Total Newbee aleart... What can I plant now?

[LilithPaige]

Hi,

Sorry first of all I must apologize, I am totally new to growing veg and I had intended to get started in Spring, but life got in the way and I didn't do anything. Have I left it too late or is there anything that I can grow now?

I'm in Scotland (dont know if that makes a difference). I'm going to scroll through the forums, but thought I would ask and introduce myself. Hopefully I will be here a lot more next year and I actually plant Veg like I planned too this year!

Oh also, I don't have any raised beds or a green house, I have a few large pots I was intending to do potatoes in as they are deep and just the garden floor

[WendyC]

Most garden centres round here have brassicas for planting now, kale, cabbage etc. Also onion and shallot sets are in or will be in soon for planting now. Good luck.

[Paulieb]

In the grand scheme of things there isn't too much to plant now, though there are plants that people have and will suggest. You could plant autumn onion sets and garlic in October (to harvest next Jul/Aug) - look out for them in your local garden centre.

My main suggestion is try to plan what you want to grow next year (onions can be started in Jan, etc) and see if you can pick up some cheap seeds. In my local garden centre they're all 50p a pack which is a bargain.

Come Dec/Jan/Feb they'll likely all be full price again.

[LilithPaige]

Thats great, thank you for the advice Much appriciated

[veggiechicken]

Hello Lilith and Welcome to the Forum. I know you live in Scotland but its an awfully big country! If you could give us an idea of where by adding it to your profile it will stop us asking you every time you post!
How much space do you have to plant in, in your garden? Its always best to decide what you'd really like to grow and work out how to do it, rather than plant any old thing just because its the right time of year. Its coming up to broad bean planting time, but you may hate them!! So think about how much room you have - a lot of veg can be grown in pots - and what you would like, and take it from there!

[LilithPaige]

Veggiechicken, thank you I had forgotten to add that. I'm hoping it is there now, I'm in Aberdeenshire (ust south of the city). Also, I do actually HATE Broad beans! Haha Its one of the few vegetables I really dislike, that and Swede. Hmm my garden is huge its urm.... about 30 x 40 feet We have quite shallow soil here I think and its quite rocky underneath. After reading around the forum I noticed one person had mention Builders bags and they sounded like a great Idea, I'm think maybe 5 or 6 of those would give me some room to get going with and let the plants have big roots.

My long term list of things I would like to plant are: Leeks, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, Cabbage, broccoli, peas, Parsnips, sweet peppers (which I think might not work so well given that its Scotland) and Lettuce. I need to start a plan I think of what to do when and what can sit with what, I'm thinking perhaps its possible to get away with two types of plants in each container? Except for tatties of course, I have my large containers for them so that I can add soil as they grow

[veggiechicken]

Actually, I'm the Builder's bag person too
I've just posted a link to this growing chart and you may also be interested in it
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Media/PDFs/Gro...Own/VegPlanner
Se how many of the veg on your wish list can be sown now and that'll give you a start

[Lisamcflisa]

Hi Lilith, welcome from a fellow newbie to the forum and recent starter to grow veg a couple of yrs ago I got some crate/boxes that I was told held vehicle parts and ammunition in, I got 4 for £10 of eBay they are about 3ft by 2ft and bout 3 ft deep, ready made raised beds in effect, I lined them with BBQ covers from the pound shop. I've grown onions, peppers, tomatoes, carrots and beans in them so maybe you could look out for something like that. Good luck with your growing next year

[veggiechicken]

Something else for instant raised beds - old drawers (No - not that sort ), the ones you get in chests of drawers. If you can find the old ones, made of real wood, and drill a few holes through the base for drainage, they're ideal.
Or, for a quick fix, IKEA blue bags!

[Lisamcflisa]

Full of ingenuity VC

[Feral007]

We've just put two old fashioned 3/4 bed bases out into the garden for the punkins, cucumbers, and that sort of thing.
Lilith you'll find me always saying about raising beds without sides. I also have thin topsoil near the house and rock underneath. So we put down cardboard/paper directly on mown grass and then put layers of hay and some compost over it and plant into that. It's no dig which is good for my back.

Does mean you need to find some hay that hasn't been sprayed with...........brand name here is Grazon Ultra (but even Grazon is bad news). I've just got 10 bales at $4 each which is pretty cost effective. They threw in a couple extra bales as the top ones were pretty brittle. I have some of the photos of that in my album here at GYO and also have a blog which is at the bottom of the post.

You've got plenty of time to think about it all now too.

You could mark out and cover areas that you are planning to use as beds so that the weeds will be dead by the time you go to use it.

I think it's a good idea to have a go at a few things and see which suits you/your garden/your vege's.

We made only one garden bed last year, but this year 1/2 the house yard is going under hay (less mowing too - bargain)

Another thing we are planning to do this season is make some rounds our of chicken wire, half fill with hay and some compost and then put in potatoes. Will need to use some tent pegs to stop them blowing away (I remember the wind at Aberdeen when I was there). But that is a good easy way to make pots for things like potatoes etc. Should probably start making them now so they are ready.

[LilithPaige]

I wish we had an IKEA here, those blue bags would be prefect! Our nearest one is Glasgow or Edingbourgh Im sure I will find something though I found a post by darcyvuqua about a seed website and ordered all the seeds I would like to grow so Once they come I can sit down and organize them by month and then work out where I will plant them, Thank you everyone!