want to have veg this year - what should I be doing right now?

[sallywicket]

Last year I made raised beds but they've gotten overgrown with nasty matted grass stuff. Is now the right time to be digging them out? Or should I just cover it all up and maybe the weeds would die? Haven't a clue what to do?

Put thick cardboard over the beds, leave it there for a month or two (but pick it up every few days to "harvest" slugs off it). It will disintegrate in the spring rains, then just pick out the perennial weeds and anything with seeds, and dig the soggy cardboard into the soil.

I've just got an allotment and don't have much of a clue. I got some books from the library and also got Vegetables month by month (only £5.99 inc p&p plus free seeds!) I need to study these as am a total beginner when it comes to veg, though have grown flowers.

Good luck with yours OP. I just weeded my first patch today, am hoping if I can fill it with some plants that'll deter weeds?

There's a free RHS "grow your own" app which says what you should be doing each month.
The library is a good source of free veg growing books.

Ooo a free app sounds good.

mama I'd forgotten I had that book!sparetime thanks for the free app idea. Def need this. Laying down of cardboard sounds like my kind of weeding! I'll find some boxes and do this. Good to get some insiders tips.Thanks again

Don't do that with the cardboard.
You haven't really got time for it to be effective.

If they're raised beds, the soil should be pretty fluffy anyway, so get a fork and fork the ground over.
pull out any of the biggest weeds and the most spidery looking roots.

If you've got any chicken poo (if not, go to hardware shop and buy "chicken manure pellets") spread that over and let the worms do the work.

And start poring over seed catalogues to decide hat you want to grow.
You need to start buying seed and sowing it in trays inside.

YOu're welcome sallywicket.

Chicken poo tip is a good one (sorry am sneaking tips any way I can, am an absolute newbie)

You could buy some seed tays and plant your seeds to keep inside for a few weeks.

I had my trays ontop of the kitchen units and if DH was out of the house I put them in the bathroom after my shower.

You can alos put them in the airing cupboard, water little and often.

Beds can be dug over and I also grew toms in plant pots and courgetted and radish in grow bags.

Do you have hanging baskets? I grew herbs & strawberries in mine lack of space due to huge courgette plants

Seed trays not tays

I will ignore the other typos and pretned I am tired.

bohica I have a sort of warm cupboard in the kitchen, could I put the seeds in trays in that? Or do they need to have sunlight? told you I'm a complete novice!

So was I last year! Warm cupboard will be fine but I also liked to put mine out in the kitchen or bathroom during the day DG hated all the little trays leaking watery dirt on the side

I planted 3 or 4 seeds per little pot and the let the strongest grow and pulled the weaker ones out ready to go outside.

I'm an all or nothing kinda person so I grew brussel, lettuce, courgetted, radish, toms, runner beans, herbs, cabbage and purple broccoli all in tubs, bags and a really small plot in the garden!!

Can I ask what people are starting to grow indoors at present?

I have bean, courgette, chilli, 12 different types of herb seeds and am sure there are more but will have to check.

If I get them going on the window sill now, is that not too early? I was planning on doing the beans now and leaving the rest for a bit till it's warmer, but I'm such a beginner, maybe that's wrong??

Any help appreciated! Off to download the RHS app.

I've got strawberries, aubergine, peas and sunflowers under cling film on the kitchen windowsill and the seed potatoes are in. I only have pots on an East facing, very sheltered balcony on the South coast so can get away with early planting!

It was DP's birthday last week, my folks have promised him some plantlings when they hit the shops so there will be more...

We actually found some of last year's carrots and parsnips left in the pots, they made a very lovely dinner this evening

your seedtrays need sunlight as well as warmth.

A sunny windowsill will be fine.
One great tips from allotment.org.uk is to put a tinfoil stand behind the seedtray (ie, blocking it from the room) so that the sun is reflected from it back on to the seedlings - it stops your seedlings from all pointing one way.

worzel - haven't started yet, I start in March.
Most of your plants can be grown from seed from now. beans, courgettes, peppers etc.

in seed trays, put them about an inch apart.
if you are using 3inch pots, put 3 in a pot.
then when they get big (is more than 5 true leaves - the first 2 leaves that come through are not true leaves), transfer to 1-a-pot n 5 inch pots.

keep them inside and watered until the packet says they can go outside.
Would recommend that pepper plants start off in a cold frame when they go outside.

I have a surplus of bunny poo mixed with newspaper if anyone wants some (collection only, not sure the postie would be too thrilled!) Works a treat on my tatties

inmysparetime I can't find the RHS app? It sounds like just the thing I've searched under RHS and royal horticultural society can you point me in the right direction? I'm on an iPhone if that helps? Thank you < hopeful>

I swear by allotment month by month by DK. It's very easy to follow for a newbie like me. I'm just planning for my second year

I've got the basic free rhs app but this thread reminded me to upgrade to the full version but I can't find it either

I use www.allotment.org.uk

Nasty matted grass stuff sounds suspiciously like couch grass. If so you definitely want to dig it out and try to get rid of as much of the roots as possible . Don't compost the roots though.

I missed the manure delivery to allotment last autumn so am just chucking chicken pellets on. Inside I've started chillis, aubergine, cucumber, watermelon and tomatoes but I have grow lights and will soon have a heated greenhouse to put them in, I wouldn't have started so early if not.

Broad beans are fine to start now as they aren't so frost sensitive. Runners and French beans are a pain if planted now as can't go out until much later but grow big, quickly, then there's nowhere to put them. Same for courgettes.

I searched "grow your own" and the hrs one is top if the list!

Am off to investigate it properly now!

Hrs = rhs sorry