Food prices are rising and supply chains are uncertain.
Here’s what I’m planting right now and why you might want to do the same.
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43 Comments
🌱 If you could only grow ONE crop this year, what would it be?
<<THANKS>> Ana and all of you I chatted with in the comments of previous video advising us to get going in the garden….was going to make an effort and grow a few things as I've lost enthusiasm – but after chatting with you all I got really inspired an tripled the growing space I have just with some imagination! Enjoying doing it now!
I have 1 windowsill in the bungalow, would you believe.. the one in the kitchen… so finding starting plants off difficult, have some in trays in the plastic greenhouse, not finished planting up but temps due to drop again…I always grow potatoes, in those grow bags dotted around the place.. don't take up much space, heavy clay soil, and the garden is below pavement level… so claggy or baked, no half way.. lol
Cloudless sky in swansea and it's been grey sky all day with me and I'm only 20 miles away. Your tom's are your fallback crop Ana if all else fails, I'm trying sprouting cress as an early indoor crop tho it's only garnish, try growing nasturtium as a sacrificial crop plus to you can eat the flowers in a salad.
Tomatoes. I still have some sweet million in a jar from last year. I’m focusing on salad, courgettes, runner beans, squash, carrots (if they germinate. I sowed some in February in my raised bed, which I normally cover with glass for the first few weeks. But this year, loads of ladybirds are in the corners of my bed, so I can’t cover with glass!). Also my leeks did well, so will grow more and try beets 💕
video it , Kim sure many would love to see the transformation and progress.
If you grow chives and 3 corner garlic, you are covered all year round for onions!
What about doing fermented vegetables in brine? Really healthy. Also in raw organic honey (garlic, cranberries…..) for immune system.
Does anyone use a dehydrator to dry and store veggies, etc?
Dwarf beans, just keep on cropping. The more you pick the more they grow.
How are the roots doing?
Many little roots forming off the taproot, or is taproot becoming twisted and bare?
That's what determines health of plant when changing from Vegetative to flowering/fruiting phase.
Please try using a 500 watt halogen work light to grow sprouting seeds indoors to compare with fluorescent grow lights, before moving to sunlight.
Keep high intensity halogen light several feet away from plants due to heat and UV intensity.
Please try using farm dirt from a field instead of potting mix from store, to compare differences of root health.
If you like the greenery on spring onions, shove half a dozen spring onions in a little jar with water, leave it on the windowsill and them little beggars will shoot up ready for cutting within a week. I'm on the fourth cut of my shop-bought spring onions and am thrilled. For those who like loads of spring onion greens, you could set 3 or 4 lots at different stages of cuts, so you'd basically have a cut each day whilst the others continue growing. Even if you just cut and shove in the freezer, free spring onion greens! I actually don't know how long these will keep growing back, as I say, I'm on my fourth cut and they're still growing more ready to cut probably on Thursday. Happy days!
Try not to plant the same thing in the same plot each year as it opens your plants up to disease. Mint is beautiful but a right thug and needs to be in a big pot to prevent it taking over. I can’t wait for the better weather to get sowing and growing. Your plot is lovely Ana.
Things which require pollination seem to be a problem for me here in Norfolk…
I'm lucky I do have a bit of space. I've got onions and garlic in ATM, potatoes, carrots, broad beans and peas. So it's a start. Greens are already in from last year and still doing well.
Jerusalem Artichoke ❤
Wow Anna you have a lot of growing space. How many Square feet would you say you have? I only have 4 4 foot by 4 foot beds. The one crop I would grow is potatoes and kale
Scorzonera in England is black salsify, I never gown it look forward to you reviews. Grow more winter squash the dark green variety Kabocha Japanese Heirloom, stores well over the winter, do not bother with pumpkin as they do not store well.
I’m having to start seeds off in house, then transplant to greenhouse when the seedling have started and the weather is warmer. My greenhouse is covered in straw and sawdust to provide my free range chickens refuge from cold and wet weather., it’s a steady 20c in daytime and they love it, it’s also boosted egg production.
Why don’t you vertical grow. ? I got the tubs that stack on top of each other but I am going to have a go of doing my own vertical growing using a plastic pipe ,, few ideas on YouTube
You'll be amazedif you get a MARS growlight or two…. huge potential. Your little lights seem nice, but limited spread. Take a look at the MARS. Happy growing 🙂
Mint is very invasive, it sends its roots out to spread so make sure you get it all out. Mint should be pot grown to avoid it escaping 🤣
I only have a small garden and have learned what works for me. I grow Charlotte potatoes in old compost bags and donated tubs for summer/autumn use, then buy 25kg bags of Maris Piper from a local farmer to see me through the winter. My most important summer crops are all the beans and salad stuff (lettuce, rocket, land cress, ridge cucumbers), beetroot and perpetual spinach. Land cress in particular is brilliant – it self seeds everywhere and grows slowly throughout the winter, giving me home grown salads all year round. As soon as the broad beans and French beans are finished, I plant out leeks, purple sprouting broccoli and some kind of kale for the winter that have been started in trays and pots. I never grow regular onions but have a lot of spring onions that can substitute if there are shortages, as can the leeks in winter. I am going to experiment with perpetual Welsh spring onions this year. My weakness is runner beans. I love them and sadly, only have room for one wigwam and a few extra plants I allow to climb a small tree and some boundary shrubs. I have to use a portable mesh cage (homemade from a cloche frame) to keep the sparrows off my lettuce and young spinach, then repurpose it with old net curtains over the mesh to protect the broccoli and kale from butterflies later in the season. I have some carrots in tubs and a row or two of parsnips, depending on available space. My little patch grows a lot of food.
I noticed last year the biggest mistake you were making was under watering !!!! I had similar plants that you grow and had no problems because I was watering twice a day, also I have said this before on here but here are two ESSENTIAL products to buy that WILL help with every plant and help to mitigate plant stresses , 1. Superthrive and 2 cal-mag I wont explain again so do your research and see how important these products are.
I have bought some old fashioned seeds walking onions , good king henry and a couple more all self seeding
We are growing loads of spuds this year tomatoes runner beans salads
Just liked and hyped Anna 👍👍🫶
My experimental growing this year is going to be lentils and wild garlic. Also looking into growing dandelions in a pot specifically for their roots which are supposed to be very beneficial for many ailments.
I think you have created an excellent plan and look to be well organised. I have as much space as I like and it still isn't enough and I spend half my time to tidying up and it still doesn't look as if I have – the other half is doing maintenance jobs, painting, mowing and all the rest.
I grow marrow because those will store well through winter if kept cool and dry. In fact, most of growing is defined by storage in a way because I do not buy any veg from shops so it either has to can/ jam/chutney/relish well, store well or over winter well, which is where kale comes out on top because it doesn't care what the weather is, and I can keep cabbage and so on going in the polytunnel. I've taken cuttings from the fruit bushes and those are going into the hedging and trees I planted, somewhat optimistically given the winds straight from the sea, around the field here at the cottage.
My other field is dotted with what I do have space for and can't bear to destroy. It does what it wants unless the sheep find it. I am hoping to establish an orchard area there out of reach of sheep and ponies – nowhere is out of reach of the deer! – and cannot think why I didn't do that years ago instead of trying to nurse one along here because it is a little more sheltered. Every planting of trees is a statement of faith in a future I doubt I will see and I give no thought at all to the lunacies elsewhere [probably too tired!].
Grow lemon balm if you can – the leaves make a very good tea for settling the vagus nerve system, and promoting calm without being sedative, and if you have room for lavender, add a pinch of the flowers. I dry many ''weeds'' and plants for tea mixes for winter for all kinds of purposes but lemon balm is the one no garden should be without.
@Anasfoodlifestyle. .. I humbly say thanks for all you do Ana an the truthful info you share , Your. A Diamond 👍🏻🤩👍🏻
When there was bits of blue sky, the planes came and sprayed lines across them, climate war fare. Bring back our sunshine. Thanks Ana for all your videos.
Dried peas in bulk from the farm, great protein and you can increase nutritional value with sprouting and pea shoots. Dry pea flour for gluten free high protein flour, 101 ways with peas 👍 good enough for the Romans good enough for us
Lamb has already gone up. I rarely treat myself to lamb but breast rolls have gone up by a full £1. So probably the one I bought will be the last.
Research orgone if you want sunshine
Good idea w/ planter in greenhouse Ana, use bare coiled copper wire around canes of any size, stake in soil around your planting, you'll notice the difference promise ,😍😍 + assists keep slugs away. Coil also slightly above the cane + ensure DEEP staked into soil. Terrific your garden + location Ana, wish had a greenhouse here, my plan HOOP 25mm MDPE pipe (Toolstation or Screwfix) onto a salvaged decking boards base frame laid onto loose bricks upon soil, as moveable cloches. Gardening great for physical + mental health correctamundo. Ensure anything WELL SECURED AGAINST WIND folks! 👍🙏
Grab yourselves a copy of 'The Light' paper, recent issue 66. We are on the Titanic and we hit an iceberg 30 years ago
I don't bother with brassicas either, always get white fly.
My garden is small but I focus on fruit as its so expensive. Veg wise its beans, leeks, cougettes then salad crops.
There are a,ternatives esp for salads if you have no garden,alexander,sorrel,three cornered leek and dandelion leaves,get a good field guide,all delicious ,nutritious and free,ive been doing for over 30 years. I also put my celery and carrot tops in water,their leaves are fantastic too 🎉🎉🎉allie cornwall 🎉🎉🎉
Growing a medium size vegetable/fruit tree garden for the last few years just gives me more appreciation for our farmers and the issues they face.
Had more apples last year than i knew what to do with. Think i'll try making a home brew cider this autumn.
Interesting you mention problems with Parsley , i'm have problems with Basil . Won't grow , i've even seeded a second bunch and still nothing , can't figure it out . I've actually brought a plant , and that seems fine , even better now it's sitting in the sun . I reseeded a second row of lettuce , and only used the grow lights till they sprouted , they are much better , they also in the sun , with a row of chives . Tomatoes are a big hit , i've repotted all 12 , and have them in the sun . And my garlic , well the first lot have pretty much died , but my second are in a much better state , about 4" high and one has a second sprout . Little concerned with my Raspberries , only 2 showing above ground , no sign of the third . Still a little early i know , but the 3rd hasn't even broken ground .
If you want the blue skies back then put some 1.5m copper pipes in the ground pointing upwards to a depth of about 50cm.
Fill with water to the top and pour some water around the base.
Do this daily, it's a great cloudbuster
We have a limited area, but I find Swiss chard works very well
Are you based in the UK?