By Jools

Re: Veggie Virgin
15 May 2008 17:14

hi all
in my garden improvement scheme of things I have just dug myself a veggie patch
I would love to grow my own but not sure where or what to start
Is it too late to grow from seed or do i need to get plants?
What are fairly easy to grow / good things to stat with if you are not an experienced gardener?
Many thanks
Jools

Replies

By JoyH Yorkshire

Re: Veggie Virgin
16 May 2008 00:44

It's borderline time for starting with seeds for some veg now..

Why not spend an hour or so in a good garden centre, have a look at the seeds you would fancy growing, & all the infomation you need will be on the back of the pack. Maybe ask the staff if in any doubt.

Also have a look at what they have in the way of plants ready to go in the garden. They'll cost you more, but you'll only need a few of each, & you'll get a much earlier crop.

Definitely tomatoes, spring onion, cucumber, different varieties of lettuce/rocket, radishes are easy.

The BBC Gardening boards have a forum with some very experienced gardeners, who love nothing better than helping a newcomer starting off for the first time. Even if you don't want to post there, you can read the threads that are applicable to you.

NB:- If it's a newly-dug plot the soil may be impoverished, & would greatly benefit having some well rotted manure dug it (if you haven't already)

By *Bramble

Re: Veggie Virgin
16 May 2008 08:28

You'll get a flying start buying small plants, Jools, seeds could take weeks to start then they need handling very carefully when they're tiny, and the worst bit of all - throwing half of them away because the whole packet germinated! Time to start your compost bin, if you're not already doing it, then you can dig the lovely organic bits back into the soil after the end of the year :-)

By Sam, worthing west sussex, uk

Re: Veggie Virgin
16 May 2008 13:14

I would do as Joy has recommend, and buy a bag of well rotted horse manure, you will only need one bag, then dig it in, not deep deep just enough, a few inches should be OK.

Then I would sit down and write yourself a little list of veggies, that you would normally buy.

ie, tom's, spring onions, radishes, lettuce of whatever kind, caulis, broccoli, peppers (sweet and chillies), courgettes, aubergines, runner beans, french beans etc.....

For your first time, don't be tempted to try something you rarely eat or use, you could have a semi disaster, and that could put you off.

Then for your first time.

I would go to the local garden centre, or diy store, and buy ready started plants.

I think the danger of frost has passed now, well down south it had better not frost, as i have loads in the garden now. so you will be able to plant out pretty much straight away.

And buy buying from started off, you can more or less get the amount of food for the size of your plot. Next year, when you have found how much fun growing your own can be, then buy seeds, and start nurturing anytime from January, but don't over do the seeds....plant how many plants you WANT to end up with then maybe 3 or 4 spares, for accidents or duff seeds, then you can pot on, your better stronger looking seedlings.

Do keep us informed of your progress.

Sammy

By Jools

Re: Veggie Virgin
16 May 2008 14:55

i have dug over the patch adding manure and some compost
Put in a mixture of seeds and plants so will see how I get on!
Got runner beans, tomatos, butternut squash, courgette and peppers in plants
In seeds carrots, spinach, spring onions and radishes
Will see how I get on.!
Just waiting for compost bin to be delivered so I can get going with that
Jools

By Sam, worthing west sussex, uk

Re: Veggie Virgin
16 May 2008 15:25

sounds very promising Jools. you can plant spring onions and radishes, at weekly intervals so you will have a crop every week or so, during the summer time, they take no time at all to come up! Carrots you can leave in the ground all winter, and still taste fabulous. if you need to thin your carrots, the little tiny ones can go into stir fries.

Sammy

By *Bramble

Re: Veggie Virgin
16 May 2008 16:26

Leeks are better for over-wintering, and in Jan and Feb it's lovely to have something still in your garden to go at.