Best First Crops

[AllieB]

Thanks Seahorse you are a star.

[Two_Sheds]

Allie, you've got the right idea: keep it simple in your first year. It may not seem as if you're growing much, but you'll have your hands full with what you've got already.

I'd avoid anything permanent like fruit/asparagus until you've done a season and decided where you want everything.

[robD]

I'd recommend French beans as well, much nicer than runner beans in my opinion, and as smallblueplanet says you can eat the beans if they get too big.

I spent a lot of time thinking about where to put what when I was clearing mine and then established a fruit bed, as it will take a while to get anything from it.

[smallblueplanet]

On the fruit front, we planted some autumn rasps (Joan J) last spring, I was surprised by the amount of fruit we got in their 1st season from 5 canes - enough for lots of raspberry gin & brandy, made some jam and cordial too! I'd have thought even if they went in in the wrong place they'd be easy to move next winter?

[Birdie Wife]

Oh yes, hadn't thought of that Manda - rasps are really hardy, I was given a dozen canes which basically got stuck in a bucket of water for a couple of weeks until I could plant them, all but one weedy one came away and gave me a crop that same year. Blackcurrants the same I think.

[piskieinboots]

Cannabis - at todays street price you'll be able to buy a rotavator in no time

and a greenhouse with the change