Right: I've actually bloody done it........

[lucyellensmum]

I've just dug up my DPs "lovely grass", well about 8' x 4' patch, with a bit out of it for an apple tree that i don't want to move until winter (its a young tree so dont want to kill it). I am intending to grow carrots, cabbage, purple sprouting and dawrf beans. Ive not started any of these off yet so i know im up against time now (bloody fair weather gardening really dictated by not being able to have DD (2.5) out with me on freezing cold wet day). Ive dug up the grass (oh my back!) and dug it over a few times and put some compost with it. It will need a few more gos i guess before the consistency is right. But should i add anything else before i start doing my seeding - have very itchy fingers. I don't want to have to buy any of these veggies. Any thoughts, ideas, piss for my bonfire, encouragement - i am very very new to this. Did beans and tomatoes last year and they were good, corgettes a disaster.

Also, ive planted some sweetcorn up, but only really have a patch in the garden by a north facing wall, am i wasting my time?? Also, are there any other veggies i might grow in this position??

Don't know how your garden looks, but as you have to wait to plant, what about setting some boards out in a couple of rectangles and pegging them in to make raised beds? Makes weeding and general maintenance sooo much easier And you can throw more compost in, as you go.

Sow some basil indoors for a sunny patch to plant out later

What about globe artichokes up against the wall? They look fantastic and you get an interesting (if a bit sparse!) crop from them late summer...

Well done for the digging - have a hot bath!!

btw don't know what your soil is like, but DH swears by those big sieves (you can see who sorts out the veggies in our house )

I thought about the raised bed thing, not sure it would fit in with our garden to be honest. I have got a couple of huge containers that i am going to do salad stuff in - im very excited. Just wish i had more space

our soil is actually quite nice, despite being a bit chalky and clay. I think i need to do another days digging and pray for some nice weather the weekend to start with my seeds. Not sure i have the patience for a sieve - hmmm

You'll have to post some pics

Got your string and sticks ready to plant in a straight line?

good tip - i never would have thought of that until i had planted everything on the piss that is

ummmm...not the most encouraging thing to post but you have chosen some possibly tricky veggies there. Do you fancy adding some tomatoes or something easy just too boost your confindence of neccessary? There are some really good tomatoes for hanging baskets is space is a premium. Cut and come again salads are fab and you'll save lots of money on supermarket prices.

Also 'tis a bit early for sweetcorn - shouldn't be outdoors until May. A good tip is the 'three sisters' system. Sow sweetcorn inside (nowish) move it ourdoors in May (it needs planting in blocks) the at the bottom of each sweetcorn plant sow a runner bean seed (or climbing french bean). When the bean seeds have germinated and started to climb up the sweetcorn plant out some courgette, pumpkin or squash plants under the sweetcorn. The sweetcorn supports the growth of the beans, the fix fix nitrogen in the soil and thus feed the sweetcorn and the courgettes keep the roots of the beans and sweetcorn cool and weed free which is just how they like it.

sorry about typos - was typing one handed while eating ice cream

try some chard too......the seeds can go straight into the ground too, and they look pretty. Im a first timer with chard tho, putting them into pots cos I cant get to grips with the bindweed!

BBmouse - what a jolly good idea! i am going to steal it but actually not bother with the sweetcorn since mine was enormous but rubbish last year - will do courgettes with beans though - thanks.
I spent all day in the garden & greenhouse today, friends= with a rotivator churned up the lawn with in order to extend my patch, I've sowed loads and am so excited doing new things this year too and they've germinated!

YogaBird works really well with sunflowers instead of sweetcorn too . Sweetcorn usually too much hassle for me but DDs love sunflowers.

I sowed sunflowers today, lovely dark red ones, not really tall though, will obtain giant yellows and follow your advice BBmouse, am quite excited at the prospect do you think I need to get out more and get a wider range of interests?

BBM, thankyou for your interesting posts. Can i really grow beans up the sweetcorn?? I am definately going to grow beans as i did this last year and have some free beans that i kept. Never thought to grow the beans up the SC though. My corgettes were shite last year, i have some to put into containers this year, so not sure what i will do with them.

I have to say, im starting to lose enthusiasm for the sweetcorn, it seems that everyone i speak to say that theirs was shit too.

Definately want to persevere with the root veg though, ive dug the patch - i mean, what can go wrong?

No certainly not!!! Sunflowers should be as exciting as things get or I shall be jealous of you. I bought a fine example of a blackberry (variety 'Waldo') yesterday - been looking for one for a while - I had to have a good sit down and practice my deep breathing after that

Are you planting potatoes?

i might do, can i, i mean, is it not to late and aren;t they really difficult>?>?

Potatoes are the easiest thing in the world, its not too late at all - ideally get a small bag of seed potatoes from wilkos or somewhere - first earlies are best as they crop the quickest.
If not, just find a handful of sprouting potatoes from the kitchen.
Give small child trowel, tell them to dig hole, put potato in, with sprouts upwards, then cover up. When they grow, they can earth them up by pulling soil round the stems if they want, but you'll still get tatties if you don't.
Dig them up after they've flowered and the tops have started to die back.

OK - i'm going to do it ---oooh yes, self sufficiency here we come. Well, maybe a few tatties and a couple of tomatos, how many plants should i do, and should i stagger it?? excited again, despite the snow.

Oh loving this thread - we're still thinking about it but DH is keen and we're thinking of setting up a raised bed or two over the summer (don't want to rush it now) and then start in the autumn.

Good luck LE'sM

So which expert knows how to find out best varieties for virgin idiots novices?

i've seen a blackberry somewhere that has no prickles but don't know if it's edible or whether no prickles mean birds will just demolish it?

I'd like to find lots of things I can place around the garden and up the walls before we get the beds going. Have a lovely south facing wall (actually am lucky as have walls and boundaries facing all directions) so would love to grow some fruit.

Or is there a good book someone could recommend, something like 'growing fruit and veg for complete newbies'?

Try 'Grow Your Own Vegetables' by Joy Larckom. I have her old book (called veg from small gardens) and its fab, this is the same but not just small gardens if you see what I mean
Its really simple and to the point, you get a page or two on each type of vegetable, no fancy pictures but it tells you when/how/where to sow, suggests varieties, etc etc

Monkey - why not grow beans and raging mad climbing tomato's on your south facing wall - we did this last year, first crop of anything - I didnt have to buy one tomato all summer . I didnt pay for my bean seeds this year because i have saved some from last year - free food, how cool is that Its not to late for your beds, at least i hope not, nothing has gone into my garden yet. Go for it

Hey lucyellensmum, did you save your tomato seeds too? If not, all you have to do is squidge a tomato out onto kitchen paper, dry it out on the windowsill, & keep it in a paper envelope. Just tear off bits of kitchen roll & plant seeds & paper together next year