First time gardener!

lucyAM

Hello everyone,
First time gardener, and first time poster here. :wave:

Just moved into my first home with a garden (Squeee with excitement!), and I want to start doing the money-saving thing of growing my own fruits and veggies.

Just wondering, have I left it too late to start this year? What could I plant end of May time?
I am a COMPLETE novice when it comes to growing things, so a bit unsure where and how to start - I did once try growing a sunflower only for it to wither within days of being put outside from my kitchen window.

Any advice would be brilliant.
Thank you.

Linda32

Its exciting isn't it :j

In order to give some guidance we need to ask a few questions first if that's okay?

Where abouts in the UK are you? not being rude its just that it does make a difference. Just the county will do.

Is it sunny where you are now? and if so is the sun shining into the garden or is it shaded by buildings/fences/trees what ever?

Most importantly, what are your favourite fruit, vegetables and salad crops? As this is the answer to your question on what to grow. No it isn't to late to plant most things.

lucyAM

Thanks for replying. I don't mind answering questions if it helps with the options.

I'm in (not-so-sunny) Wales; Just outside of Cardiff.
The garden gets sun at various parts though out the day, so depending on time of day some parts are shaded and some parts aren't (if that makes sense).

In regards to favourite fruits, etc. My daughter and I will eat pretty much everything, bar smelly sprouts.

Thanks.

Foxy0810

It's not too late to get stuff growing go for what you fancy, fruits are good to grow blueberries raspberries strawberries easy to do and expensive to buy in the shops. Broccoli is easy to do as are peas and salad items

Linda32

That's okay, it makes sense, ours is the same.

It is a bit late to sow your own seeds, but you can buy plants of at the garden centres now. These no problem with this, its just a bit more expensive to buy your own plants (but still worth it), than raising your own seeds.

That said, these more work in raising your own seeds so swings and roundabouts really.

Cherry tomatoes are really worth doing for example and you most certainly will be able to get a plant or two from a GC now.

Have a look at the plant labels, just make sure nothing says "under cover" or "under glass" etc, just means a green house is needed. Lettuce would be good in your shade part, they don't like it too hot and tend to bolt. Look for 'cut and come again' leaves. This is mainly the sort you get in the bags. It just means you don't get a whole lettuce but you can cut the leaves upto around three times. You cut them off and they grow back :T

HTH

Steveswift

Glad some one started a thread with this title i feel that i am in exactly the same boat, will follow and hopefully contribute.

I have had gardens so i recognise what one is But my wife and i have blue fingers has oppossed to green fingers, every thing we touch dies, so the only way is up.

Gl

Steve

lucyAM

Linda32 and Foxy0810, thank you for your replies and ideas.
I'll source out a garden centre near to me and head down there this weekend.
I feel a bit silly getting excited about things like this. Hehe.

Tomatoes and blueberries will go down a treat with my daughter, as she could eat them until the cows come home. Will be even more exciting for her to know she has grown them herself.
I will also be looking at getting a little pop-up greenhouse soon, so I may even be able to branch out to "under-glass" plants.

When buying the plants, do I leave them in the pots they come with or replant them?
Sorry if that's an obvious question, lol.

Steveswift - good luck with your green-figured adventures. Keep us posted on how you get on

Foxy0810

I'm still planting seeds now so don't disregard that option, things catch up fast I put some French bean seeds in 10 days ago and when I planted them out yesterday they were about 12" tall. My peas etc sown straight in the ground are growing slowly but surely but I think I'll put more in at home and plant out when big
Beet root and radish grow quick from seed as does lettuce
You may want to buy tomato plants though if you don't have a greenhouse for them as they do take a while. Blueberries you should be able get a couple of plants cheap enough in garden centre
Good luck keep us posted

Farway

lucyAM wrote: »

I will also be looking at getting a little pop-up greenhouse soon, so I may even be able to branch out to "under-glass" plants.

Beware of these, often called "blow aways" because they are so flimsy & light a good gale will see them in next door's garden, or blown over, along with all you plants

Not advising against, just be aware of potential problem that as newcomer may deter you

As others have said, still time to sow seeds, especially given the late Spring

Runner & climbing French beans are good choice now, if you like them

Possibly just about time to find rhubarb crowns, not for eating this year, but time to get settled in form 2014 cropping. For some reason is expensive in shops but very easy to grow

RAS

Hi

Stilltime to sow a lot of seeds given how awful the spring as been. Anythign that says "sow April" will be just about fine.

Peas, beans (too early for french outside until early June), chard, spinach, beetroot, spring onions, some brassicas, lettuce all OK. Later on try winter radish, endives and oriental greens.

Buy in tomatoes, squashes and corgettes and peppers and summer broccoli etc.

If you want cover go for a low level tunnel or cold frame which may stay where you put it.

Linda32

Hi again, yes those plastic greenhouses are called blow-aways for a reason.:D

That said I have had one for about 5 years now. OH has bolted it to the ground, so if you know someone who is good at DIY this maybe the way forward.
Seriously, they do need bolting down :eek: The odd brick in the bottom is no use what so ever. OH reckons if ours blows away the least of our worries will be the greenhouse and I guess he is right as its a minor miracle that we still have the same one after 5 years.

Regarding your question on replanting what you buy, yes you do need to take the plant out of the pot your buy it in and put it in the ground or in a much bigger tub with fresh compost. You could use a grow bag for this and simply empty the compost from the grow bag into your pots. A grow bag is a long flat pillow type thing labelled as such (sorry if you are aware of this ) it contains the correct type of soil for growing veggies. That just means the right nutrients etc. You nor I need not worry about the right nutrients it just is

Blueberries are lovely but they just need a little bit of attention as to how you look after them. Have a google on how to do it.

Just so you know I followed the book to the letter when I had a blueberry bush and I got zilch its just the way it goes sometimes. And a friend of mine who did nothing the way the book said was over run with the things!

I hope it works for you, as lets face it if you only get a hand full, thats £3 worth at the supermarket.

Edited to add, I thought I ought to explain why I asked where you are in the UK. Its just that it would have made a difference weather wise if you were in Scotland or Cornwall.