Complete Novice, Please help.

[imagen]

Bit of a long post this, appologies.
OK, so I have not long bought my first home and am fortunate to have a pretty big garden with a nice little area which I have allocated as the veg patch. It about 15 feet wide and about 4 and half feet long and as its my first attempt I'm pretty enthusiastic but haven't a clue what I'm doing.
So I thought I would treat this year as a bit of an experiment a dive in. Earlier this year I planted 2 rooting potatos and dug them up about 2 weeks after flowering and and got about a doesen little potatoes, most about a inch big and 4 or 5 about 2 inches. I didnt fertalise or prepare the earth at all (the earth is prtty clayie by the way).
Then about 6 to 8 weeks ago I bought about half a dozen different packets of seeds and thought rather than put in the ground I'll by one of those 4 shelf mini green house things with a plastic cover and grow from posts first. Here are my results and problems to date.

Beans- (also sowed a few in the ground as it said on the packet) ones in pot I started getting some good growth up to about 4 inches but a couple of weeks ago half of the 8 or sow I planted in a large pot just wilted over and died. The ones in the ground are ok at the moment but slowing in growth. Last week I applied a stick next to each for support.

Peas- similar to the beans but I've only lost a couple. But since last week I've noticed the leaves (that were about 3inches wide) starting to curl and shrivel.
lettuce- Seamed to be growing fine, then earlier this week and literally over night about 3/4 of the 6 or 7 I had in a large pot just shriveled up into nothing.

Water cress- Was growing well until last week, again like the lettuce, over night more than half wiped out and looked like they had been dead for a month, all brown and shriveled up.

Beatroot- Growing ok but very slow.
Turnips- Seem to be ok, new pointy type leaves just coming through, hope they'll be ok. I have also moved and re-planted some of these in the ground as I had so many come up.

Cucumbers- Looking good at the moment, grown about 4 inches and new spiky leaves just coming through.

Onion- Only one has come up, very slow in growing.

Spring Onion- Got about 4 or 5 of these, thin leaves shooting up at about 3 inches at the moment.

Rocket- thought I lost this but I re potted into a bigger pot and after about a week I have quite a big bush, leaves are up to about an inch big at the moment, haven't a clue when I can cut them off.

I've tried a couple of herbs such as Basil and Dill and a Mediterranean selection but not much luck. The dill is looking ok but I had an accident with the pot so I re-potted it and its kind of coming up, but the Basil etc I have just one plant slowly coming up.

So I think thats about it.

I haven't added any fertilizer, insect asides or anything, I do want to minimize the use of as many chemicals as possible, none if I can help it. I water about once every other day or 2 days.
Can anyone give me any basic tips and tell my why I have had the problems with the beans, peas, lettuce etc.

Sorry if I am coming across very nieeve (sorry if spelt wrong). As mentioned above I am a complete novice and its like doing this blind folded. I really want to get this going well and have a nice small harvest each year or throughout the year if possible. I appreciate any advice.:

[nikkijy]

hi. Im very new to this growing malarky to. Ive made loads of mistakes.... killed my chillies, sowed my beetroot far to thickly and ended up throwing most of them away when i thinned them out then my husband killed them with weed killer, ruined my peas........just to mention a few. Dont worry about it we learn from our mistakes
Are you watering enough? especially when they are small, a drought will make your veg bolt. When do you water? not a good idea to water in the blaring sun as this will burn the plants. Im sure someone will be along shortly who actually knows what there talking about. keep going. there is nothing better than sitting down to a plate of food that you have grown yourself

[armadillo]

Hello nikkijy, I always water late evening, when the sun's not on the plants anymore - every evening is best, especially for tomatoes which will split if drenched suddenly.

It's also best to try to get the water straight to the roots, rather than all over the leaves - a watering can is better for this than a hosepipe.

You can 'plant' an upside-down lidless plastic bottle next to individual pants when you put them out into their final position/pot, then water by filling the bottle to get the water straight to the roots with minimum loss by evaporation.

A nice thick mulch also helps to stop things drying out ( I use old bark chipings which I acquired through Freecycle)

Just remember we all make mistakes and have plants that 'go wrong' - it's all part of the learning process, don't worry about it!

[bluemoon]

I'd guess that your problem was a lack of water too. In dry, summer weather everything needs watering every day. Also, what feels like a good soaking can sometimes have very little effect as if you were to scrape the top layer of soil away you might find that the water had only penetrated the top few millimetres. Direct the water at the roots and, as has already been said, do it in the evening, then at least the plants get to drink it for a few hours overnight before it evaporates in the heat next morning

[rainbowbrite]

hi, i've had pretty much the same problems as you have and also have a 4 tiered mini greenhouse. are you opening it enough, that was the problem i found it was getting too hot.

the easiest way to grow things is stick in the ground and put half of a plastic bottle over it, i used to do this until i learned what were weeds and what were seedlings but putting them in their final position is better for certain veg.

hope it helps

[Jimmy]

Well I would recommend do the simple things first.
Once you have had success with these progress to harder things.
I would recommend making two raised beds from your plot each 4.5 feet wide. I used reclaimed dismantled pallets.

I grow my herbs in platic pots the large ones that garages use to hold flowers in. Usually they sell them off cheap.'t
Parsly,thyme,mint , oragano all do very well.

Cougettes are easy , I usually grow two in a grow bag, but in good soil should do OK.

Tomatoes (sungold for me) three to a grow bag.

Can't miss with radishes.

Lettuce red/green, Spring Onions , Cabbage are all simple.

Put plastic round cabbages to stop the cabbage root fly.

Beans Runner or French are usually fool proof.

Don't plant to early.

Jim

[TrulyGreen]

Hi Imagen......Sounds as though your beans & peas didn't get enough water. Watering is a tricky business, trying to get it right. I'm fairly new too, but have discovered that peas & beans are very greedy and need lots of water. There are a few organic soluble veg feeds available and the likes of beans do seem to benefit. Digging in compost and manure before you plant helps as well. OH built me some deep raised beds and they are great. We filled them with really good quality top soil. In order to have a good crop the plants do need some nutrients.
I agree with everyone else though.....it is trial and error, and also finding what grows well in your garden. I seem to have a lot of luck with certain things and others, that should be easy (like radishes), are a bit of a failure. Keep at it though as it is very satisfying when it comes right.
Christine

[imagen]

Thank you all so much, sounds like I have to get the watering right first. I really appreciate your comments.