Veg Patch.....how to start?

Hi

I am very new to gardening but really want to have a small veg patch this year. I would like to grow potatoes, carrots, leeks and runner beans. I have done nothing to prepair the garden yet and the area I will be using is covered in grass at the moment. Please could you give me any advise to get me started. I am hoping to dig the area over either this afternoon or tomorrow.

Thank you in advance
alison

 

Have you got your seeds yet? You could start right away, planting your beans in training pots or loo rolls and chitting potaoes in an egg box, on a window ledge.
I don't suppose you'll have any well-rotted manure, but you can buy bags of ready to use dried pellets to add to your soil when you've finished digging- and start a compost heap with the turves you remove.

 

Thanks for the advise Liz.

I don't have any compost but I was going to get a bin from the council. What is is I should buy to dig into the soil? Also what is turves? Sorry if I sound silly but I am new to this.

I have no seeds yet but that is because I thought it was too early with the frost and every thing.

 

Pelleted dried manure to dig into the soil. Most garden centres will have it, or if not a bag of compost. Turves are the pieces of grass you take off the top of your lawn, I was thinking you'd probably remove it rather than digging it in to make preparing the soil easier. Compost bins from the council are good and cheap, I think a compost heap is an essential if you're going to grow veg.! When you have some grass cuttings the turves will help them rot down in the bin.
You're right, it is too soon to sow outside yet,
but you can get ahead by starting some things off inside. Anyway, buying seeds etc is the fun bit!

 

Thanks Liz. After I have done some digging I shall potter off to the garden centre and see what they have

I am really excited about growing veg! I love fresh veg, supermarket stuff is so tasteless. When my Grandad was alive he grew veg and it was gorgeous...if mine is half as good I will be pleased. It should also save us some money as veg for a family of 5 is expensive.

 

hi Bexiboo,the turves is the grass your gonna remove to get to the soil.if your gonna go for 4 veg maybe leave a straight path of grass down the middle and again halfway down going from one side to the other to sectin 4 areas off then youll have easier access.also think about hieght of veg,runner beans grow tall and taties about 2ft so put where sun can get to all.

 

Potatoes are really easy to grow, and also a good thing to start off with. I hope your gamily like green beans as you nearly always get more than you expected! If you eat salads then this is another really quick and easy crop. Will the family help? If so try marigolds,nasturtium, chives in the border round the patch. They grow easily and will interest children.
Depending how big your patch is dividing into 4 is a great idea because then if you like your results you have have aready made set-up for next year when you should move your crops around [rotate] to avoid insect pests and diseases in the soil.
I like my fresh veg. so much I rarely get to cook anything, I eat it all raw!

 

Potatoes are great for improving an area that was left rough or under lawn. The trenching and earthing up of the plants and the digging up to harvest, all loosen and improve the soil no end.

 

potatoes come in three types.......... early, mid season and maincrop...... you get least yield from early, maincrop will store if allowed to grow to end of the season. you should buy seed tatties to keep disease out of the plot....... go to library and get a book on veggie growing for beginners, as all the important info will be there........ you should consider organic methods rather than using pesticides if this is going to be for family ....... btw is it a big plot, if you can dig it over in a few hours it may not be big enuf for all your needs

 

you can always use pots for various things. Beans are good in a pot - just train them up a set of 3 bamboo canes tied at the top to make a wigwam They have nice orange floweres like sweet peas, and the beans are easy to get at. You can grow potatoes in a pot too, and strawberries, have a look on the seed catalogue websites, like Thompson & Morgan, Dobies, Mr Fothergills, Unxins, Suttons - type any in to google them.

 

Thank you so much for your tips everyone.

 

I have taken off the grass and dug half the area already and I bought some organic chicken manure to dig in to the soil.

I am really enjoying being outside so much.

 

looking at compost bins our council does three sizes....which would be best?

http://buy.bristol-city.gov.uk/bristol%5Fcity%5Fcouncil%5Fenvironmental%5Fservices/asp/list.asp


Also do you have a water butt? I was looking at this as I am guessing there will be a hosepipe ban this year

 

Like bexiboo i am new to veg gardening and have a lawn i am turning over to vegetables but have been taking the turf down the local tip the area is aprox 30f by 10f i have a compost bin and anouther on the way can i put all the turf in the bins

 

I used turf to build the sides of a temporary cold frame,and when the frame is no longer in use I will fill it with garden waste and the whole lot will compost together. I wouldn't fill your bins with the turf,keep 'em for all your other waste Roy,just make a tidy stack and after a while the grass will be gone and you will have some nice soil to spread back on your garden.