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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: benji26 on January 24, 2007, 10:37:29

Title: varietys help
Post by: benji26 on January 24, 2007, 10:37:29
hi all

i was just wondering if anyone could give me their opinions on the best varietys to grow (container gardening) with regards to taste, crop etc

carrots - have been offered some chanterney ( spelling?)
peas - was recommended hurst greenshaft?
(also with regards to peas i heard they can be poisonous and wondered if that was true?)
strawberries - was advised not to use Elsanta
tomatoes - no idea

and herbs are well herbs.

thanks in advance

luv

x sam x
Title: Re: varietys help
Post by: supersprout on January 24, 2007, 10:40:53
Just a little more info benjy please about what tomatoes you like:

Cherry toms or big and lumpy?
Do you like em sweet or sharp?
Mild or tangy?
Red, white, black or green?

Chantenay is a good carrot, Hurst Greenshaft is a good pea (and definitely NOT poisonous!)

Best fresh herbs IMO are flat leaf parsley and basil :)



Title: Re: varietys help
Post by: dandelion on January 24, 2007, 10:59:31
IMO Elsanta are easy to grow and robust, but not the best tasting strawberries (not bad though). These are the ones the supermarkets sell.
Title: Re: varietys help
Post by: jellywelly on January 24, 2007, 13:30:26
With regards to the strawberrys I have both Elsanta and Cambridge Favourite, and would choose Cambridge everytime, they cropped better and tasted much nicer than elsanta.
Title: Re: varietys help
Post by: manicscousers on January 24, 2007, 13:37:02
we've got a strawberry called marshmallo, wonderful flavour, or what about wild strawberry type, they'd be good in containers, suggestions, please people, about variety ?
Title: Re: varietys help
Post by: Merry Tiller on January 24, 2007, 14:01:00
Recomend you try strawberry Symphony and tomato Sungella
Title: Re: varietys help
Post by: benji26 on January 24, 2007, 14:44:47
right ok

sorted now

carrots - chanterney
peas - hurst greenshaft
strawberrys - going to try cambridge
tomatoes - tumbling toms


also decied today whilst perusing the seed packets in wilkinsons that im going to buy ben a sunflower and make him some of those little cress heads - so he has something to help with in the garden besides the veg and mess making.

now im off to do a plan of the garden and ive decided i want to get the membrane and gravel down by the end of february so that in March i can dedicate my time to sowing/planting and getting my garden sorted. Might even pop a few more things in pots if im feeling adventurous too!

how hard is swede to grow?? do they need lots of space?

x sam x
Title: Re: varietys help
Post by: supersprout on January 24, 2007, 15:23:11
aww, love the cress heads! ;D ;D
Swedes are easy to grow, feed well and keep thinning during the year so they end up about 2 ft apart.
You can eat the thinnings as you go :D
Title: Re: varietys help
Post by: benji26 on January 24, 2007, 16:14:32
supersprout - easy to grow in a container or would they need a bed?? could i get away a trough for them??
Title: Re: varietys help
Post by: supersprout on January 24, 2007, 16:28:12
I don't see why not, provided you don't let them dry out. I've not tried container-grown swede - what do others think? My son loves swede ;D
Title: Re: varietys help
Post by: benji26 on January 24, 2007, 16:32:48
and mine nad if i can grow carrots, swede, strawberries and peas ill be saving a bleeding fortune - now just need soemwhere to grow sweetcorn, bananas and grapes and we'll be sorted - no more fruit and veg section for us!!
Title: Re: varietys help
Post by: manicscousers on January 24, 2007, 16:52:39
grape vines do grow well in pots, you can have your own grapes, not so sure about sweetcorn  ;D
Title: Re: varietys help
Post by: markfield rover on January 25, 2007, 11:11:46
As every blackbird within 10 miles of here awaits my strawberries even going into the
greenhouse!  I won that battle by growing alpine strawberries  I like the intense flavour
they do seem to be bug and bird free. Will be sowing more soon although they do sow themselves
all around