Spring Planting for a Tasty Harvest

Spring is a fantastic time to start growing your own vegetables. Not only does it give you the opportunity to get in the garden and get your green fingers dirty, but it also means you have some delicious snacks for the summer to add to meals, salads or to serve as homemade crudities.

Some top choices include:

• Lettuce and Salad Greens – Quick-growing and perfect for continuous harvesting.
• Radishes – One of the fastest-growing vegetables, ready to harvest in just a few weeks.
• Carrots – Sweet and crunchy, they thrive in well-drained soil.
• Peas – A cool-season favourite, peas can be grown along trellises or fences.
• Beets – These nutritious root vegetables are easy to grow and come in a variety of colours.

Herbs for Fresh Flavours

Herbs are also a great addition to any garden, and many thrive when planted in spring:

• Basil – Loves warm weather and is perfect for fresh pesto.
• Parsley – A biennial herb that grows well in both sun and partial shade.
• Chives – Easy to grow and great for adding mild onion flavour to dishes.
• Mint – Best grown in containers to prevent it from spreading too much.
• Thyme and Oregano – Hardy, aromatic herbs that enhance many dishes.

A selection of homegrown herbs can come in very handy when you’re cooking up a storm in the kitchen (or making a round of homemade mojitos!)

We might not get glorious weather all year round, but we do get great conditions for planting your own veg and herbs if you take the time to care for your crops. Try some delicious growing this season!

What should you make with your harvest? We love a Greek salad when the sun comes out. Not only is it delicious and summery, but it also goes with any pasta dish, protein or even on its own. It is quick, easy, fresh and versatile, and any leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day.

Hope Valley Greek Salad Recipe

• Lettuce,  finely shredded and washed
• Oregano, chopped
• Cherry tomatoes, halved
• A cucumber, deseeded and chopped
• Red onion, thinly sliced
• Fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• Coriander, finely chopped (optional!)
• Olives (optional!)
• A glug of extra virgin olive oil
• Half a teaspoon of salt
• Feta cheese, cut into chunks

Mix it all together using some of your crops and you have a delicious Greek salad to enjoy all summer long.