Quick Veg.

[sg31]

If the country is put into lock down fresh veg is possibly going to be difficult to obtain. I've get a decent sized garden and can grow runner beans and tomato plants which will come into harvest late July/August.

What else would be a good candidate to produce a quick crop that can maintain a healthy diet. Leafy green veg will be very much appreciated.

[gryffron]

Lettuce, cabbage, kale, carrots, onions, dwarf broad beans, spuds.

The trick I have found is to stagger planting, so that they aren't all ready at once. And don't plant things you don't like to eat.

Gryff

[ReformedCharacter]

Sprouted seeds and beans are quick and nutritious.

RC

[sg31]

Sprouted seeds and beans are quick and nutritious.

RC

Thank you, other than mustard and cress I've never tried them. Do you recommend any in particular?

[Nocton]

Quick and easy veg:
Spinach Beet (perpetual spinach not ltrue spinach) and/or Swiss Chard. Both are easy to sow as large seeds and will germinate easily. After a few weeks you can thin and eat the thinnings and then pull leaves the rest of the summer into autumn.
French Beans - much easier and quicker than runner beans and three sowings at intervals from April will see you into October.
Rocket is quick, as the name suggests, but you'll need to sow every 4 weeks, like lettuce. And, of course radish. If you've got a greenhouse then you can be eating radish and lettuce soon, if they were sown in February as mine were. Have a look at a good veg seed web site like Marshalls: https://marshallsgarden.com

[ReformedCharacter]

Sprouted seeds and beans are quick and nutritious.

RC

Thank you, other than mustard and cress I've never tried them. Do you recommend any in particular?

I like Mung beans, Peas and Alfalfa in particular but there are plenty of others:

https://wholefully.com/sprouting-101/

One of my favourite snacks comprises split pitta bread with tahini, filled with Mung beans and a little crushed black pepper and a few grains of salt.

RC

[sg31]

Thank you for all the replies. I've ordered some sprouting seeds already and will be ordering seeds from Marshalls shortly.

If anyone else has any suggestions please post them. It might help others.

[DrFfybes]

If the country is put into lock down fresh veg is possibly going to be difficult to obtain. I've get a decent sized garden and can grow runner beans and tomato plants which will come into harvest late July/August.

What else would be a good candidate to produce a quick crop that can maintain a healthy diet. Leafy green veg will be very much appreciated.

I think that is probably to do with the harvesting issues. If you live near a farm there might be an option to PYO?

Otherwise I'm not sure of much that will grow in the 3 or 4 weeks until the first lockdown (assuming it comes) will end. Things you can eat the shoots of or whilst small might be quickest- so no root veg, but sprouting broc, Kale, Spring Greens, etc. but most take 6 weeks until harvest.

Paul

[sg31]

I think that is probably to do with the harvesting issues. If you live near a farm there might be an option to PYO?

Otherwise I'm not sure of much that will grow in the 3 or 4 weeks until the first lockdown (assuming it comes) will end. Things you can eat the shoots of or whilst small might be quickest- so no root veg, but sprouting broc, Kale, Spring Greens, etc. but most take 6 weeks until harvest.

Paul

I have my doubts that a few weeks will be enough. I'm not expecting it to be months but we've got nearly an acre and my wife and I like gardening so why not be prepared. A few quick crops for now and then beans, tomatoes with salad crops will suffice until October. Then maybe cabbage, sprouts etc for the winter. Nettle tops are supposed to be very nutritious and the first crop of spring.

My wife prefers flowers and shrubs, I prefer things I can eat. This is my big chance. (only joking)

If nothing else we will reduce the demand for veg just a little and I can give some away if there is a shortage.

[Dorsetbird]

You'll find that all the seedsmen sell baby salad leaf mixes.

T&M certainly used to sell a spicy mix, a mild mix - species vary.

e.g. current T&M: https://www.thompson-morgan.com/p/salad ... r/T76731TM

Also if you grow peas, sow extra and eat the baby shoots a la supermarket pea shoot salads.

[gryffron]

in the 3 or 4 weeks until the first lockdown (assuming it comes) will end.

Woah! You're hoping.

China is at 9 weeks and counting. Just starting to loosen some restrictions.
Boris mentioned 12 weeks in today's briefing.

[DrFfybes]

in the 3 or 4 weeks until the first lockdown (assuming it comes) will end.

Woah! You're hoping.

China is at 9 weeks and counting. Just starting to loosen some restrictions.
Boris mentioned 12 weeks in today's briefing.

He did mention 12 weeks, but he didn't mention a lockdown!

Paul