season pink beefsteak type tomatoes with slightly green shoulders. These can easily grow to over one pound in weight, meaty, with a superb rich flavour and are excellent thickly sliced and fried.
• Inca F1 is a determinate (bush) plum variety. It grows outdoors and produces a heavy crop of firm, meaty, plum tomatoes with an excellent flavour. A good variety for roasting and making sauces with.
• Ferline F1 This is an indeterminate (cordon) variety that is a recent introduction. It is tomato blight resistant and also resistant to both fusarium wilt and verticillium wilt. Ferline can be grown outdoors and produces heavy crops of fabulous, tasty tomatoes right up to the first frosts.
• Costoluto Fiorentino An open pollinated Italian tomato variety producing a large crop of huge, ribbed, delicious tasting tomatoes that can be used in cooking and sliced fresh. Awarded the RHS Award Of Garden Merit (AGM).
• Black Cherry is the only truly black tomato available. The flavour of these tomatoes is quite complex, sweet yet rich and they certainly add a bit of colour to your meals.
• Tiny Tim is a small bush variety that is ideal for planning in containers, window boxes or in hanging baskets. The small cherry tomatoes are bright red, almost seedless and taste great!
• Golden Sunrise is a golden yellow variety which is well known for it distinct taste. It is the greatest yellow tomato ever!!
• Green Zebra is yet another fantastic tomato to grow, they are sweet yet with a sweet sing taste. These plants can become quite large but they will be filled with golf ball sized tomatoes perfect for summer salads.