i have no idea where do i start at growing veg

castri09_2

hi i have never grown anything before have always wanted to but never got round to it so this year is the year. i would love some help i dont know where to start whats best to grow and easy.i have about a north east facing garden so not alot of sun. i have seen some seeds in the argos sales 7x salad seeds for £5.99 and veg 7x veg sedds for £5.99 is that good.thanks anyone who reads this.:j

castri09

Needhelpsaving

I am going to subscribe as I am in the same boat as you. I will be watching the replies with interest.

MrsTinks

Well the first thing to think about is "what do you like and eat?" - there is NO point in growing 50 onions if you can't stand onions... Nor a beautiful bed of rhubarb if you don't like rhubarb
So start with what you like and eat... you like spuds? Get some seed potatos.
Do you eat a lot of salad? Get some grow bags - they're easy to grow salad in grow a few each week to have a constant fresh supply

RHYSDAD

Well i'm no expert but i did grow a bit last year. Like Mrs Tine said, grow what you like to eat otherwise it's a waste of time and effort. We had just bought our house so didn't have a lot of time to spare to organise the veg patch so we grew tomatoes, cucumbers, runner beans and herbs in pots and growbags and did reasonably well. This year i'm digging a proper veg patch and putting up the greenhouse we got via freecycle so hopefully it'll be a lot more 'in-depth' and productive this time around. Even a novice should be able to find a wealth of advice via the internet:

This guide is from Thompson and Morgan for instance:

Growing tips

and BBC Gardening guide here BBC Guide to basics

Most packets of good seed will offer a guide on the reverse as to how to grow them and most list how easy it is to get them to germinate etc so that helps.

There are countless forums specialising in veg growing: here

The best way of course, is to get stuck in and see what works and learn from experience!

There are books:

Dr Hessayon's The vegetable and herb expert.

This is the one i use and despite it's title, isn't really aimed at 'experts'. I find it very easy and straightforward to use!


Have a go and see what works!!

Edit to say that the Wyevale chain of garden centres have a half price offer on seeds at the moment so chivvy along down if you can...

Wyevale

Farway

To add a bit to "grow what you like to eat"

Grow what you like to eat but that is expensive to buy, so whilst you may love spuds for instance they are relatively cheap to buy, but something like runner beans are always dear, never know why as they are dead easy to grow

perhasp some soft fruit like currants, space permitting

Seeds, Lidl start selling them next week, forgotten the prices but very cheap compared to some

macma

The grow what you like to eat is good advice,unles you've got loads of space I wouldn't bother with onions.Salads are a must easy to grow and often pricey in the shops.A packet of salad leaves sown at fortnightly intervals a pinch at a time will keep you in leaves all summer long and you've seen the price of those fancy bags! Radish,spring onion beetroot.Tomatoes are easy once you get the hang of it, the tumbling type are perhaps easiest as you don't have to "side shoot" them something when you've been at it a while you'll get the hang of.Courgettes are a fab crop turn your back and there's another one to pick.climbing beans runner or french are a doddle just give them something to climb up eg bamboo canes and like courgettes you'll probably be sick of them before they stop cropping.Seeds are cheap in Wilkos and Lidl
But BEWARE once you start you can't stop take it from me .........we've got TWO allotments.:eek:

Needhelpsaving

I went all out and bought some seed potatoes in Wilko - 97p. When is the best time to start planting? Is now too early?

Linda32

Needhelpsaving wrote: »

I went all out and bought some seed potatoes in Wilko - 97p. When is the best time to start planting? Is now too early?

Yes it is far too early. It depends what type of potatoes as you plant them from March to May, it should say on the packet.

katenut

Try a butternut squash if you've got the room - they're so easy so grow, and really versatile for cooking. I got a bit addicted to them last summer!!

mrbadexample

Try lots of different things if you can - that way when some of it doesn't work you can look at the good stuff and not be discouraged. Plus you'll have a better idea what to go for next year.

Smoffi

I was in the same boat as you 2 years ago.. and still learning.. try having a read of this.. it has my failures in it as well.. many of them

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1837937