It may be early in the year but I’m starting to think about what to grow this season. I tried several new things in the 2024 vegetable gardening trials – some more successfully than others. There are some that will definitely be on this year’s list though.
(I was sent seed to trial but am not paid.)
Salad leaves are always one of my favourite things to grow and ‘Iceberg Red’ from Mr Fothergill’s was a winner.
It had a good flavour, crispy inner leaves and the red blush added colour to a salad bowl.
‘Acherito’ from Kings Seeds was another red lettuce. This is a romaine’gem type although I found mine didn’t form big ‘hearts’. Another to try again this year.
‘Brighton’ from Premier Seeds Direct was actually part of the 2023 Vegetable Gardening Trials but, as an overwintering lettuce, it wasn’t harvested until early in 2024. I grew it in the cold greenhouse and under cloches outdoors with great success. I really like winter lettuces – it’s great to be able to harvest fresh salad early on.
Pepper ‘Crispy’ (Chiltern Seeds) certainly lived up to its name with lots of crunchy, great tasting fruit. These did really well in a raised bed in the greenhouse.
I also grew ‘Liberty Belle’ from Thompson & Morgan. These beautiful yellow sweet peppers are on really compact plants – ideal for container growing. They had a good flavour and crisp flesh.
More unusual was ‘Spiralus’ from Suttons. This was prolific and had a good flavour although the flesh was thinner than the two bell peppers I grew.
Chillies also had a good season in the big greenhouse – the results are now in the freezer for use throughout the winter.
‘Bishop’s Crown’ from Chiltern Seeds produced lots of dainty chillies with a mild flavour. I did find them slow to ripen.
More heat came from ‘Sizzler’ (Thompson & Morgan), which had a ‘Russian roulette’ style – some were mild, others decidedly hot! Testing a piece before use is advisable. It was another prolific variety and one of the first to fruit.
I admit to being wary of ‘Fields of Fire’ (Mr Fothergill’s) – any chilli with a name like that should be approached with caution. In the end, the small fruit proved to be manageably hot. Not a favourite and it was one of the last to fruit.
There were a couple of new cucumbers in the 2024 vegetable gardening trials. ‘Merlin’ from Thompson & Morgan produced many good flavoured fruit and was the first to crop.
‘Patio Snacker’, from Mr Fothergill’s, had, as the name suggests, smaller cucumbers with a good flavour. These little fruit are ideal if you struggle to finish a big cucumber before it goes soft. We did need to peel it though as the knobbly skin was a little tough.
It wasn’t a good year for squash. Despite the rain, the lack of sunshine meant the crop was small.
‘Blue Hubbard’ from Premier Seeds Direct is the most beautiful squash with a lovely blue rind and orange flesh – it tastes good too. We’ve had one and are storing the others for winter use.
‘Futsu Black Early’ (Suttons Seeds) was one of those that failed to produce large fruit for me. Those we had did have a great flavour – fabulous roasted – and it’s one to try again.
I always think runner beans are one of those vegetables that infinitely better homegrown than shop bought. As part of the 2024 vegetable gardening trials, I tried ‘Sunset’ from Premier Seeds Direct. It was worth growing for the beautiful peach-coloured flowers alone! Another to sow again this year.
I love kale but, unfortunately, so do the resident slugs and snails and they had a feast on ‘Red Russian’ that I bought from Chiltern Seeds. We were left with many leaves that resembled lacework. Another to try next year with better protection – perhaps an armed guard?
‘Redbor’ from Kings, which was part of the 2024 vegetable gardening trials, fared better. I think the more tightly ‘frilled’ leaves might have detered my slimy foes. It also tastes really good and has shrugged off the recent bad weather so definitely one to grow again.
Although it’s far too early to be sowing most things, I will be getting the aubergine and chillies underway this month as they need a long season. It’ll be good to get growing again.
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