Total Newbie Family with a new 8x5 m Plot

[Moogie]

Hi

Well , we have a first time plot for our family, in Buxworth in the High Peak

Having spent most part of the last few days weeding, removing stones raking and mixing in 3 trailers of well rotted manure we are ready to go.

We are looking to keep things simple and looking to start planting asap, not too fussed on harvesting this year. But if I can get a crop of any of the following it would be a nice bonus

Raspberries
Strawberries

Carrots
Potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Sprouts
Cabbage
Red onions

Possibly
Broad Beans
Big Peas

Any ideas welcome.

So as complete novices, any help on when to plant , and sowing ( we don't have any space for home growing in pots etc) so looking to sow seeds or how and what to buy as baby plants etc

As a family with a 4 year old we want to make this work for us , and be fun so need a good plan!

[damian1225]

Hello and welcome to the vine!

try and grab some already established plants for this year in the sales like tomato plants etc, also Raddish are really easy to grow and fast! ready to harvest in 4 weeks from seed

Hope you have fun with it

[Snoop Puss]

Too late now for potatoes, sweet potatoes, sprouts and broad beans. It's late for red onions for harvesting this summer, but you can get sets for autumn planting. I'll leave others to comment on the fruit.

In addition to your other suggestions (you're in good time for quick growing cabbages like Hispi and autumn cabbages and carrots), you could start some courgette seeds off. A couple of plants might be enough for you and the flowers look dramatic, great for youngsters. You could also think about broccoli, French beans, lettuce and turnips as well. I'm sure other people on here will have lots of ideas too.

Damian gives some good advice about visiting a garden centre and buying in plants to give yourself a head start on some things. Go and have a look and see what they've got.

Good luck and have fun. Oh, and welcome!

[maverick451]

Id definitely recommend going to a garden centre asap and getting what veg you can for this year, also alot of allotments have open days this time of year which usually includes plant sales

The following you can sow now direct and should be ok

Broad beans - try a fast maturing dwarf variety, I grow 'sutton'
peas you sow direct
french beans
Lettuce
Radishes
Turnips

im sure others will think of more

[lottie dolly]

Welcome on board little family,
some good htings already been said,as regards onion sets that peeps put in the ground to over winter and give you a crop next year before the mane crop are ready,look for over wintering onion sets in a few months time,if you keep looking on here,you will see reference and heads up from one or the other on here,so get your ground ready for them,also,the over winter ones will not store like the main crop,but any spare can be choped and frozen,make soup and freeze,good luck.

[Bren In Pots]

Hello and welcome to the vine Moogie you've had some good info I'll add lettuce some herbs to your grow list.
Have a read at the vines own growing guides for more ideas.
How To Grow Vegetables & Fruit | Growing Guides & Tips | Grow Your Own Magazine

[Chestnut]

Hello, and welcome to the vine:-)

To add to the suggestions above, I think you could also sow beetroot and spring onions in the ground now.
Raspberries (and currants and gooseberries) are often bought as bare root canes in the autumn, so maybe you could sow some green manure on the raspberry patch in the meantime to keep the weeds down?

[Jungle Jane]

For fun I'm thinking of a big runner bean teepee/pretend house,they grow fast & can crop into October/November if you sow seed now. On my June to sow list are-lettuce,rocket,turnip,swede,radish,chard,pea,carrot & runner bean,a few can also be sowed again in July

[ESBkevin]

garden centres and particularly the likes of Homebase have some ready to plant seasonal stuff desparate for planting now and usually at a discount. So get what they have and plant it out.

As a general rule soil should not be animal manured in the spot you intend to plant Root crops like carrots or parsnips because in might cause them to fork and have multiple roots, however they still taste good.
Another general rule is that brassicas (cabbage Kale and the like) prefer firm soil so they don't rock in the wind and rot off. It is suggested that the ground is dug in winter and left to settle, then the plants are firmed in with the heel of your boot for good measure.

Now those general rules can help but most of us have broken them and had good results anyway so why not get stuff in for this year. Ive recently planted carrots, parsnip and sweed from seed, more peas will go in too. Any brassicas you can find ready to plant out will be good. It you are contemplating fruit trees the optimum time for planting is in the dormant winter season.

Remember we are all learning, Benjamin Franklin wrote about being an old man but a child in terms of his gardening skills.

[Kirk]

You could try Turnip and Swede. Maybe broccoli although not sure - I have 5 small Summer broccoli just getting going at present, reason is that I rescued the last 1 from the slugs/smails and sowed half a dozen more in a pot. Waiting for them the be big enough to fight back.

You should be able to get a few tomato's at a market. Although the market I visit tends to be cutting back on the veg they offer.

Places like £land had small fruit bushes in but again they seem to have gone. Try B&Q they have assortments of stuff in there.

Be a little careful of raspberries, they spread. And I suggest you get autumn fruiting varieties - Joan J and I think Polks - these are just easier to manage/ They grow, they fruit, you leave them until winter/early spring and cut them to the ground and it all starts over again.

Guess it is too late for parsnip, someone else may comment but if not then maybe try.

Fruit bushes tend to be fairly simple and fill space, thinking blackcurrant and gooseberry here.
If you can get one try rhubard - big hole, mix 50/50 soil and manure back into the hole, plonk rhubarb on and cover.

Add a location in as when you ask the answer may well depend on where you are and so it helps tpo get more relevant answers.

[nickdub]

Best to make at least a rough plan - either on paper, or on the computer, if you are feeling fancy.

Start with where you want have permanent paths (wheelbarrow+ wide), shed etc

Add in semi-fixed stuff like a compost bin / water butt.

Then plants you don't want to move eg fruit trees, rhubarb, some herbs eg sage , some soft fruit eg raspberries.

Don't forget which direction the sun mostly comes from.

Work your other veg etc round this plan - best to move stuff like potatoes about each year if possible - grow stuff which is best v fresh like salad stuff, if short of space.