What veggies can I plant now (March/April)

[Ladystardust]

OK I'm going to need to have a Corona project, I'm prone to catastrophising so veggies are the obvious answer.

I attempted to grow broccoli and cavola nero (kale type stuff) last year but it all got decimated by white butterflies.

Question is, what is hardy, easy to grow and ready to plant now? Is there a way of keeping the bugs from eating it (no greenhouse), I've read about possible flowers planted nearby that may help, but I'm overwhelmed and not sure where to start. Any tips from the green fingered ones would be much appreciated...

 

[maomao]

Raspberries. Buy long cane varieties to have fruit by summer.

Strawberries in another month. Buy small plants and put somewhere sunny for tons of fruit.

Too early for kale anyway.

 

[prunus]

Tomatoes, germinating inside and potting/planting out in 4 to 6 weeks or so depending where you are.

Several lettuce varieties can be planted directly outside now, sow a few every couple of weeks for continuous crop from around May time

In a couple of weeks one can start on ones courgettes and french beans, again (I will be) germinating inside and planting out a few weeks later when it’s a bit warmer (some people would say this is too early, but I’ve always done it in London and it works ok - true you might not actually get any advantage on waiting til late April to sow, but at least you can get going!)

 

[Ladystardust]

Several lettuce varieties can be planted directly outside now, sow a few every couple of weeks for continuous crop from around May time

Any that you would recommend? Also, how do you stop them getting eaten by bugs?

Love the idea of courgettes

 

[Ladystardust]

Raspberries. Buy long cane varieties to have fruit by summer.

just googled those, they are quite pricey, is that because planting from seed now won't work?

 

[Ladystardust]

Off to learn about 'germinating' - I'm a total beginner, but it will be a good project!

 

[King Biscuit Time]

First early spuds in a few weeks, if you get some now and get them out in the light (chitting) they should be fine.

 

[Pickman's model]

Chillis

 

[Ladystardust]

Anyone had success growing mushrooms? (the omelette type). I eat loads of them, they would be great. Can you plant them anytime / easy ones to grow?

 

[heinous seamus]

I attempted to grow broccoli and cavola nero (kale type stuff) last year but it all got decimated by white butterflies.

Cover with netting to keep the butterflies out.

 

[campanula]

I have already sowed broad beans, spring onions, various salads, carrots. Have potatoes chitting, tomatoes and bell peppers growing under glass. Next big push is end of March...for beetroot, celery, peas (although these are a faff), parsley, endive, chicory, lamb's lettuce... Potatoes usually in ground by end of April.Then late April/early May, curcubits, sweetcorn, beans (climbing, dwarf french and runner) and cabbages/leeks/broccoli for over wintering...plus successional sowings of lettuces, right through till July.
Can't do bulbing alliums because of endemic white rot.

 

[campanula]

Anyone had success growing mushrooms? (the omelette type). I eat loads of them, they would be great. Can you plant them anytime / easy ones to grow?

did some in the shed on a compost substrate and eldest has done dowels in logs. Mixed results and not really ideal cropping as spores are tricky. certainl;y not like growing beans and sweetcorn etc.

just googled those, they are quite pricey, is that because planting from seed now won't work?

While berries can be grown from seed, this is a long, slow process and is not the usual method of growing cane fruits. Suggest you start with easy basics - annual veg which germinate easily from seed and produce a crop in one season of growth. beans, salads, parnips, carrots etc.

Don't forget food for the soul - plant some cheerful flowers such as cornflowers, cosmos, nasturtiums.


.

 

[campanula]

Raspberries. Buy long cane varieties to have fruit by summer.

Strawberries in another month. Buy small plants and put somewhere sunny for tons of fruit.

fruits are a bit of a longer process - raspberries and strawberries all crop better in the second year if prevented from rushing into production during the first season in the ground. Not that I rigorously follow this advice myself.