Some of the best vegetables to grow in Exeter, UK, including cabbages, broccoli, beets, and other greens. Exeter, UK, is known for its scenic views, majestic waterfalls, and picturesque hiking trails. However, among these things, Exeter is also known as a gardener’s paradise. It’s all due to the wide variety of plants that thrive in the area.
Although Exeter often experiences cold spells lasting for weeks, the temperatures are mild most of the year. Aside from the climate, irrigation, soil types, nutrients, and care, other important factors affect your plants’ growth.
Location is another essential factor to consider when planning your gardening activities, especially during the autumn and winter seasons. For your plants to survive, they need to adapt to the microclimate and the local climate.
You can check the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to know your region’s climate and hardiness zone. Using this map, you can see the different types of plants that best grow your area and the average minimum temperatures. Exeter generally has hot, dry summers and cold, bitter winters.
Best Vegetables to Grow in Exeter UK
Here are some of the best vegetables to grow in Exeter, UK:
Broccoli
It’s easy to grow broccoli in Exeter, UK. Broccolis thrive in more excellent areas, and it’s not a fan of excessive heat. You can grow it from transplants, starting from seedlings. However, broccolis need a lot of water. The soil should remain moist throughout the growing season.
Broccolis attract harmful pests, including cabbage worms, root maggots, and aphids, so make sure to watch out for these critters.
Beets
Just like broccoli, beets are a cool-season vegetable. They can even survive near-freezing temperatures! Beets grow quickly in well-prepared soil, and you can harvest them about two months after planting. Unlike other plants, you don’t have to deal with pests and disease problems when growing beets.
Greens
If you think you can’t plant greens in Exeter’s cool climate, think again. Many green leafy vegetables grow well in Exeter, such as spinach, arugula, kale, and chard. Since you’re growing greens mainly for their leaves, you need to make sure that your soil contains plenty of nitrogen. Don’t forget to water them as well so they would grow fast. If your plant grows slowly, its leaves may turn out tough.
While greens can grow in Exeter, they can thrive better inside polytunnels. This allows your plants to stay clean and protected from rain and hail.
Lettuce
Lettuce can easily grow in Exeter, UK. You can directly plant the seeds in your garden, but it’s easier if you plant them indoors. Lettuces don’t need direct sunlight to germinate. Additionally, you can easily transplant the seedlings.
As with other types of greens, it’s essential to protect your lettuce from heavy rain and hail. Your soil should be consistently moist, and it should contain plenty of nitrogen to grow the best lettuce. Otherwise, it will taste not very pleasant.
Cabbage
Cabbages also grow well in cool temperatures. Increasing them in humid areas may cause their heads to split before you get to harvest them. Since you need the cabbage for its leaves, the soil should also have a lot of nitrogen, and you should water it consistently.
Potatoes
Potatoes are easy to grow, especially in light, sandy soil with minimal fertiliser and water. Plant your potato patch in sunny areas where they could (ideally) get at least six hours of sunlight per day for the best results.
Carrots
Carrots prefer to be planted in deep, loose soil during cool temperatures, preferably early spring and late autumn. If planted in heavy soil, your carrots will mature slowly, resulting in unattractive and rough roots. Carrots should be seeded directly, and the soil should be kept moist so the surface never crusts over. You can place coconut fibres on top to retain moisture.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes need at least eight hours of sun exposure. These plants have a long growing season, so it’s best to transplant them rather than seeding them directly into the garden. To grow sweet tomatoes, make sure to get the right balance of sun and heat. Since Exeter has a cooler climate, it’s best to grow your tomatoes in a polytunnel so you’ll be able to control the temperature.
Growing Crops in a Polytunnel
Polytunnels enable you to control the climate inside the polytunnel, regardless of the current weather. This allows you to grow different types of plants that never would’ve survived in your area. You can even customise your polytunnel by adding a heating and cooling system, lights and shades, and ventilation.
If you have larger polytunnels, you can divide them to create climate zones. In this way, you can grow different types of plants within the same structure.
Many plants cannot survive in freezing temperatures, so be sure to pick your harvest immediately. You can protect immature fruits from mild frost using baskets, burlap, blankets, or canvas sacks. Since Exeter is prone to heavy rains, leafy plants are more vulnerable to pests and diseases.
Heavy rainstorms can saturate the soil, attracting slugs and encouraging the spread of leaf diseases. Protect your garden from unwanted pests, rain, wind, and hail by using polytunnels.
Other advantages of growing plants in a polytunnel include the following:
- longer growing seasons
- create an ideal growth environment
- grow plants without dangerous pesticides
- save energy
Check Out Polytunnels from Krostrade
Growing the best vegetables in Exeter, UK, can be challenging because of the city’s weather. Cool temperatures, wind, and rain can slow the growth of your plants. On the other hand, Exeter’s sunny days could also scorch your delicate crops. It’s essential to match your plants with the weather to expect an excellent yield despite the cool season.
If you want to grow the best vegetables in Exeter, UK, you might consider investing in polytunnel all year round. Krostrade offers affordable yet high-quality polytunnels for gardeners and homeowners. Our polytunnels are easy to assemble and disassemble, and they consist of fully hot-dip galvanised pipes that can withstand harsh weather conditions. To know more about the products we offer, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email.