Hi!

[ANewGrower]

Morning! I thought I'd introduce myself here first after having a look round

My name is Rhian, I live in Wales, and I am a complete novice at growing fruit and veg. I have 4 daughters aged between 3 and 12 years, and they are keen to help too - for the moment anyway!

I'm also restricted to growing in pots and containers as we have a small back garden. I've bought a mini growhouse, which is not ideal I know, but the best I can do at the moment.

I've got some strawberry plants in a window box in there - I've read about them needing to pollenate, so will bring them out in the sun and cross my fingers!!

I've also got some spring onion, tomato and strawberry seeds in an unheated propagator in my back room which gets a lot of sun!

So, I'll be here reading a lot, learning a lot, and no doubt asking a lot of silly questions

Look forward to getting to know you!

[ginger ninger]

A sunny warm welcome to you Rhian, it's nice of you to join us. There's nothing wrong with a mini green house I grew tomato's and a cucumber in mine when I had one...I think there great fun. It's nice that your girl's want to be involved as well.

[Jeanied]

Welcome to the vine Rhian - sounds like you're going yo have a lovely growing season with your girls - loads of advice here!

[ANewGrower]

Thanks

I really hope we get some produce from things - I am, by nature a rather impatient person, so growing my own is really going to test me, but I'm determined to persevere!

What sort of things do you recommend a first time grower tries? Am I better off buying little plug plants rather than trying from seed at the moment, until I learn more. Also, is it too late for me to try potatoes?

[ginger ninger]

The best advice I could give to a first time grower is grow what you like to eat, nothings impossible. To keep the little ones interested try growing bean's, peas, carrot's, mint (in a pot) try a squash. I have some seeds that are a bush variety if you'd like to try some, that's if you like squash? Cut and come again salad leaves are a good fast crop, experiment, look on the back of the packet of seeds and see what you need to do before you buy them, but most of all...have fun.

[Sanjo]

Thanks

I really hope we get some produce from things - I am, by nature a rather impatient person, so growing my own is really going to test me, but I'm determined to persevere!

What sort of things do you recommend a first time grower tries? Am I better off buying little plug plants rather than trying from seed at the moment, until I learn more. Also, is it too late for me to try potatoes?

Not if you can get hold of some.Wilkinsons and some supermarkets still have a few bags left. You won't get a massive crop from a container (depending on size of course) but it is a wonderful feeling to tip out the tub and gather the spuds up and eat them straight way.
As far as plugs are concerned, if you are the impatient sort and need the encouragement!! then go for a few....it might also encourage the girls when they see the "instant" kind of garden.
What kind of plants are you thinking of.
Whatever else you buy, don't be tempted by plugs of carrots. They don't really like to be transplanted and it's a VERY expensive way of buying them.
Things like radishes grow very quickly. Spring onions are very slow. It's too late for sowing tomato seeds but worth getting a couple of plants in.
Lettuce needs to be sown through fortnightly intervals in any case to give you a continuous crop. You can also try seeds of something like cut and come again lettuce, where you just pull off the amount of leaves you want. Some grapes are only just sowing their squash/sweet corn seeds
Beetroot is also slow but worth doing.

[glaw5]

Welcome along Rhian, I'm pretty new on here too. Where in south Wales are you? I'm from Carmarthen originally but living in Scotland now.

[ANewGrower]

Thank you for that Sanjo, thats a good help

Glaw5, I'm in the Rhondda Valley We'll be heading over Camarthen way in the summer for 2 weeks just outside Tenby - St Florence!

[Nicos]

Hi there- and welcome to the Vine!

[dawny]

Hello, another newbie, HOORAH!!! hope you enjoy the site as I will!!

[Florence Fennel]

Hello and welcome to the Vine!

[binley100]

Hello from me too

[Glutton4...]

Thanks

I really hope we get some produce from things - I am, by nature a rather impatient person, so growing my own is really going to test me, but I'm determined to persevere! ...

Glad I'm not the only impatient one here! Gardening is for people with loads of p a t i e n c e - have yet to work out why I love it so much!

I grew from plug plants for a couple of years before I got braver - give it a go and see what happens!

Oh, and welcome to the madhouse!

[annacruachan]

Hi Rhian and welcome to the Vine. I grow in containers, mostly fishboxes living where I do, and it's amazing what you can grow. I started out with a small plastic greenhouse - now I'm lucky enough to have a big glassed one! - and grew my tomatoes successfully in it my first year. You'll be able to keep your family in salads at the very least, but you'll do much more as you grow in experience. Plenty of help here on the forum. Have a good year!

[FionaH]

Hiya welcome to the Vine from another impatient grower