What's growing in the Veggie Patch #1

RADISH, LETTUCE and STRAWBERRIES:
Over the past few months I have done some change around on my veggie patch.  if you missed the posts on those have a look at these.
Companion Planting Guide
Rotational Veggie Planting Guide
But (in a nut shell) it changed from  a rambling sort of veg patch where the wildlife, horses and chickens, decided that they just loved me growing everything for them... to.... a fenced in veg patch with raised well composted beds.  This way I can also enjoy in some of the rewards


Here are some photos and info on What's growing in the Veggie patch.
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RADISH:
Radishes are one of those really easy veggies to grow.  I love their peppery flavour thinly sliced into a fresh garden salad.  
To grow:   From seed.  Speedy (about 3 weeks, from seed to eating)
Edible part:  Roots, and also the flowers (if left to go to seed)
Climate:  They like cool and moist
Companions:  Plant them among beans, carrots, lettuce, peas and beetroot

Radish

LETTUCE:
Ideally one should plant lettuce seeds every couple of weeks, so that you always have fresh lettuce available.  I usually leave one or two of my lettuce to shoot up and go to seed,  then as soon as the seeds fluff out, I cut off that section, pull out the remaining plant and sprinkle the seeds around.  They usually start popping up all over the place within about 10 days.  Once they have about 6 leaves I then carefully space them out.
Lettuce prefer cooler weather, so in the summer months, I find they grow quite successfully in the shade or under the large leaves of Brinjals, peppers, or squash.
To grow:   From seed.  About 2 months, from seed to eating
Edible part:  Leaves
Climate:  They like cool and moist
Companions:  Plant them among beans, carrots, onions, cucumber, and under the leaves of eggplant (brinjal), marrow and peppers in summer.
Rotate:  You can plant lettuce in a bed after tomatoes, eggplant, onions, peppers, peas, beans and squash.

A lovely variety of garden lettuce

Strawberries:
There is something very special about treasure hunting for fresh strawberries.   I grow mine in an old wheel barrow and between the path pavers.  The ones in the wheel barrow I fall made a cage about of chicken mesh,  that way the birds don't get all of them!   Plant them in well mulched ground and put straw around the plant to keep the berries off the ground (hence the name - duh!) Also a good to add cut off branches of lavender, sage or artemesia to deter bugs.
Cut the runner that goes to a new plant, as soon as the new plant has established itself.
To grow:   Seedlings via runners which root themselves from the main plant
Edible part:  Fruit
Climate:  Warm and moist
Companions:  Plant them among beans, onions, lettuce and spinach
Care:  Enrich soil with bone-meal prior to planting.  Dress with an organic 3:1:5 fertilizer when flowers start (Talborne organics has a great one)

Tips and Suggestions:
*  For more fabulous gardening ideas have a look at this Home and Garden index page

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