its all new to me...

[red_squirrel]

Hi All,

For the last few years I've always been thinking about growing my own fruit and vegetables but I have never had a clue where to start.

This year though I have decided to do it :-)

I'm currently weeding my front and back garden in preparation of planting something.

My logic behind it is I want to plant the things we'd normally buy a lot of. So with that in mind I've decided to plant King Edwards, leeks, onions and tomatoes - my neighbour has also said he'd give me some strawberries as well.

So what's the best way to do this?

I'm just looking for a few tips from experienced gardeners really.

Thanks

Martin

[Kristen]

I've decided to plant King Edwards, leeks, onions and tomatoes ...

My advice to newbies is:

Plant what you like to eat (if you get a disappointment growing something you don't even like it can be a bigger turn off than something you do like!)

Grow what is expensive in the shops (for me that would not include main crop spuds). Soft fruit, Runner Beans (very high yielding, but relatively expensive, timewise, to pick)

Grow what has better flavour "fresh" from the garden - New Potatoes and Sweetcorn would feature highly on that list for me.

Grow varieties that you like (e.g. superior flavour) which you can't get in the shops (e.g. low yield, so farmers don't want to grow them)

Main Crop spuds (like King Edwards) are also at risk from Blight (which comes later in the potato season, so Early Spuds are usually out of the ground by then).

Only other thought is that pretty much all vegetable crops need full-sun, so best to choose a sunny spot in your garden.

[Verinda]

Welcome to the forum

[Bigmallly]

Hello Martin, I can't add much to what Kristen has already said so with that I will wish you a warm welcome to the vine.

[mothhawk]

Hi, Martin, welcome to the vine.

[bearded bloke]

Hello & welcome

[KittyColdNose]

Hello and welcome

One thing to add, don't be afraid to ask questions if a search on the vine doesn't get you an answer.

[noviceveggrower]

Hi and welcome. Think Kristen has nailed it on the head for you. Grow what you eat and like.
I grew courgettes last year. Did a load of seeds because my mom told me they were hard to grow etc. Well I had shed loads in the end the neighbours started to avoid me a bit cause I was always asking them if they wanted any .
If you have a question or advice just ask plenty of people out there who will be able to give plenty of advice or point you in the right direction.

[batman]

Hello!

I think Kristen gave wonderful advice.

My 2p: Grow things that crop in succession, rather than in big gluts, especially if you have limited storage space. Leeks are brilliant, because you can just leave them in the ground until you want some for dinner!

How to get started: clear a sunny bit that's not near any trees completely from grass turf and weeds. Double dig it. Add plenty of plant matter/compost/manure/a bit of fertiliser.
Split it in two bits. One for spuds, one for onions.

Go to your garden centre and buy some seed spuds and onion sets. If you want you can chit the potatoes, but there isn't really a need.

make some rows with string in one bit and put your onion sets in holes you made with a dibber. (this you can do right now!)

dig holes in the other bit, add a little manure/compost/fertiliser to each, add a potato and cover up. (this you might want to wait a week or two).

There! you planted stuff!

Now get some tomatoes started indoors

[Bill HH]

Welcome, Can't add to Kristen's advice other than to say good luck and for each thing you decide to grow ask here or look it up on you-tube there is so much advice on there. I also echo his comments on sweet corn, there is nothing better than to pick it and eat or freeze it within the hour, you just cant buy that. If your growing tomatoes outside they need a lot of sun or they wont get ripe before the frosts get them. One more thing, start a compost heap or use a dalek or two. As you are at home consider harvesting rain water in my opinion plants do better on rain water than mains water. Noviceveggrower has it right about over planting stuff you probably dont even use much, I too did it with courgettes, when ever I said good morning to a neighbour the reply came back "No thanks"

[PyreneesPlot]

Hello and welcome from me, too.

Kristen has indeed nailed it!!

[Kristen]

I grew courgettes last year. Did a load of seeds because my mom told me they were hard to grow etc. Well I had shed loads in the end the neighbours started to avoid me a bit cause I was always asking them if they wanted any

Wish I had been a fly on the wall !!

[Florence Fennel]

Hello and a very warm welcome to the Vine

[Two_Sheds]

I'm currently weeding my front and back garden in preparation of planting

What's your situation as per the sun? Veg & fruit really needs south or west facing gardens, definitely not north (not enough light)

I want to plant the things we'd normally buy a lot of. ... King Edwards, leeks, onions and tomatoes

If that's all you eat, then fine, and they're relatively easy crops to grow (just watch out for blight on maincrop spuds, and on tomatoes). Tomatoes usually need to be under glass in the UK, in order to ripen (they need warmth, day and night).

Spuds & onions are cheap to buy in the shops, so in future years you might want to grow more expensive crops, eg. fruit, salads, purple sprouting broc, asparagus

[Two_Sheds]

I'm currently weeding

Don't waste your weeds, they're full of nutrients that your veg need. Compost it. Put your compost heap in one of the shadier parts of your plot, if you're at all short of space (give the light to the crops)