Can I have some advice please - we are looking to make a vegetable garden in our back garden.

[sebsmummy1]

I am not really a gardener although I have been tackling the front and back of the house pretty successfully and have made quite a few changes.

We had a hugely overgrown border that we are digging out successfully and it measures approx 10ft x 10ft. Our garden is stepped and the patch covers the area where the garden slopes so I had an idea of tiered raised beds. I honestly don't know what I even think I'm going to grow so I'm not sure what I should be trying to build. We eat lots of green beans and carrots, squash, so I suppose I'm thinking of easy things initially.

I took a few photos ...

What you grow this year will depend on when you get it finished. If you're putting raised beds in then go for green beans, squashes, courgettes this year (grown from plug plants from the garden centre if you haven't already got some seeds on the go) with maybe some late carrots or salad leaves from seeds. Then next year you'll have more time for planning & can increase the range. Beans & squashes are hungry so will need a rich manure-full soil.

Ooh I love courgettes, great idea thank you. I have tomatoes, peppers and strawberries in the green house but would get plugs as I only had this idea for a veggie patch last Saturday lol. I just made a mad decision driving home from shopping and started digging the following day

Best sort of decision imo. I'd say raised beds too but if there's grass round it do a gravel border or something you can mow up to.

Kale is v easy & good for stir frys or adding to loads of meals. I have beetroot this year & peas.

I've just got raised beds this year and have planted things that I can't buy easily at the supermarket or things we can eat in small amounts as and when we like. So I have some yellow beets, rainbow carrots and purple broccoli, and some salad onions, little gem lettuces, green beans and courgettes - I can pick just enough for a salad or dinner

I'd have a go at some bean, still time to sow. Stick up some canes to make a wigwam. Put some compost and chicken pellets in the planting hole. Something like Cherokee trail of tears is pretty prolific. Personally I wouldn't bother with raised beds this summer, just dig over and get things in. Courgettes, lettuce, spring onion, beetroot, mange tout etc. then do the raised beds over the winter .

I'm salivating here