Some advice please for a newbie to veg growing

[Rugbylovingmum]

Hi,

I have a small garden and I've decided to have a go at growing some fruit/veggies this year. My dad gave us some tomato and strawberry plants last year and DD loved picking and eating them and they did taste fantastic. I have a list of things I'd like to try growing this year. I'd like to grow mostly in containers but we do have a deep border at the back of the garden with some space under the plum and apple trees and some narrow borders around the front garden. I've done some reading but I'm still a bit confused about which plants/seeds are better sown straight into containers/the ground and which should be started indoors (I don't have a greenhouse). If you could give some tips on growing the following I would really appreciate it:

Blueberries/Strawberries - in pots
Potatoes - I have bought seed potatoes and bags so I think I'm sorted
Tomatoes in grow bags and some trailing cherry tomatoes in a hanging basket.
Peas - do I start indoors on a window sill or sow outside? I was thinking about a trough against the garage wall and putting netting up for support - does that sound okay?
Courgette/pepper - was planning to grow in growing bags I bought at gardening centre (not long grow bags, they are tall like pots but are bags IYKWIM). Dad will prob supply young plants but can I attempt to grow from seed?
Squash - could I put a squash in the bed at the back?
Cut and come again lettuce on a window sill
Garlic - is that better in a pot or a bed?
Broccoli - Dad did some in pots

Carrots - my grandad used to start them in his greenhouse in a toilet roll tube and transfer that out to his garden - they grew in little 'bunches' which he picked while very small. They were lovely, much better than the full sized ones? If I wanted to try something similar do I start them on a window sill???

Chard - my friend gave me a spare packet of brights lights chard and it says it can be grown outside but in a container or in the garden?

Also will these veg all tend to ripen around the same time - is there anything that is good for spreading out the picking time IYKWIM? That's assuming I can get anything to grow .

I'm so excited about giving this a go but quite nervous as I definitely don't have green fingers.

I have grown a few of the veg you mention for the last two years.

Peas - (I have grown mange tout and sugar snap peas and I guess they are treated very similar) - You need to sow them directly into compost/soil. We have planted them in big wooden trough with tall canes and they have been fine.
Courgettes - need a lot of space and water to thrive. I had two in a big trough but uess one in each bag would be fine. They do well with manure round them. If you grow them from seed they need to be on a warm window ledge in a propogator.
Carrots grow well in a long thin rectangular planter with sandy soil.

Certainly courgettes and peas will be ready for harvesting around the same time but if you stagger the sowing of the seeds (ie sow a batch every week or so) you they will last longer.

I wouldn't worry too much about not having green fingers, my mum always says that gardeners have to accept that not everything works and that you can't control the weather etc. As long as they get as much warmth and sun as they can and not too much water at once they should be okay.

Good luck!

Oooh! Watching with interest as I've recently started thinking about growing veggies too!

I bought this book as I only have a tiny back yard which I share with the upstairs neighbours. Its very comprehensive - gives a list of different fruit and vegetables and instructions on what to do. So far I've sown some carrot seeds in a window box- apparently they're very easy to grow.

Carrots good in window boxes,
I start peas in pots & transfer
Don't grow more than one courgette!

I will be watching too, its my first year of growng veg (have grown strwaberries but not veg), we are going to grow pea's, blueberries, raspberries, carrots and lettuce (and maybe a few others). We moved house last september and now have a huge garden, my lovely dad has made me a raised bed and i can't wait to fill it.

I'm trying my hand at growing some veg this year. I have bought seeds for tomatoes, courgette, carrots and peppers plus some herbs.

I have no idea what I'm doing so bumping for you!