Best beginner vegetable

[Salsa]

What do you advise to be the best beginner vegetable to grow that requires little space to grow in and with a low-cost outlay?

[Smartie]

Hi Salsa,

I suppose I probably shouldn't reply to this as I am a beginner too and don't tecnichally know the answer, but just thought I'd let you know that my first effort this year has mainly involved potatoes - I remember my dad used to grow them when I was kid and I thought they were the tastiest things ever so I thought I'd have a go! Plus, many people have assured me that you'd be hard pushed to go wrong with tatties - the advice I got was just shove 'em in and they'll grow!!

Good luck, can't wait till you get some more replies as I'm interested to hear what people recommend!

[Parsnip Person]

carrot and stick

Hello Salsa,

Carrots are one of the easiest vegetables to grow in the UK, and they are great because they are rich in vitamin A and are a good source of fibre. The tastiest carrots are the early varieties, which can be harvested as early as May when they are at their most expensive in the shops. Watch out for incorrect soil conditions though, as these can lead to mis-shapen carrots. Also beware carrot fly.
HTH

[Barbara]

oops!

Also beware carrot fly.

Must remember not to speed-read posts.

Was convinced you were warning against airborn vegetables...

[Parsnip Person]

Flying carrots can be very dangerous, thank you for pointing this out Barbara.

[Wooster]

Courgettes

I have found courgettes very easy to grow - the hard bit is keeping up with the constant supply!! As with most home grown veg they are very different to the watery bland excuses on offer in the supermarkets. Have grown 3 plants this year, which is too many for 2 people, will just stick to 1 plant next year.

[Jaxom]

Hello all I'm a bit new to all this GYO so I have been reading up a little and the advice tends to fall in to two boxes .... one- only sow as many seeds as you can eat of the finished product. and if after 3 weeks your seeds havent sprouted you are still early enough in season to sow the same number again .
or number two- sow a whole packet of seed then thin them out disturbing the seedlings you want to keep, brake your back trying to look after to much in the garden until it is time for harvest and then find your friends who don't grow vegetables pretending not to be in when you come to visit with mounds of vegetables
I think I will try courgettes next year but follow Wooster's advice as there is only two people in my home too and I am the only one who likes to eat courgettes. one plant will be more fun to look after knowing that all it's fruit will go on my plate and not on my compost bin.

[raspbarry]

Yes.. I'm often reading how simple courgettes are to grow. I think I'd only need one plant too - but I'm a bit cautious (TOO cautious!!) Wouldn't it be sensible to grow two plants in case one fails? Or are they failsafe even for a total novice?

[Jaxom]

Yes.. I'm often reading how simple courgettes are to grow. I think I'd only need one plant too - but I'm a bit cautious (TOO cautious!!) Wouldn't it be sensible to grow two plants in case one fails? Or are they failsafe even for a total novice?

I see where you are comming from Just gone back to my book and read the perfect solution. ... Sow two seeds in a pot then if two sprout, just take a pair on scissors and cut one off at it's stocking tops. This allows for thining with out disturbing the roots of the strongest one you want to keep. Or Sow two seeds in seperate pots and give one baby plant away in trade for another from someone who also grows their own veg. Result you now have two different plants but only had to buy one pack of seeds.

[Anita Plot]

tatties in compost heap

One of the easiest veggies to grow is potatoes in your compost heap. Just chuck in all your potato pealings and you will grow lovely huge potatoes in there.

Think I need to try corgettes (is that the right spelling) next year cos we both like them and I have never grown them before. Will have 2 plants cos I am greedy.

[nelsona]

Radishes

THis was my first year of growing veg in the garden and the easiest thing to grow was radishes, they take next to no looking after and are ready in 5-6 weeks after planting :-)

Carrots were another easy one...

[dragonz]

just dont plant too many radishes at once, plant maybe 4-8 seeds every 2 weeks for a constant supply (they can be planted right up until mid october). dotn let the radishes get too big before you eat them or they get woody

[raspbarry]

I see where you are comming from Just gone back to my book and read the perfect solution. ... Sow two seeds in a pot then if two sprout, just take a pair on scissors and cut one off at it's stocking tops. This allows for thining with out disturbing the roots of the strongest one you want to keep. Or Sow two seeds in seperate pots and give one baby plant away in trade for another from someone who also grows their own veg. Result you now have two different plants but only had to buy one pack of seeds.

Thanks Jaxom, the second option makes perfect snese. I'm sure the 1st one does too... but what are stocking tops please? Please excuse my lack of knowledge!

[Jaxom]

Thanks Jaxom, the second option makes perfect snese. I'm sure the 1st one does too... but what are stocking tops please? Please excuse my lack of knowledge!

Imagine that the seedling was a person standing on the earth and their shoes were their roots. next imagine the hight above ground of the tops of their socks (ankles) if they were a weed or unwanted plant/seedling, that is where you would sever them from their roots/shoes.
Never had to explain Stocking tops before but now I think more about it, I see quite a nasty vision before my eyes "Friday the 13th nightmare of the stocking top killer"

[Geordie]

Easiest

Easiest to grow in smallest space....has to be spring onion