Thrown in at the deep end!

Right guys, I need some pointers. My missus has come up with the idea of growing a bit of veg in the garden. A couple of problems. I have houseplants and some plants in the garden, and my novice skillset can just about get by with those. Growing veg is about as alien to me as you can get. We don't have a greenhouse or a cold frame and the garden area which houses my plants and shrubs is quite full. The rest is lawn. So there's no where for them to go anyway!!

However, my DIY skills are good, and I reckon I can whip up a cold frame with a clear poly carbonate top quite easily. I could make it quite large. Starting out, my plan would be to grow things in pots within the cold frame, to protect from weather and dreaded slugs etc.

Is it feasible to have my mini veg garden in a cold frame? What easy starter veg is there that stays reasonably compact? Will the cold frame need to be in a shaded area because our back garden is south facing? Basically I'm looking for veg that even a child could grow, such is my ignorance.

 

How much space do you actually have and is that area bare soil ?
Bit hard to tell as you say there is no where for them, but can build a large coldframe ?

From the end of the month onwards you do not really need any shelter for most veg, they are generally much better left open to the elements.

What you want to grow is down to what You and the missus want, but some of the easiest to grow are thing like Strawberrys, Beetroot, Lettuce, Onions Sets, Spuds, small Tomatoes like Tumbling Tom; most of those can be grown in the soil or in pots.

 

Or maybe things that are also ornamental (well a bit) such as runner beans and colourful lettuce and could live in the border?

 

I don't know if a large cold frame is needed, you could have a raised bed. I grow onions parsnips carrots raddishes lettuces and some cut flowers in a raised bed. You can use cloches for protection against the weather in spring but I don't think you'd need it in the summer time.
Potatoes grow well in large tubs without protection. I grow them every year.

 

The back garden is in three parts if you will. There is a patio area directly at the rear of the house. Then the lawn starts and finishes at the back fence. And to one side of the lawn is a raised bed area which houses my plants.

My cold frame would either go on the patio (India paving), or I'd put it on an area of the lawn up against the side fence (obviously grass).

Even though the weather is improving I think it might be better for the veg if I did go the cold frame route. My young lad plays in the garden and if he has a couple of buddies round playing football then all my pots of veg would likely get trashed. A cold frame would protect them. The lid will obviously be hinged so I can raise it and allow air circulation.

 

I'd not bother try veg in pots, I think its mostly disappointing and you never get enough to make it worthwhile.
Just my thoughts, bearing in mind I've cut down my veg patch over the years and its now so small I ask myself if I'm wasting my time.

 

Agree, a cold frame is not really needed but a raised bed would be brilliant. About 1m x 0.5m, 0.3m tall is plenty of room to grow a lot of edibles.

I'd suggest to grow baby veg and instant crops rather than aiming for self sufficiency. Some good ones:

Round early carrots from seed, widely available from places like Wilko's. Sow them in early May depending on the weather. Just sow and forget, in a raised bed no pests will get them hopefully.

Salad leaves from seed, sow any time and re-sow on any spare spot. Super easy and very posh, try Rocket too.

Herbs- supermarket herb pots can be ripped in half to maximise crops and can go in in late May. Chives are very pretty, prolific and most useful, thyme is lovely and parsley will do very well. Basil is best grown indoors and Mint is a thug so unless you are a devotee, keep it in a pot.

Radishes, treat as round carrots but harvest much earlier. Re-sow as needed. Radishes are great barbequed and I just may share my Grandmother's radish-in-sour cream recipe if pushed or bribed.

Beetroot- super baby veg and the leaves are very nice in salads. Sow with carrots and harvest when less than a golfball size.

Oh and do tuck in a potato that has been allowed to chit on a windowsill. You'll not feed the family but it's great fun to dig into the soil in autumn and find a bowlful of hand made tubers

Just give it a try, some things will work and others will not and that's fine. Once you have this summer in the bag and are more aware on what you like and can grow, next year you can refine the conditions and plant selection.

Tomatoes and chillies are great but a tad more fiddly, but if a young plant happens on you, why not put it in and see what happens?

 

I feel like i'm being slowly talked out of the cold frame idea, lol. But i'm listening, and after all, you guys have been their and bought the t-shirt right?

I believe I can section off a little bit of the current raised bed and start experimenting in there. With summer just round the corner I think salad type stuff would be a good starter.

Are your typical salad type veg such as radish, lettuce, beetroot quick growing, or is it too late now? Also, we have had some success growing tomatoes and chillis in the past(dwarf varieties) on our south facing kitchen window sill but that was more the wife than me.

When I cordon off my veg area in my raised bed do I need to be mixing anything in there or is good old garden soil fine with maybe a fortnightly feeding too.

 

Personally I'd add a bagful of multipurpose compost in the soil. It's easy on seedlings whereas garden soil can be quite lumpy and uneven- but obviously it depends on what you've got. My heavy clay would just laugh at seeds

May is great time to start sowing and planting salady stuff. To protect the crops from footballs perhaps you could sneakily involve your lad into the project. Depending on his age you could even mark off a row just for him- trust me, he will become fiercely protective of the crops. Or, if he is over 2 years old, you could ask him to google you helpful videos on the practical bits. Kids love to patronise parents.

Add in a couple of strawberry plants and you are ready to order your t-shirt