Easy grow your own projects for beginners

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Never grown so much as a pot of cress before but keen to give GYO a go this year? Then let Robert Dyas help you get started. With the right kit and a bit of time, growing your own delicious fruit and veg is easier than you think. 
 
Now, we know a lot of it comes down to confidence – and no one is expecting you to turn into Alan Titchmarsh or Monty Don overnight – which is why we have some simple and fun GYO projects to get you off to a flying start. Once you’ve mastered these and enjoyed the sweet (or savoury) taste of success, there will be no stopping you! Potatoes These versatile veggies are super easy to grow and produce bountiful crops. They’re not fussy when it comes to where you plant them, so don’t worry if you haven’t got much space to play with in your garden. You can grow potatoes just as well in containers as in the ground.

You will need: Seed potatoes (make sure you buy these from a garden retailer rather than using those sprouting spuds left over from your weekly supermarket shop to avoid introducing any potential diseases into the soil) Soil or multi-purpose compost A raised bed or container if you need one. A draw hoe to create trenches in the ground or a trowel to cover with compost in a container Tomato feed (general-purpose feed can encourage too much foliage but tomato feed encourages potato tuber growth) A watering can or hose Typically, potatoes are planted in March, April and May for harvesting throughout the summer and autumn months. You can expect your crop around four months after planting. However, they can also be planted in August or September, so you can enjoy potatoes over winter.
If you are growing in the ground, you need to dig some multi-purpose compost into the soil to add plenty of nutrients, then dig straight trenches 12cm deep and 60cm apart. Plant your seed potatoes 30cm apart and cover them with soil to fill the trench. Water regularly in dry weather. Potatoes like around 1-2 inches of water a week, which can come from the rain but needs to be topped up by you if it is warm and dry. Once the plant’s shoots are around 20cm in height mound soil up around the bases, covering the stems half way.

If you are growing in a container, fill it a third of the way with soil or Miracle Gro Moisture Control Compost (£5.49), plant your potatoes, feed them every two weeks and harvest when the foliage above the ground has completely died back. Carrots Another uncomplicated, yet tasty, vegetable that is suited to growing in containers or the ground.

You will need: Carrot seeds Multi-purpose compost A raised bed, container or pot to grow in, if applicable A trowel or spade A watering can with a rose nozzle A garden fork Liquid plant food If you are planting in the ground, dig in some multi-purpose compost or topsoil. It is also a good idea to rake over and remove any stones as you go, as these can split the carrot plant’s roots and stunt growth.

Sow these little guys thinly from seed (about 5-8cm apart) along the bottom of a drill (channel or groove in the soil) that is around 1-2cm deep. It is wise to delay sowing until after June 1 to avoid the first generation of carrot rootfly or grow in containers. Cover the carrot seeds over loosely with soil, and water using a watering can. If planting in containers, you don’t need to stick to straight lines but keep some distance between seeds, so they have space to grow and mature without competing for room and nutrients. Make sure your container or pot has plenty of drainage, as waterlogged soil can rot the plants. You can drill holes into the bottom if needed to help excess water drain away. Water regularly and thin seedlings out (remove any excess plants if there is overcrowding) if necessary. Carrots will be ready to harvest around 12-16 weeks after sowing. You can tell they are a good size looking at the size of the shoulders of the plant in the ground. Lift the roots carefully using a garden fork if your soil is heavy.
  Tomatoes A gorgeous summer treat. Tomatoes are really versatile and grow well in anything from containers and raised beds, to grow bags and hanging baskets, with the fruit either supported by stakes as they grow or allowed to tumble down in baskets.

You will need: Tomato seeds or plants Peat-free fibre pots if sowing from seed, plus a gravel tray to stand pots in and catch any water run-off Somewhere to grow your toms: raised beds, hanging baskets,  or a self-watering tomato grow box Multi-purpose compost Plant supports unless growing in baskets Tomato plants hate their roots being disturbed, so if planting from seed, get your plants started in peat-free fibre pots on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse before planting directly into soil, where the biodegradable pots will break down and provide minimal disruption to root systems.

Many people find it quick and easy to plant their tomatoes in a grow bag but, actually, a large bag of multi-purpose compost will do the trick. Simply lie the bag flat, cut two or three holes 45cm apart depending on the size of the bag and how bushy your plants are expected to get, and plant your seedlings in directly or using a tomato grow box, which can help regulate feeding and watering, as well as providing a plant support solution.

Young tomato plants are quite vulnerable, so protect from slugs and cold weather with a ventilated cloche, and be sure to water regularly in warm weather. A mini greenhouse, like the Tomato Gro-Zone, is great for protecting tomato plants as they grow, providing plenty of height, as well as lots of ventilation and holes to stick plant canes through. Strawberries Wimbledon tennis may be off this year but you can still enjoy strawberries and cream in the comfort of your own home. Just think how much better they will taste when they are home-grown! These summer gems grow in the ground, raised beds or hanging baskets for a sweet crop that should return year after year.

You will need: Strawberry plants Multi-purpose compost Raised bed or hanging basket Trowel High-potash fertiliser, like Tomorite A watering can or hose Prepare the soil by digging in plenty of compost and apply some potash fertiliser. Plant the strawberries so their roots are just buried, spacing them about 30-40cm apart, then pat the soil down around them. If growing in pots or hanging baskets, use deep pots, at least 15cm wide, and space the plants out evenly around the edge of the pot or basket. Strawberries thrive in moist but well-drained conditions, so make sure there are drainage holes in the hanging basket or add a deep layer of gravel or broken crockery in the base of the pot.

Water well for the first few weeks to settle the compost and encourage the roots to grow. This will help establish the young plants. Begin feeding when the strawberries start flowering and then continue to do so every 7-14 days.
Grow your strawberries in a sheltered, sunny spot to encourage pollinating insects and help the fruit ripen.

Take note: Don’t get overexcited and pick your berries too early. Once strawberries have been picked, the ripening process stops. So, to enjoy their super-sweet flavour at its best, wait until the berries are fully red before harvesting

Watch out: Slugs and snails are a big fan of strawberries and can be a problem if you are growing on the ground. Avoid wetting any of the fruits when watering to prevent mould and tuck some straw in around the plants just before the fruit starts to develop. This will help to keep the berries clean and deter any slimy critters. Growing in hanging baskets helps avoid unwanted visits from slugs and snails. Herbs Create your own ‘cut and come again’ kitchen herb garden. Whether on your kitchen windowsill or on your balcony or patio, herbs are straightforward and vigorous growers that will keep you well stocked throughout summer. Some varieties, including mint, chives, tarragon, and oregano tend to die back over winter to then make a return the following season.

You will need: Herb seeds Seed trays or peat-free fibre biodegradable pots Seed and cuttings compost Watering can or hose Loam-based multi-purpose compost with added John Innes for planting out Trowel Raised bed, specialised herb planter, or indoor pot Liquid plant food A handy pair of scissors for pruning and snipping what you need Pick the herbs you want, sow your seeds in seed trays and wait until seedlings are roughly three inches tall and all risk of frost has passed before planting them out into your garden. Feed every three to four weeks with liquid fertiliser. Wait for them to establish before you start cutting – ideally a stem will have three segments – and then harvest what you need regularly throughout the season.

Top tip: Certain herbs, including mint, are vigorous growers and can take over if left to their own devices. It is wise to use a separate small planting container for each herb or a multi- division herb bed. You can also divide an existing flower bed with sleepers or bits of old wood to keep any enthusiastic plants in check. Courgettes Courgettes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow and a plant that provides a plentiful supply of tasty veg throughout the summer. However, be warned: unless you are a huge courgette fan, you probably only need one or two plants, as they fruit regularly. Any more and you’ll find yourself googling creative ways to use them and, believe us, there are only so many courgette cakes you can make.
You will need: Courgette seeds or young plants Propagator or peat-free biodegradable pots Multi-purpose compost Trowel Watering can or hose Liquid plant feed (high potash, like Tomorite, or seaweed fertiliser, like Maxicrop Original is ideal) Their large seeds make courgettes ideal for children to help plant. Sow your seeds indoors – in a propagator or biodegradable pots for minimal root disturbance – to give your plants a head start and transplant out into the soil or a raised bed once they are big enough to handle.
Courgettes are hungry plants and do well in soil that has been enriched with plenty of good quality compost. Water regularly and feed weekly. Harvest your courgettes when they are around 10cm long. Leaving them to grow too big will reduce the plant’s fruiting potential.
Take note: Courgette plants take up more space that you expect. They have big leaves that will shade out anything else trying to grow nearby but they do make great companions for plants that like to climb higher, like sweetcorn or runner beans, as the courgettes just fill in the gaps underneath.
 
Right before your eyes
It is a good tip to chit your seed potatoes before you plant them. This just means encouraging the potatoes to sprout and it gives them a head start before they go in the ground. Place them in seed trays or empty egg boxes with their ‘eyes’ facing upwards and keep them somewhere light and cool until you see little shoots sprouting out of the eyes. Once these shoots are 1-2cm, they are ready to plant.
 
Growing is child’s play
If you have children, get them involved. Children get a real buzz out of watching something they planted grow and develop – with the added fun of getting to dig up or pick and eat the end result. All of the projects we’ve suggested are fairly foolproof, so let them get their hands dirty planting, watering and caring for your edible garden. As a bonus you might just encourage them to eat more vegetables!
 
Aim high to outsmart garden pests
Growing your edible plants in pots and raised planters can help prevent damage from some pesky garden critters. Carrot root fly lay their eggs at soil level and the larvae feed on and damage carrots, celery, parsnips, celeriac, dill and parsley. They can smell their prey from long distances but they are not high flyers, cruising just 18 inches along the ground, so plant your vulnerable veggies in pots up on tables or planters higher than that level to keep them safe.
 
Slugs and snails also love to munch on most young plants and have a penchant for carrots, lettuce, cabbages, strawberries, courgettes, and peppers. Growing in raised beds, like the Vegtrug wall hugger, is a helpful deterrent to these slimy pests. You can even add a bit of copper tape up the legs for extra protection.

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