Top 5 Winter Edibles

Picking your own freshly grown fruit and vegetables is not only rewarding but the taste is great as well. Here is the most popular types of fruit and vegetables that will flourish over the cooler months.

• Potatoes - Suitable to grow in a wide range of soils, potatoes benefit from nitrogen so don't forget to add some cow manure. You can use old sprouting potatoes from the kitchen but to get the best crop free from diseases get some specially grow seed potatoes from your local Garden Centre.
• Strawberries - These shallow rooting plants require ample moisture for good growth and fruiting production. Mulch well to prevent weeds, retain moisture and keep the fruit clean. Make sure you remove runners as they appear. Just remember the more fruit you pick the more they will produce so don't forget to fertilize as well.
• Garlic - This plant is so simple to grow, find a warm sunny position with a rich, moist but well drained limy soil, break the bulb apart and plant the cloves individually.
• Asparagus - This perennial vegetable has the capability to keep producing crops for up to 30 years. Tolerant of a wide range of soils, this plant needs a few years to reach it's full productivity, but by picking the spears in spring will encourage further crops.
• Shallots - A cross between onions and garlic, this sun loving plant will produce great yields of onions in well drained soil. Don't waste the tops as they can be used for salads as well.