Want to start growing veg

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

I’ve had a hankering to start growing veg with the kids for a few years but have no idea where to start whatsoever. I am absolutely terrible. Last year my mum and I planted a courgette plant and some tomatoes in the garden, in April, 2 nights later there was a frost and the tomatoes died, and a slug ate the courgette plant straight away! I mean I am really clueless.

Pic attached is of the only space we’d really use. It’s a raised bed I assume but I guess I’d have to fill it to the brim with soil? What kind of soil? How do you stop weeds coming through?

Any suggestions of what I could plant to start with would be great. I guess ultimately I’d be looking to do salad, cucumber, courgette, carrots, potatoes, the usual I guess.

Also is there any point if we’re hoping to move in a couple of years’ time? No idea how long it takes to establish things.

I’d be grateful if someone could point me in the direction of some good YouTube vids or books etc!

No reason you can't start right now!
Whereabouts ish are you in the country - I suspect April was way to early to plant out tender things. I'm right in the middle of the country, and I've not put any tomatoes out yet...

Of your list, I'd say avoid carrots. They need really fine, stone free soil and they need to be netted as they're REALLY prone to pests and its so disheartening when you lose the lot.

If you have a car and the budget you could easily get to a garden centre or, big supermarket and get a few bags of multi purpose compost. Then remove the weeds from that bed, fork it over a bit and put the compost on top. And buy in some tomato plants and a couple of courgette plants and if you treat them right, you will have veg this year. The plants are annual so will only last until early autumn.

Potatoes you could do in a separate bag if you have somewhere to put it and can keep in top of watering. And you only get one lot from it, I find kids get quite bored with them.

Lidl have some patio fruit trees just in - you could buy one of them and take it will you when you move? It won't fruit fruit this year alas.

Thanks! I should have said, we do have a greenhouse too. How many of each plant should I plant in order to have a good crop and not obliterate them in one meal? Was thinking peas would also be good!

I am just starting too. I have planted 6 each of peas, Broad beans, french beans, runner beans and mange tout. I think that will be enough. I have 2 caugettes and will put in a few different squash when it gets a bit warmer.

I agree with thespottedzebra improve the soil with plenty of compost.

Amazing! When will you harvest them? Where did you learn/research what to do?

We were beginners last year, we filled raised beds with compost from garden centre, grew radishes which worked brilliantly as can just sow them straight into the ground as seeds and they were ready in about a month. Quick enough to re-sow through the summer. They’d be good if children involved I’d think as quick results?

We did tomatoes in the greenhouse but I think we watered them too much as tasted woolly!

Lettuce was good as could just take leaves off when needed.

Garlic worked really well.

We’ve built more raised beds this year, but found the cats love their new toilets, so have had to cover with chicken wire. You might need to think about that!

Re weeds: spend 5 minutes each day ‘inspecting’, that way you can pull them up when they’re young and feeble, and it’s easy!

Good luck! It’s really rewarding!

This is my 'bible' for veg growing.....

https://www.worldofbooks.com/allotment-month-by-month-how-to-grow-your-own-fruit-and-veg-by-alan-buckingham-gor003450095.html?keyword=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIouvXhcX2gIVBbDtCh3ODwvoEAQYBCABEgLxZfDD_BwE

I do tomatoes, cucumbers and French beans in the greenhouse, potatoes, beetroot, lettuce, carrots, strawberries, raspberries and mange tout out in the raised beds.....

I love it.

Thank you! I really don’t want to go to all the physical and financial effort for everything to just die! Fruit trees are a good idea too thanks PP.

If you grow stuff from seeds, then there is less financial loss and the kids will enjoy it. Saying that, the lettuce and kale ‘plug’ plants from the garden centre did well for me before. My top tip is remember to use a plant food, and peas seem to need a different type of fertilizer/plant food. And remember you will need to water often in hot weather - plan who will do this if you are away.

You have to find a way to stop it being slug food though.

For my first go, I just dug a really small patch over, dug in some compost, and put in neat lines of carrot, Kale and lettuce. Plus a herb garden (chives, mint and sage are easy). And strawberry plants in a pot which are still going three years later (but will need new ones next year).

The soils as part of my degree - I am a bit geekish about them.

Plants - library books, magazines, gardeners world website and you tube.

I'd say go for a variety to keep it interesting.

Lettuce / Rocket / Spinach grow quickly and can be eaten straight from the garden.

Peas and Beans are also quick and it's fun seeing them race to the top of a trellis thing

This year we're trying broccoli- I had no idea what a broccoli plant looks like!

Tomato or Peppers in the greenhouse? Last year we did 10 tomato plants. It rained heavily and they all got blight and died off one by one. It was sole destroying!

Courgette and squash and pretty easy but yes you do need to keep on top of the slugs.

Google is our friend

Thank you! Just going to take the plunge ASAP. DS pulling carrots with his 85 year old great-nanna was probably the most delightful and wholesome thing I’ve ever seen, they were both the happiest I’ve ever seen 😄 adorable.

I have been a keen veg grower for over 10 years. The best advice I can give you is to grow stuff that is hard to buy in the shops or tastes much better freshly harvested.

As a PP said, carrots are hard. Courgettes are easy, but you can get a huge glut and they take up a lot of space. Broad beans are delicious because you can pick them when they are small, and taste best fresh. Also easy to grow. I wouldn't bother with tomatoes unless you have a poly tunnel or greenhouse.

I love home-grown new potatoes. Grow an interesting variety like Ratte or Pink Fir Apple, and you can use a special bag as PP said.

Salad is also nice & easy to grow - rocket, little gem lettuces.

Best thing to do is follow the instructions on the seed packets!

I grow: beetroot, lettuce, sweet corn, purple french beans, broad beans, 2 varieties of new potatoes, courgettes, and in my poly tunnel I have tomatoes & cucumber.

You have to net broccoli against caterpillars & pigeons or they will eat it all, and I've never had much success with peas.

Good luck, it is very rewarding.

This is an Australian website that sends me email reminders of what to plant every month. It is advertising-free.

Pretty sure there'll be a UK version:

www.gardenate.com

Grow stuff your dcs like. Strawberries are easy and mine have always loved picking them.

French beans are easy and grow fast.

In your greenhouse I would do 3 or tomato plants in a growbag (think most take 3). I would go for cherry tomatoes as they supposedly ripen quicker. And a couple of cucumbers the other side. Maybe a melon or 2?

Some salad leaves or lettuce in your bed. You could do french beans up the back on support, lettuce and strawberries in the front.

Grow what you like to eat and what you uae most and what costs a bit to buy. We have planted 18 rasperry canes and 6 blueberry canes on our allotment as we spend a fortune on them for the dcs. And they taste so much better fresh.

Thanks for all the advice!! Fresh raspberries and the smell of a tomato plant will take me back to my childhood! Really hoping to expand DS’s palate and understanding of the world! He’s only 3 🤣