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Veg patch beginner

Williamgiddings25Williamgiddings25 Posts: 50
in Fruit & veg
My lovely little veg patch is ready to plant I believe. 
Ive turned in fresh top soil with a small amount of compost and some horse manure a few weeks ago. The soil seems good but has good number of small stones in it. 
Any advice on what I should plant etc. 
Im planning on planting potatoes and carrots in plastic containers in the coming weeks. 
Many thanks!
william. 
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Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 8,144
    Whatever you like to eat, subject to the space that you have there (eg a few cabbages/caulis would fill it up).  Maybe salad leaves to cut as baby leaves, spring onions, radishes.  I'm sure there'll be other ideas too.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • NollieNollie Posts: 6,762
    Absolutely, if you only have one bed, plant what you like to eat and things that that also taste better home-grown than shop bought.  eg. Broad beans, if you like them, taste so much better, especially when picked young. Certain vegetables dislike being grown together, as they inhibit each other’s growth, e.g. no alliums (garlic and onions) with legumes (peas and beans). Vary what you grow in the same spot each year to avoid the build up of soil pathogens and diseases. 
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    If you’re limited for space. Try growing vertical crops. Cordon tomoatoes, cucumbers, runner or French beans. You can grow them up bamboo frames or tipis. You can get a lot in a small space.
    Good luck
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 16,528
    Growing carrots after manure can cause them to fang or fork.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 28,827
    I think a spot of research and reading on crop rotations will be of use to you -
    https://www.growveg.com/guides/crop-rotation-for-growing-vegetables/
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=124 

    Squashes and courgettes and rhubarb will enjoy the manure.  Root veggies won't this year but should be fine next year if no more manure is added.

    The main thing is to grow crops you enjoy and that are expensive in the shops or taste better picked fresh so your tastes should dictate what you try to grow as well as your local climate - sun, rain, heat, cold etc.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • edhelkaedhelka Posts: 2,278
    You have a small place so full crop rotation is probably not an option. You could try square foot gardening, you don't even need to mark the squares, you just can use the technique to plan what plants and how many and where to grow.
    Vertical gardening is a perfect idea, you could add some support to the end of the bed (or anywhere you like it) and grow climbing beans or cucumbers.
    French beans are tasty and super easy and you can choose between climbing (really worth space) or dwarf.
    Courgettes are easy and awesome value for space because they are very prolific.
    At the moment it is too soon to sow french beans, courgettes or cucumbers, they need to be direct sown in May or sown under cover to plant at the end of May or beginning of June.
    You could try to sow some quick crops - radishes, baby salad leaves (lettuce, mizuna, pak choi and similar) or 40 days broccoli (brocoletto/raab) to harvest before planting courgettes and beans in June.
    Or as a completely different idea, you could make it a permanent fruit bed and plant strawberries, possibly also a blueberry plant or two (only if your soil is on the acidic side).
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 28,827
    I was thinking the crop rotation info would inform the choice of plants given that the OP has manure in the soil.   It is small area so having permanent fruits is a good idea or else quick crops such as salad leaves and radishes.  Good idea too to go and see what is available as plugs in the local garden shop as this saves on time and equipment such as seed trays and compost..
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • Williamgiddings25Williamgiddings25 Posts: 50
    It really is the tiniest amount of manure
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 28,827
    If it's tiny why bother?  If it's not, roots like carrots and parsnips won't like it.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • NollieNollie Posts: 6,762
    William did say he was growing carrots and potatoes in plastic containers. Presumably he had a bit and bunged it in the bed, a small amount, so long as it was bagged or well rotted, shouldn’t affect anything.

    A beginners guide to growing veg would be useful then just go for it, plant what you fancy, learn as you go along and most of all, enjoy it!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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