New veg grower

[ajt125]

Cheers lumpy

Yeah I wasn't too sure If once used its useless which would become pretty expensive haha.. I've got bone meal could I add that to my mpc when in potting up??

Ant.

[ajt125]

I also plan to sow some calendula flowers

Ant

[Greenleaves]

Welcome to the vine Ant, enjoy the benefits of the advice and humour

[ajt125]

Thanks greenleaves

Ant

[Snow]

Welcome, I'm pretty new here too and have found it a very friendly and helpful place to be. Like you, I am trying to grow as much veg as I can in a small space with limitations. I'm finding that planning helps a lot to maximise what you can grow and figuring out how to add nutrients to your soil (can be done cheaply) is well worth some thought.

[ajt125]

Hi snowy

Yeah I think I may try square foot gardening here is my humble raised bed:

[URL=http://s934.photobucket.com/user/ajt125/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-01/0BBD9968-C283-48F2-BF9A-4339E7BFF500.jpg.html]

[Lumpy]

Looking Good!

[Bigmallly]

The decking side of the bed is lending itself to Peas/Beans.

[ajt125]

Yeah peas and bean at the back sounds like a plan.. How many peas and bean plants should I grow for a family of 4?

Also how many sowings of lettuce should I do as I don't want to end up with loads in one go I can probably eat 1-2 a week should I sow 4 plants every fortnight?

Tbh trying to work out how much to sow so I get a constant supply rather that a boat load in one go is what I'm struggling with atm

Any advice with that one?

Ant.

[Potstubsdustbins]

You need to grow an awful lot of peas to get an harvest to feed four, I grow peas as a treat because there really is nothing like a fresh podded pea. Also and more importantly because SWMBO tells me I must.

Radish I sow about 30 to one of those pots once a fortnight that keeps me and the lady in fresh radish all season.

Lettuce I start of in modules 6 every 10 to 14 days, planting up into 3 inch pots, that way when I harvest a lettuce from a larger container I always have a nice strong seedling to replace it.

Runner beans go in buckets 1 plant per bucket. I do 16 plants which will give us fresh runners through the season and allow us to freeze enough so that we can runners once a week throughout the year.

If I had a good raised bed like you I would have calabrese in season, followed by spring cabbage and curly kale to see me through the winter.

For second early and main crop spuds you do need quite a large container, at least 45ltrs, grow bags work well But I prefer plastic dustbins.

I pop up a few more pic's.

First spuds in dustbins followed by runners in buckets then calabrese, peas and lettuce.

[Lumpy]

Instead of peas how about sugar snaps?

[Potstubsdustbins]

I might go down that way except for ...................................SWMBO, I like my brownie points.

[ajt125]

Thanks for the info potstubsdustbins I think I'll grow my radishes like you, could I do the same with a small variety of spring onions?

I'm thinking fortnightly sowings of:

20-30 radishes
10 beetroot
10-15 spring onions
20 carrots
6 lettuces potting one or two at a time like you in 3inch pots

Then I plan on planting in pots 3 x 2nd early 3 x main crop potatoes should I stagger the planting of those?

X3 bush tomatoes in hanging baskets

6 dwarf pea plants in raised bed. X3 in pots
6 bush broad bean. X3 in pots

2 perpetual spinach in raised bed
Swede for winter Id like X1 a week so not sure how many to sow?

[Potstubsdustbins]

I wouldn't stagger beetroot, carrots or potatoes but others may have a different idea.

Spring onions I do 2 x 3inch pots once every 10 days or so, check the germination and then plant on in to a larger container when they are good strong seedlings.

One more tip always sow a few more than you need, then if you have a germination problem you will be covered.

[ajt125]

So with the carrots and beetroot just sow them all together then pick them as needed?

It's something that comes with trial and error this really the timing and quantity

Thanks for your advice

Ant.