BOB FLOWERDEW
Growing to eat? Think about work versus value, says Bob
AS SPRING approaches, it’s sensible to reassess the space you allocate to each crop. Did you have too many carrots, and not enough French beans? Few of us have enough space or time to grow everything, so choices have to be made.
Obviously, if you’ve not enjoyed a crop enough to use it up, then perhaps less should be grown this year. Don’t listen to thoughts such as, ‘But x is so healthy and full of vitamins’. There’s no point growing something healthy if it’s then not eaten!
Conversely, if a crop ran out you probably need to grow more of it. But even with such easy decisions, you should judge carefully, especially if time is your limiting factor.
It makes sense to grow less of those crops that take the most work. Cauliflowers, Brussels sprouts and cabbages are relatively difficult to grow well, yet are slow and produce little cash value per square yard. Potatoes, onions and carrots are similar examples. Unless you have a special variety that you really love, it’s hardly profitable to grow all of your own when a whole sack, even an organic one, costs relatively little.
Mind you, courgettes could not be easier and with little effort give huge yields – but where’s the sense unless you have need for so many? At the other end of the spectrum are peas – with loads of time taken to sow, grow, stick, pick and pod, it makes a frozen packet look good value! Instead, go for runner and climbing beans, which give much larger amounts for similar efforts.
Consider also perennial asparagus and globe artichokes: they are expensive to buy, yet with care and planning can be little work. The best of all in return for work or value has to be garlic – so though it’s late, get some going now!
“Judge carefully, if time is a limiting factor”