[Mancmick]

Hello people.

I've finally got my act together to have a go at this veg growing lark.

I have a very small garden plot 3.8m x 0.7m and the soil will be about 30cm deep.

It is up against a wall which will be about 30cm higher than the growing bed and will shade the ground from about 2pm until dusk.

The plot is at the front of my house and will be south facing so should get plenty of light, and, as I'm in Manchester it should be fine for rain too.

What I'd like is recommendation as to what might be best to grow (I'm currently thinking carrots, onions, maybe spuds.

As I'm limited for space I'd like to maximise yield.

I have no idea what the soil is like but I am going to top it up and mix it with bagged compost (which I can get for 99p for 20 litres.)

Any advice would be lovely.

[Steve.P]

To be honest i would give spuds a miss with an area that size. Early spuds need about 15" between plants. You could plant a good range of salad veg. Raddish,lettuce,spring onion,beetroot. Other crops could be runner beans and a few cabbage. If you do want to grow spuds i think you will have to limit the other veg. Good luck in your growing.

[woodburner]

Brassicas take a lot of space too.
If it is ok for things to extend beyond the bed, you could probably grow cucumbers, courgettes, or pumpkin, with beans at the back.
South facing should be good for herbs.

[digalotty]

swiss chard or spinach  try carrots spring onion french beans peas leaf salad  and why not try potatoes in bags or large buckets.
i think it was gardeners world that did a growing section on a 3metre square plot and they had loads of produce why not try their website.
good luck mate

[goose]

you can get a climbing courgette plant.  i had a lot of success with this last year and it takes up less space.  it can also be grown in a pot up a frame

[Ice]

Google "square foot gardening" for some good ideas.

By the way, is it City or UTD?  Careful how you answer.

[mor]

you can try some hanging baskets . for tomaoes esp'

[Mancmick]

Google "square foot gardening" for some good ideas.

By the way, is it City or UTD?  Careful how you answer.

That's the one with the round ball isn't it? Never could quite remember.

Cheers for all the tips. I built the wooden walls yesterday, I feel all manly and hardworking now (first time for everything).

[littlelisa]

I'd give carrots a miss. They take ages to grow, and aren't all that expensive (or inferior) in the shops. Definitely leafy stuff - lettuce and some different spinach and kale, spring onions, radishes - stuff that grows fast, is overpriced in the shops and is MUCH better from your own bit of earth. A couple of pots for tomatoes and berries will also make you happy...

[Brian_of_Bozeat]

google square foot gardening, this will give you lots of good ideas for what to do with a small space.

[karlooben]

u can grow most things in tubs , those u can place all around the garden . carrots will grow big an very long if they are done in containers but i am yet to try that { will be this year the horses tend to eat loads of them } .

if your stuck for tubs u could try soemthing my mum does  go to your local tescos early in the morning an ask for the flower tubs that the flowers arrive in they normally have tons of them an if u get the right person u can walk away with loads of them , we now have about 200 of them but the best thing is they are all free { thats just an idea for u though }

[SG6]

My veg plot is about twice the size of yours.
This year I have mainly leeks, onions and garlic.
Small section running the length will have tomatoes and peppers alternated say about 3 of each.
There is another small section at the end that I am thinking of a few brocolli and a few cauliflower, I think igloo is a small cauli variety.

Had spuds in last year and disappointed. I find that growing them in large pots is better.
Carrots also do fine in containers, I use the small globe carrots. Wilkinson's 48cm pots are good, I have 4.

Some of the leeks and onions are the mammoth variety, wanted to try them. They will take up some space.

If it were mine I would do:
0.4 mtr at one end = tomatoes
0.4 mtr at other end = peppers. (beans or peas if preferred)
Also grow garlic with the tomatoes and peppers. May as well use the space. Alternatively radish. Garlic one end radish the other?

Then decide on 3 or 4 sections for the 3mtr bit.
I would try 4 - more variety, well OK I am crazy
So what do you want/like:
Leeks, onions, brocolli, cauli, brussels, beet, turnips, lettuce, parsnip.

My patch has had several bags of compost added over the years, usually after I have used the compost to grow veg in pots. Also I have added course sand for drainage and chipped bark. Basically whatever was left over from other things. Also chicken poo, this year lots of chicken poo.

For an idea of veg take a look at www.podseeds.co.uk they sell veg seeds but the site is a good list of the various veg that is available. If you buy anything from they they tend to send you a veg catalogue that is a good reference.

[SG6]

Knew there were additionals I had missed.
Celery, Cabbage.

If you try parsnip locate a short variety if such a thing exists.

[Stripey_cat]

"Grow Your Own Vegetables" (Joy Larkcom) has a value-for-space star rating system - crops that are high yielding and in the ground for a short time get four stars, down to one for things like globe artichokes that are perennial and yield very lightly.  Try your library for a copy?

Also, what are your favourite veggies, especially things that are hard or dear to buy?  I like a lot of more unusual salad leaves, and many are very quick-growing.  I would also put in one wigwam of climbing beans (French, probably, for my tastes).  Courgettes crop heavily, but are big plants - even the bush varieties take up a good two foot square.