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starting a vegetable garden

walben50walben50 Posts: 3
in Fruit & veg
Hello, we are starting a vegetable garden, and welcome advice as to which vegetables to plant now in mid-late August.   If required, we have room for a poly tunnel, greenhouse, as well as a good sized plot.
We are novices, but have lots of enthusiasm and energy.
All advices welcome.
Thanks
Gail

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Posts

  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,011
    Hello  :) Veg gardening is a bit of an adventure and your soil and conditions will make a big difference both to what you can grow and when the best time to grow some things - so the first bit of advice is to take all advice - including what it says on the seed packets - as suggestions rather than instructions.

    Having said that, things that you can plant now are salad leaves, oriental greens, chard, spinach, possibly bulb fennel if you're in a warm area and your soil is good. You could order some garlic to plant in September or October. If your local garden centre sells young veg plants, you could plant some spring greens although it's a bit late to sow them from seed unless you're in a mild area. You could try some 'nantes' short carrots if your soil is fairly light and you're in a dry part of the country.
    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • MikeOxgreenMikeOxgreen Posts: 804
    Look into Kale and garlic.
    I would suggest a book as its a massive topic. Charles Dowdings is a good start as he's British. It's maybe on YT in less detail, I don't know for sure.
    I found 'How to grow Winter vegetables' a bit of a misnomer. What you are actually doing most of the time is starting them now, they rest in Winter, then start again in Spring so you get an early crop whilst your Summer plants are just starting.
    You need to make sure they're all in one bed so your other beds are free for the Winter prepping, resting and planting of next Springs stuff.
  • scrogginscroggin Posts: 423
    I know you said ' veg plot' but as you have lots of space then maybe think about fruit? Autumn is a good time to plant many fruits.
    On the vegetable front you may get a crop from Pak choi and Chinese cabbage but it's dependant on your location and climate.
    I grow autumn planted onions to give an early crop next year.
    Good luck with your project.
  • TPWTPW Posts: 15
    scroggin said:
    I know you said ' veg plot' but as you have lots of space then maybe think about fruit? Autumn is a good time to plant many fruits.
    On the vegetable front you may get a crop from Pak choi and Chinese cabbage but it's dependant on your location and climate.
    I grow autumn planted onions to give an early crop next year.
    Good luck with your project.
    What fruit would you suggest planting right now? 
  • scrogginscroggin Posts: 423
    @TPW, I wouldn't plant anything at the moment but in the autumn months most of the currants and berries are suitable for planting.
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,500
    walben50  It's always an impatient time when you want to see something come from your plot.  By all means try items from the above selection, but nevertheless focus your main thoughts on next March when things tend to really start.  If you're about to pen a reply, tell the members where you're located so that those from your area can give more appropriate advice in some aspects.
  • StephenSouthwestStephenSouthwest Posts: 598
    edited August 2022
    -Sow what you like to eat
     
    -It could be worth looking at Charles Dowding's sowing timeline on his No Dig website

    -I'm about to sow lettuce, mustard, spinach beet (also called perpetual spinach), land cress, rocket...
  • MikeOxgreenMikeOxgreen Posts: 804
    StephenSouthwest said:
    -Sow what you like to eat
     

    No, sow what will survive.
    I like eating tomatoes, sweetcorn, radish and other things which won't grow in Winter.
  • war garden 572war garden 572 Posts: 622
    1. i would make a list of vegetables that can grow in uk that you
     like to eat.
    2. I would wait till the drought and hose pipe bans end.
    3. I would get you soil test
    4. start researching different garden spacing systems.   
    5. I get copy of the local vegetable planting  guide to know what plant when. 
    6 don't go to big to fast on your garden plan. it is easy to get overwhelmed. 
  • SuesynSuesyn Posts: 651
    Raspberries ae a fantastic crop to grow, we have three different varieties and harvest them from June through to October.  We eat them every day during the season and freeze the surplus which gives us enough to have them every day through to March/April and to make about 15 jars of jam.
    We have a double row about 10m long on clay soil. They need very little care once established and autumn is the ideal time to plant them.
    We also have rhubarb and gooseberries, not to everyone's taste, but my OH eats stewed gooseberry or rhubarb with yoghurt for breakfast most days.
    We find that we buy very few fresh vegetables but are able to produce enough fruit and vegetables for most of the year, freezing some things when we have a surplus. We have a fairly standard sized allotment plot with polytunnel and an average size garden with greenhouse at home. 

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