We've been allocated a raised bed on an allotment, where to start.

[TheGracefulwhale]

Hiya, I hope you can all help me a bit.

We have been allocated a large raised bed on an allotment. We are so excited as we have no outside space of our own so having a little veg patch to tend to will be ideal.

But we are complete novices!

I went to see it today and it obviously needs weeding and turning over before anything else but is there anything we must know before we start?
We plan to grow carrots, potatoes, courgettes, onions, possibly peas etc. Do we need to start these off on a window Sill at home and replant the seedlings once established? Or straight into the ground? (I know carrots and potatoes are straight in).
What's best for this time of year to sew first?

Any tips appreciated.
And don't panic, I've got a book arriving tomorrow which should help with my lack of knowledge!

my strategy for veg is

• in march, optimistically buy seeds in the garden centre, plant them up carefully indoors etc.
• wait for them to die or get eaten by slugs
• back to the garden centre in April / May to buy the small veg plants that they have got ready
• plant them up with lots of slug pellets and then at least some of them make it through.

now is definitely a good time to get started.

Haha @parietal thank you! Sounds as good a technique as any!

Peas and courgettes are best started off indoors. Don't feed them or be over-generous with water (but keep them moist) - slugs and snails like their food tender.

Ooo thank you @meredintofpandiculation. When should we be starting them off indoors? Sorry if that's a stupid question!

How exciting, it's great to have a space to grow.

Peas you can start off this month, depending on the type. Each seed packet will show you the sowing, planting out and harvesting times.
I sow a few each week to stagger the harvesting. Definitely start off inside otherwise we have little mice come and dig them up to eat the pea.

Potatoes you can start chitting now. Put them in egg boxes with the eye sides up in good light and cool conditions until they have sprouts an inch or so long.
Courgettes my best tip is don't plant too many! We had 4 good big plants last year and couldn't give enough of them away. Plant the seed on its side, less likely to rot.

@hazelmazel thank you, that's great advice! Im going to get going with some seeds on the window sill at the weekend I think!
We live in a flat so no outdoor space of our own so this is going to be great!