[jamiemat]

hi guys, i want to start growing my own vegetables but i dont know where to start! i have looked on lots of sites and cant seem to get a good tutorial anywhere for beginners.

Basically what i want to do is trial this, lets say grow some seeds indoors first? see how this goes, then make a raised bed in my garden and transfer them. I want to start with a couple of things like patatoes, carrots, parsnips and sprouts.

I am really interested in this, but i really need someone to tell me step by step what to do, then advance when i feel comfortable.

I dont even know what soil to buy or anything.

Many thanks guys, your help is much appreciated.

jamie

[Aidy]

If you want to start growing veg in your garden there is no better way than this ......
http://www.squarefootgardening.com/

Growing any veg is not rocket science, follow the rules, heat, water food and you will crack it in no time and before you know it your name will be on a waiting list.

[richyrich7]

Hi and welcome to the forum  

Try our information section for some handy tips what to grow and when.

John the site owner has written a book which will be available shortly Amazon

or direct from this site Johns book

Buy multi-purpose compost to get you started, it's pretty fail safe.

[flowergirl]

Hi Jamie
Im a bit like that needing step by step instructions but ive realised just give it a go!
I only got my plot in June last year and was terrified of "doing something wrong"then i thought "what the heck" threw some suprmarket spuds in the ground and they grew :shock:
My tomato plants all died
Runner beans that my mum started for me would stop!
I accidently took my hoe to ALL the spring onions (long standing joke now :roll: )
I chucked the rhubarb(again thanks mum)on the compost heap cos i thought it was dead..yeah i know its ment to look like that in winter...now!
At the mo ive got sweet peas growing (dont know if its the right time but hey ho)
And ive read about a million books and brought every Grow your own mag possible
Good luck and remember no question is too silly for this forum, although you may get answers involving pixies just ignore those  

[PAH48]

Hi welcome Jamie

I for one been Pixielated for years now :!: Think its called survival  

Bye  PAH

[charley1980]

Hi there. I only started last year myself. I don't have an allotment, just a conservatory and a garden.  Last year I grew courgettes (soooooo easy, in a growbag, start them off in small peat pots and then plant the whole thing into the growbag-3 per bag-when moving into the garden, biggest secret is to keep very well watered), chillis, again started off in pots then moved into the garden when summer set in and had massive crops. runner beans are excellent and again easy, just grow them up a wigwam if poles or some strings pegged into the ground and tied to the roof of a shed.
Potatoes, put 2 in a growbag stood on its end with the top cut off.
pumpkins grow well, but beware f slugs attacking!Elevate the fruits off the ground when they grow.
Tomatoes-some were successfull, some weren't-recommend buying a few different types.
Peas are the same as the runner beans. Broad beans are good, if you buy the dwarf variety the plants are only about 2 feet tall and don't take too much work.
Tried swedes and caulis but unfortunately the butterflies got them so I'm investing in some nets this year!!

Read as many books as you can and search the internet-there's so much info out there, but most impotantly have a go-mistakes happen, and even experienced gardeners still have som problems now and then!! good luck!!

[nipper31]

Read as many books as you can and search the internet-there's so much info out there, but most impotantly have a go-mistakes happen, and even experienced gardeners still have som problems now and then!! good luck!!

The problem is, there's TOO much conflicting information out there and everyone has their own opinion on what to do and when, I'm new to all this and get confused???

[Sadgit]

Read as many books as you can and search the internet-there's so much info out there, but most impotantly have a go-mistakes happen, and even experienced gardeners still have som problems now and then!! good luck!!

The problem is, there's TOO much conflicting information out there and everyone has their own opinion on what to do and when, I'm new to all this and get confused???

Agreed... This is only my 3rd year of growing stuff and 2nd with a lottie.. I take advice and normally just bung stuff in and see what happens

[Clampit]

Hello Jamie, I have been growing veg for 7 years now and still have so much to learn. In my experience, root crops like Potatoes, parsnips and carrots do not transfer well, so you are best planting the seed where you want them to grow. I usually start my sprouts of in early march in seed trays and plant them out later in the year. I have planted some broad beans (The sutton) in pots today to get a head start before I plant them out. When I started 'The vegetable and herb expert' by Dr D.G.Hessayon was a great help to me. Good luck mate.

[gobs]

Read as many books as you can and search the internet-there's so much info out there, but most impotantly have a go-mistakes happen, and even experienced gardeners still have som problems now and then!! good luck!!

The problem is, there's TOO much conflicting information out there and everyone has their own opinion on what to do and when, I'm new to all this and get confused???

There are different ways to grow things. And they all might work. :shock:

Different soil, local climate, varieties, common local pests all make a difference.  Some are organic some are not.

Then there is also some bad advice here and there, pick a good one and follow. Mixing different ways of growing, often won't work.

[tracy d]

I was the same so i got a book off a friend read it cover to cover and started. Just give it a go you will be surprised at what happens.

[puravida]

You can read the books until the cows come home but the best way you'll learn is by just getting stuck in and chucking a few things in the ground.

I was in exactly the same boat as you two years ago - never grown a thing but bags of enthusiasm. It all seemed so incredibly daunting - so many theories, processes, timings etc etc. Way complicated!

The very best thing you can do is just be realistic. I decided year one was going to be a 'practice' year and not to get too upset if nothing ended up on the table. Give everything a whirl and see what happens. Once you start going it's amazing how quickly you pick the knowledge up. Back of seed packets, this forum, grow your own magazine, tv programmes, talking to neighbours and friends and best of all skimming through books and picking up handy hints etc.

I also think it;s one of those things where you can never know everything!!

[gobs]

You can read the books until the cows come home but the best way you'll learn is by just getting stuck in and chucking a few things in the ground.
I also think it;s one of those things where you can never know everything!!

Hear, hear.

     

[fatbelly]

Hi Jamie,
I started on my plot last May and like you hadn't got a clue, I had never grown anything before. It is surprising how quick you learn particularly from sites like this.
The key to it all is give your plants / seeds what they need, warmth, water, light and food.
The warmth is dependent on our climate or in the early stages of growth a greenhouse.
The water is from the clouds or your hosepipe
The light well that's obvious.
The food can be from chemical fertilizers or compost and manure.
I prefer manure and compost its cheap and it gives the plants what they really want.

Don't get fazed, providing you give your plants food, water and light the plants will do what they have been programmed to do and that's grow.

[Trillium]

And if possible, join a local gardening club or even hang around allotment sites and talk to people. Most gardeners will happily bend your ear with information overload.