There is a huge variety of vegetables you can grow easily in your garden. Once you have set out your plot and decided what to grow and how, it’s time to populate your plot and start growing. However, simply planting vegetable plants into the ground and waiting for them to delivery fresh produce is not enough. Different vegetables like different conditions and some need more nurturing than others. Here are some handy tips on getting the best out of just a few popular varieties.

Peas

There is no better sound than the pop of a juicy fat pea pod bursting open to reveal those first few peas of the year. For me peas are the garden’s sweets and it is a wonder that any make it back to my kitchen at all! When growing peas make sure you dig the soil well and work in plenty of manure before planting, as peas like rich moisture-retentive soil. Mulching around the base of each plant and regular watering will also help them through dry spells of weather which they dislike. First sowing outside will depend on location but is normally between early and mid-spring. But make sure the soil has warmed up sufficiently first. Peas should be well supported with sticks or stakes, allowing good space for the pods to develop on the plants. Peas are a favourite of birds so it might be a good idea to protect young plants with chicken wire or plastic netting. Harvest the pods regularly to make sure they are at their most fresh and use or freeze as required.

Runner beans

I would always recommend growing runner beans to those who have little experience of growing vegetables. They are easy to grow and require little effort. They look great and yield a big crop over a long period of time. Runner beans have only three main requirements – deeply dug soil, lots of well rotted manure and plenty of water. To grow runner beans you need a good support system. Tall bamboo obelisks or strong hazel sticks will make the perfect structure for them to climb up. Make sure you put your stakes in early and secure them well – it’s amazing how strong these plants can become when they are laden with beans! Sow the seeds indoors in early to mid-spring and the young plants can then be planted out at the bottom of each upright support in early summer. Pinch out the growing tips when they reach the top of the support structure so the plants don’t become top- heavy. Pick the pods when they are young and before they swell as older pods can be stringy. » Read more: General Tips on Growing Vegetable Varieties