New veg patch

[duggenole]

I'm a total novice and I'm thinking of growing some veg. Any advice what I should start with. What's easy to grow etc?

[David Hare-Scott]

That is a very general question. How about a little more information. Start by telling us what you climate is like and what kind of plot you have, its aspect and soil. Maybe you could go to the local library and borrow a book or two on growing your own veges to paint the broader picture for you.

David

[duggenole]

thought. I didn't know there was different soil types.

[David Hare-Scott]

If you don't want it to be hit and miss there is. Your soil and climate largely determine what you can grow without too much effort. To start with you don't want to make it a lot of effort. Sure you can alter soil and modify your microclimate but it's much easier if you don't have to. Head for the library.

D

[Billy]

Easy to grow would be lettuces, Swiss chard, and spinach. If you can't grow lettuces, Swiss chard, and spinach, then there is little you could grow. Home grown lettuce has more flavor, and better texture than store bought.

I agree with everything David has written, but with a varying degree of effort, you can modify your growing environment, to some extent, with various mulches, and enclosures. Organic mulches will cool the soil. Plastic mulches will war the soil. Then you have a choice of enclosures from row covers to greenhouses.

You might also consider raised beds, or simply growing in pots. Pot will require watering more often.

In any case, "The best fertilizer is the gardener's shadow."

[David Hare-Scott]

The OP is likely from Ol Blighty where it isn't an issue but in very hot seasons leafy veges will not give you much joy. This is not to be picky but to generalise that there are very few universal generalisations in gardening.

Speaking of generalisations that's a goodun. Another way to say it is:

Q. What is the best skill a gardener can learn?

A. To be a good observer.

D

[Billy]

You were generalizing about generalizations?

I'm not blind you know. It seemed likely that "duggenhole" is a Pom. I wouldn't think that growing lettuce (salad if you will) would be much of a problem north of the Mediterranean (apart from the Rhone Glacier, where there aren't many gardeners).

Gotta be there to observe.

How much coffee you drinking these days?

[David Hare-Scott]

Almost none. I thought I was amplifying and reinforcing what you said. Do we have a problem?

D

[songbird]

Billy wrote: ...

not if you can afford many cameras, microphones and know how to do digital filtering.

i'm still hoping for an air compressor and a nice remote aiming tripod that can shoot peas at the buggers. i kinda like the idea of growing my own ammo.

songbird

[Billy]

The Ney York Police Dept. is taking up gardening? What's the catch?

What buggers are we talking about?

[Billy]

Don't get me started ;O)

[David Hare-Scott]

Don't try being subtle with me I know you are an FBI informer.

D

[Billy]

Only in my spare time.

[Farm1]

:-)) Do you have access to any of those juicy files kept by J Edgar Hoover?

[Billy]

Hang on. With any luck Julian will be posting those KGB files shortly. Uh, I mean FBI files ;O)

[veggieladyx]

I would yes invest in some books or head to the library....but if you want to grow easy thing, lettuce, onions, spring onions, herbs, potatoes and certain cabbages are easy....

I wouldn't recommend sweetcorn as my did absolutely nothing here in the UK.

peas, green beans, pumpkins,squashes, peppers, tomatoes and strawberries have been hit n miss this year too! too wet, cold and not enough sun to ripen :(

Feel free to ask me anything, I'm here to help....I am not a really experienced veg gardener but I have my own allotment etc x