We all know vegetables are good for us, but what a difference there is between those we buy and those we grow. Bought vegetables are selected for uniformity and their ability to be packaged neatly to fit supermarket shelves. Their production and distribution is governed by logistics often on a global scale. Vegetables are shipped

Seed must be buried in the soil, but not so deeply that it cannot emerge, and not so shallowly that it dries out unless watered or rained on. To create the right conditions, you need a seedbed in which the previously cultivated soil is raked level to create a smooth layer of finely divided soil

You can’t miss the likes of snails and slugs (easily the worst offenders in vegetable gardens), caterpillars and rabbits; other pests, such as red spider mite, are barely visible, and some are invisible without a microscope. Insects are by far the most prolific pests. They feed on plants by sucking – blackfly attack runner beans

If you want to grow a vegetable that will yield an enormous crop over a long period, look wonderful for months and take little effort, runner beans are the answer. There is something immensely satisfying about pushing a sleek, marbled pink seed into a pot of compost and a few days later seeing a robust

A close relation of cabbage, kale shares lots of family characteristics but has a distinctive personality of its own. Aesthetically it far surpasses its cabbage cousins. The leaves are so ornamental that many are used in a purely decorative capacity in the garden. They are separated from each other, and often heavily serrated or fringed

It is indicative of the sea change in our cooking that over the last 20 years garlic has become one of the must-grow crops in the British vegetable plot. There are gardeners here who have grown it for much longer, but it is only now commonplace. Few crops are as easy and satisfying to grow.

French beans are a more refined crop than runner beans. They need careful nurturing at first, and though they’re not as productive as their cousins, their texture and taste more than make up for it. In cold summers, French beans often get off to a slow start, but in a hot summer they cope better

Brussels sprouts are a delicacy when cooked fresh from the garden. The sprouts stay ready to pick on their stems for some time, and can be picked over a three-month period. By carefully selecting the right varieties, it is possible to enjoy fresh Brussels sprouts from early autumn until spring, but frost really does bring

How could we cook without onions? They are the mainstay of every global cuisine, and in the past they were treasured even more highly. The ancient Egyptians worshipped them, their spherical shape and layer after layer of skin symbolizing eternal life. Onions made from gold were used as effigies in burial ceremonies, and the onion