Planting a small vegetable patch

for beginners

[HelenDev]

I have decided to give over a portion of my small garden to try my hand at vegetable growing. My plot will be approx 10ft by 4ft and I am wondering what to try first.

Obviously I want to grow the things I like to eat, and I don't want to try anything very difficult, or that takes 3 years to produce edible stuff!

Basically I would like to plant something that can yield a reasonable amount of veg from a small patch, and if it's not wildly optimistic I would be happy to divide my patch up and grow more than one thing at a time!

I would also like to be able to utilise it all year around, ie when one thing gets harvested, another gets planted.

The climate where I am is the South West of England, so it is one of the warmest parts of the UK and I have successfully managed to grow tomatoes and chillis in pots over the last few years.

I know there are some green-fingered people amongst you all so I await your suggestions with eagerness!

[HRoth]

I love snowpeas eaten fresh right in the garden. You're too late to grow them for now, but you can start them in the fall and have them then.

If you are growing maters in pots, try the eggplants in pots too. I have been doing this for the past couple years and have gotten many many eggplants. The pots keep the soil nice and warm. They love it. And few bug problems that way.

I beg to differ on the number of maters per person. I have only three and consider myself very deprived this year. Last year I had seven and still wished I had more.

Happy gardening!