Can anyone advise me on my first vegetable patch please?

[MrsShitty]

I have decided to dig a veggie patch....I have a largeish space to use...probably about 10 feet but that's possibly TOO big for me to manage...what's the idea size please?

I am thinking of lettuce, spring onions, carrots, beetroot.....any other suggestions for simple to grow things? We eat a lot of salad here....

Are there any tips and tricks? Do I just lift the turf and dig some compost in and that's that? Seems a bit simple!

Also...I don't like slug pellets and really would rather have organic pest control...what steps should I take once seedlngs appear please?

All I can say is have fun and give it a go... dig up an area you think you can cope with and get planting...
IMHO:
Lettuce can be horribly disappointing as the garden dwellers will eat more than you do!
Spring onions or those cut-and-come-again welsh onions are good.
A small wigwam will support runner beans and once they've got going can be quite 'fruitful'.
Carrots need a lot of work done in digging and breaking the soil up to give them easy access down into the soil, but will taste far better than anything you buy. If you go for 'stumpy' rather than long you're more likely to get edible results.
Never done beetroot so can't comment.
Shallots are easier than onions and are brilliant when pickled as well - keep a few back and plant next year as they 'multiply' where onions don't.
Tomatoes are pretty easy but do need copious watering if its dry (- skins split)
Rosemary is a useful herb, as is mint, but that is possibly better in a pot as it can take over.
Slugs can be controlled with 'beer traps' rather than slug pellets - they go for the beer and get too sloshed to go further! A covering of gravel around your plants will deter them as well.
You could always start your seeds in egg boxes and plant out when they've got a reasonable root system - you can plant the cardboard box bits as well as it will break down in the soil.

Thank you hanging I HAVE to try lettuce as we eat so much of it and it's expensive...I hate runner beans...can't abide them....the carrots...I will go for stumpy variety thanks for the tip!

Shallots sound great...DH does the toms....too much faffing for me! Rosemary I DO like the sound of but was wonderign about a seperate herb garden?

I will get hold of some gravel and also beer! Maybe I should pop the seeds into egg boxes as its set to be cold this week....

cant believe i've posted on here saying im uselss and am now offering suggestions to people! :o

If you dont have much space and are worried about garden dwellers eating lettuce have you heard about these people attaching guttering to their fence, putting holes fo drainage and growing salad in there?!

We grow loads of lettuce, mainly "all year round" & "little gem". Also loads of flat leaf parsley, rocket, coriander, spring onions. Mixed herb salad every night!! We grow asparagus & artichokes & anything else that costs a lot to buy & tastes better fresh. Things like carrots & potatoes (which I always fail at) I have stopped because of time & space & are cheap to buy! Oh & raspberries rather than strawberries as soooo much easier & the birds pinch more strawberries than raspberries here! Have fun x

nematodes are the organic way of dealing with slugs.