[Quootiepie]

Hello, I posted a few months ago when I first got my allotment, now I am ready to start planting but I am a total novice and am unsure of what (and how!) to plant now (Feb.) I don't want to go OTT with all sorts, just a few easy to start vegetables. I don't have a large plot - stab in the dark i'd say it's about 10ft by 15? Possibly more (not been in a while), but I was planning on just using a quarter to start with.
Thankyou in advance!  

[gobs]

So it is 3x4 feet you want to use for growing this year?

Two tomato plants?

[Quootiepie]

Oh errr... maybe i'll use abit more space then!    Just been scanning through the posts and have seen about square foot gardening, I guess I will build one 4ft x 4ft grid to start me off, so whatever will fit in there. It says they are 8" deep - I presume that's deep enough for potatoes etc? Can I start tomatoes off in Feb?  :?

[brucesgirl]

Potatoes need about two foot around each set, so I wouldn't bother with those. You can try some garlic, but this month is still a bit early to be sowing out.
Why don't you plan to use the small portion of your plot for salad things, starting in March? Lettuce, spring onions, rocket etc.
 

[noshed]

Get some spuds from B&Q or somewhere (pick ones marked 'first earlies') put them somewhere cool and light so they start sprouting. Plant these about 12" apart in March.
Meanwhile you could plant some garlic - if you can't get seed garlic just buy some from anywhere, split them up and plant the cloves 2" deep about 6" apart.
You could also sow some lettuce, particularly if you can cover the rows with some fleece, plastic or cloche (pound shops or similar).
Bit early for tomatoes unless you have a greenhouse.
Have a look at the guides on this site about what to do when (link on the home page.)
Go to the library and get some books out - there are loads on veg growing.
Hope this helps

[PlotQueen]

Calabrese is a really good thing to sew inside now.  If you sew it now, you will have a crop before the school holidays and you miss competing with most of the bugs.

Other things worth planting are Cauliflowers (All Year Round), Lettuce, Spring Onions, Leeks (Mammoth) & Cabbage.

I have two plots in the South East of England and I was feeling daring last month and started to plant carrots in my raised beds.  Mad - I can hear you saying.

But I germinated the seeds (Early Nantes 2) in a propagator and a couple of weeks ago planted them in my raised beds, under cloches and checked them again yesterday and they were in perfect condition and still growing!  So although this is early, the seedlings manage to beat the snow!

Good luck with your planting and if you are able to knock up some raised beds they are worth their weight in gold.  I have six 3m x 3m beds and although that is generally considered a large bed size, they are just the right size if you have a family and want to employ crop rotation and enough food to make you self sufficient. 

Also, I would recommend copper slug tape.  I stuck lengths of this 1 inch from the top of my beds and didn't see a slug all year.

[DD.]

Hi Plotqueen -welcome to the forums.

I fear you may be wasting your breath here, not much has been seen of the OP since this was posted over a year ago!

Why not pop across to the welcome forum & tell us a bit about yourself.