Hardy Tropicals UK

Welcome to the 'Salad crops and vegetables' section of Hardy Tropicals. This forum is for the discussion on those plants that are mainly grown to eat. I know many members grow salad crops and vegetables, so this forum is to allow discussion on what they have, and how they grow them

Although many vegetables are not exotic, there are quite a few salad crops that come from warmer climates, and require special growing conditions. If you can get a good crop in our climate, there is a good chance you will be able to grow exotic ornamentals better

Not really tropical but it does look trpoicalish with its larger leaves when they are not being ravaged by cabbage white caterpillars.

Purple sprouting broccoli add a bit of structure and green in the winter months and grows in low temps so ideal for this time of year.

Plus they are easy to grow, can collect the seed and grow for next year so is cheap.

Also considered rainbow chard but haven't tried it yet.

I also have lots of strawberries which add some green ground cover in winter.

Well last Saturday I picked some chilli peppers from the unheated greenhouse, they're surely tropical plants and they're perennials in the tropics, technically not a vegetable but they're used as one so I guess they fit the bill here.

In the milder parts of the US people successfully overwinter them outside by covering them with blankets on frosty nights, and get earlier and bigger crops. My chillis and bell peppers have been outside all the time and are still alive, some have lost their leaves, others are putting out leaf buds. I'm going to try and get them through the winter in the GH and post my experience.

I think it shouldn't be that difficult in London. When growing them in the ground, you need to cover them in the winter as they don't like cold and wet at the same time. You can cut them back hard and cover them with cheap plastic cloches with some duvets on top on freezing nights; in doing so, you lose most of the top growth, but the root system remains and grows bigger every year.

I've got a bit of a paradox of a veggie plot here. Although it's at the lowest point of my garden, the fields continue down lower, and so does the frost. It's S/SE facing too. Wasn't ever able to sow broad beans in autumn in the UK and get them to survive, but here they withstand just about everything thrown at them giving a harvest in April.
Onion and shallot sets and garlic bulbs get planted in Oct or Nov and sail through the winter months. If potatoes weren't such a PITA to harvest, I'd grow them too
The first thing I planted was a 100m row of asparagus crowns, another veg that just didn't cut it in Northants. Yum

Globe artichokes, ruby chard and rhubarb would look great in an exotic garden. If you get fed up with them, you can eat'em

Perhaps start topics on each Caprier/Greville, and we can pick your brains.

Mine would be a very short thread Trouble is, Dave, I'll still be learning in ten years time what works and what doesn't out here. And that's without climate change! One thing I can confirm, though, is that asparagus doesn't need such a sandy soil as is generally thought, but globe artichokes do!

I'm happy that there is a new section in this forum, as I have landed a new job in a garden.... mainly to maintain what is planted, mow the lawn and sort out the vegetable/herb garden

they have 8 large raised beds for veg/herbs and have given me a list of what they eat (as regards veg and herbs)... these are under netting so birds cannot access the area .... I have also proposed installing an irrigation system, and they are keen

I suggested using heritage seeds (veg/herbs as grown 50-100 years+ and which have not been genetically modified ... I also said that I will grow using High brix methods (using organic fertilizers such as volcanic rock dust/worm humis/actively aerated compost tea, bat manure, seaweed, fish hydrolosate etc ... this is a good paying job, so I am keen

I have many questions as regards veg growing, so expect many questions, and all help will be appreciated!

Oh goodie, a new forum...

I know some allottment but only for our English veg.

I can help if its needed.

I have a large vegetable garden (about the size of two allotments), and have been growing veg for many years, so hopefully there will be some questions here that I can help with.

For anyone needing a guide book I recommend "Vegetable and Herb Expert" by D. G. Hessayon

Kristen wrote:I have a large vegetable garden (about the size of two allotments), and have been growing veg for many years, so hopefully there will be some questions here that I can help with.

For anyone needing a guide book I recommend "Vegetable and Herb Expert" by D. G. Hessayon

Second the above book, Kristen and I would add the wonderfully eccentric 'Organic Gardening' by Lawrence Hills.

The Expert book thirded I learnt originally with a trowel in one hand and Dr Hessayon's book in the other. I've never got round to ordering it, but Joy Larkcom is supposed to have written the definitive book on growing more exotic salads and veg. Anyone here got a copy?

We learnt by sheer graft on a bind weed riddled plot,

Planted spuds in it and that cleaned it up. Still had a lot to do but it was worth it.

Caprier wrote:Joy Larkcom is supposed to have written the definitive book on growing more exotic salads and veg. Anyone here got a copy?

I've got a copy of "Grow your own vegetables". Its an indepth guide to all sorts of things related to veg. growing and the first book I refer to when I am looking for an answer to a more tricky question.

Not sure it covers "exotic" much, maybe Joy has written another book that does?

Just spent the last 5 days chopping and logging my trees so Im expecting much more sunshine in the garden.So will be giving the cherry toms a good go this year along with garlic,salad,cu`s,strawbs,herbs and berries