[fletcherbaker]

I read alot of books latley on growing veg although this year will be my first growing anything are there a few  veg i can grow without much hassle were i should start,Also as i have no greenhouse yet will they be fine sowing indoors or is a greenhouse a must thanks!

[madcat]

I haven't got a greenhouse and my window ledges are small.  It is just a case of picking and choosing.  So   .....  first things first .....  Hello!  and Welcome.

Where are you and how much growing space have you got?  and is it very dry, sunny, clay, overshadowed?  Give us some clues and you will get loads of advice back!

Oh - and what do you like eating?   

[fletcherbaker]

I live in the midlands and have a raised bed about 3ft by 6ft but also a big garden,we like onion,potatoes,carrots the  usuall really the soil is quite sandy really!

[DD.]

You don't need "indoors" for what you mentioned, nor do you for brassiccas, (cabbage, caulis etc.), runner beans, peas..........

If you want to raise a few tomatoes for outdoor growing, these can easily be done in a window, but not yet!

As you have a large garden, I'd consider a cold frame to be one on your first moves.

[digalotty]

you could get a small clotch polythene tunnel to protect crops sown outdoors in early spring like carrots as you would sow them directly in the ground

[madcat]

That raised bed should be worth its weight in gold for salads - cut and come again lettuces, spring onions, radishes, salad carrots, beets ..... whatever you like in that line. Easy to feed and water and keep clear.  Then you can look at beds in the main garden for beans and brassicas and onions and the main crops.  And you should grow your own new potatoes ..... Different thing to those in the shops!   

[HilaryG]

Now would be a good time to scout around for some First Earlies Potatoes if you haven't done so already. If you've time and space for them in your garden they are well worth it. Taste yummy  

[digalotty]

 i went to homebase and got a potatoe kit for growing on the patio, it has 3 bags for growing the spuds in and 3 varieties of potatoe
swift               first early             x3
maris peer      second early       x3
sunrise           maincrop             x3

or you could get

foremost         first early           x3
nadine            second early      x3
desiree           maincrop           x3

i paid £10 for the two boxes or you could choose one box for £6 this way i will get to see what veriety i prefer. they also sell 2 1/2kg bags of one variety for £3.50 thats around 20 spuds

[Swing Swang]

fletcherbaker - It might sound obvious, but grow what you like to eat. Having said that I'd also choose stuff that isn't prone to disease and wild fluctuations in the weather, that grows quickly and gives you a real sense of pride. So MY beginner's choice would include leeks, climbing french beans, broad beans, first early spuds, one of the kales interplanted with rapini (copes with the weather and bugs better than the other brassicas), beetroot for roots, carrots (planted to avoid the carrot fly), perpetual spinach, early turnips for both tops and roots, early-sown mangetout peas, radish (only if you like them), herbs and leaf greens (cos lettuce, mizuna/mibuna, rocket etc), spring onions (choose a variety that can be left in the ground to mature to shallot size if you don't pick them right away). For more permanent plantings strawbs and rhubarb are pretty indestructible, but the strawbs will require work), Jerusalem artichokes if you like them.

SS

In your first year I'd plant trailing cherry toms from hanging baskets providing you've got the time to keep them well red and watered.

[bigben]

fletcherbaker - I was you last year. It was my first growing season and I did not have a greenhouse.(still dont!). Most of what I tried worked but some I will not bother with this year-

Spuds - great - taste really nice and the kids get so excited about digging them up. I grew in bags, pots and the ground. All worked but the heavy rain meant a few rotted in the ground
Carrots - mixed yield - possibly not bother this year, slugs ate them as the popped up and carrot fly later
Parsnips - planted later than carrot - I pulled up quite a few thinking they were weeds before I realised they are not meant to look like carrots! Those that survived me were great, I will grow more this year.
Onions from sets - Sturon - brill will grow twice as much this year, Red Baron - poor but will give it another go.
Leeks - grew well but most went to seed - I think I needed to water them more. I made the mistake of starting them in the warm and later found out I should have started them cold so this may have confused them.
Cut and come again salad - grew a tray a week - worked well. The stuff I tried in the ground got slugged
French beans - good but had to plant 3 times what I needed to allow for slug damage
Garlic - great - have twice as much this year. I did a spring plant but heard you get better yeild from winter plant so have done that this year.
Jerusalem artichoke - grew really well then realised none of use like it!
Toms - grew loads on windowsill then put them out too early - majority failed to go red and lots blighted. Tumbling toms in hanging baskets worked.
Chilli - hopeless - kept indoors on windowsill but did nothing - will try a few types this year
and try to get them outside once it is warm
Courgettes - ok but planted in smallish pots and neighbour pointed out they need plenty of goodness so will get them into something bigger this year or plant into a raised bed.
Cabbage - initially a disaster - once I netted them and they stopped being pigeon food they were good.
Sweetcorn - brill but I killed the first lot by putting them out too early. The kids loved them and even I was surprised at how much nicer it was then shop bought stuff.
Peas - tasted great and the kids loved picking them but they were a bit of a pain in that they took up a fair bit of room and I did not get the support bit sorted so quite a few flopped.

Hope this year to add squash, sprouts and shallots to the plot - give it a go but do plant what you eat.

[compostqueen]

I think courgettes are the easiest thing to grow and there are loads of different varieties, all very attractive too.  They are versatile in the kitchen as well   

[digalotty]

swiss chard ,   is easy to grow in containers or in the ground and you cut it and it grows back tastes nice steamed in butter

[solway cropper]

In Joy Larkcom's book 'vegetables for small gardens' she gives a value for space rating to all the commonly grown vegies. Maincrop tatties are not really worth it unless you have a lot of ground but runner beans give a huge crop from a small space. As others have said, grow what you like but also remember that some things need a lot of space and/or effort (like asparagus). Not much point covering half your plot with something that might only give you a few sandwiches.