Good food: the healthy veg patch made easy

You don’t need masses of space, or even masses of time or know-how to grow your own veg.

Sure-fire bets for bumper crops



Salad leaves: Cut and come again varieties allow you to harvest when you want. A pack of mixed salad leaf seeds will enable you to achieve the bagged salad effect with little effort, and for a fraction of the cost.
Health benefits: vitamins A and C, calcium, potassium – darker leaved varieties are more nutritious.

Potatoes:
You can buy potato growing bags at your garden centre, which makes it dead easy.
Health benefits: carbohydrate, vitamin C, B vitamins, folate and fibre.

Peas and beans:
These will look good growing up a wigwam or canes, and their flowers are pretty too.
Health benefits: B vitamins, vitamins A and C, iron, folic acid.

Carrots: Stumpy ‘Parmex’ is ideal for containers, or just use a deep pot for longer varieties.
Health benefits: vitamins A, C and K, fibre, folate, iron, potassium, copper.

Courgettes:
 Just two or three plants will yield plenty for a family of four. The leaves and pretty (edible) yellow flowers make them good for beds and containers. Water regularly.
Health benefits: vitamin C, betacarotene, folate and potassium, low in calories.

Beetroot: Great for containers if you’re after sweet baby beets. You will get a crop within 12 weeks. Eat the leaves in a salad.
Health benefits: vitamin C, fibre, potassium, magnesium, manganese, folic acid.

Grow in a basket: For hanging baskets a cherry tomato ‘Tumbler’ is ideal. Feed fortnightly once the fruits start to form. Or try strawberries – the runners on strawberries make them perfect for baskets or tall containers.

Savvy tip
You’ll get a greater choice of veg if you grow from seed (and it’s cheaper), but if that seems daunting, look out for young plants in your garden centre. If you’re growing in containers, get dwarf or baby varieties.



Pass it on
For a super-easy first attempt at your own crops, check out our SuperSavvy article All-you-can-eat windowsill.