Try planting carrots with spring onions. I read somewhere they are companion plants. Pak choi are also supposed to be good with carrots, can’t remember the exact reason right now.
AuntyRach, potatoes are definitely a good idea. In the past, I’ve grown first earlies, early and maincrop in big plastic dustbins- including Home Guard, Duke of York and Edzell Blue. They’re dead easy that way: just keep adding soil/compost as they grow and need earthing up. When the time comes to dig them up, simply spread a tarp or two on the ground, and tip the bin over. Saves an awful lot of heavy labour! Have you considered growing herbs, especially those which can also be used as a vegetable? Last year, I sowed and brought on parsley indoors, then planted it out in pots. I ended up with a parsley forest, which is still going strong despite the continuous gales and torrential rain we’ve had over the winter. I have an excellent recipe for parsley, hazelnut and lemon pesto if you’re interested - delicious, nutritious and incredibly quick to prepare!
I like.the shorter style carrots you can get, lettuce, spring onions, Chinese leaves, things like basil can go on a windowsill, I'm trying beetroot in a pot ( well one of those plastic troughs) this year. Radishes of course they're really fast. Peas but I'm not doing them myself this year but they work fine in a big pot. Bit longer term but cucumbers and courgettes are good aswell although I'm up north so a few weeks till I can start them yet. I'm not sure if you can still get hold of strawberry plants now but they're brilliant in pots
I was going to start a similar post, asking for advice as to what we can plant that will grow quickly. Thanks for the good advice here - might be a lot of first time gardeners starting up in the next few weeks. Can a lot of these suggestions, Peas, Onions, Lettuce etc be started as seed now and planted out or do they need to be brought on in a shed first? I'm up in Cheshire and its still cold here so whats best? Any suggestions for hardy outdoor veg as I'm going to use my empty flower beds for veg now!
I have tomatoes, cucumber, little jem lettuce ( very fast up in two days and can be picked a leaf at a time as you need it) speedo carrots, and spring onion all in trays in the conservatory just coming through ready for tubs in the greenhouse and outside ( late April/May depends on temps/frosts) in raised beds. Also potatoes chitting in egg boxes, growing shoots, ready for planting. French beans will go in next month, like them better as they freeze well. Hope this gives you the info to go for it yourself, do let us know how you get on @TimS330
I grow Mangetout in large pots @TimS330. Actually, I grow all my veg in pots - easier to protect from pests, and get the soil mix right. How early things grow and crop largely depends on your local conditions though, if growing outdoors. You can always cover soil with cloches etc to warm up the soil though. Chard grows easily too, although it's probably better in the ground. I use it like a cut and come again lettuce. If you sow every few weeks with things like lettuce, you can pick the young leaves, and let some grow to full size too. I often plant the odd one or two among the ornamentals. The frilly red ones are very pretty when in with other flowering plants
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
In deep tubs you can plant shallots, beets & leeks. You can also plant carrots but do thin out well. Also potatoes, lettuce, raddish, courgettes, pumpkins are easy in pots or other containers. Indoors maybe think of things that dont need large pots e.g. chilli?
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P.S. You wont find them as seeds, I can only find them as small plants in a small GC .
Have you considered growing herbs, especially those which can also be used as a vegetable? Last year, I sowed and brought on parsley indoors, then planted it out in pots. I ended up with a parsley forest, which is still going strong despite the continuous gales and torrential rain we’ve had over the winter. I have an excellent recipe for parsley, hazelnut and lemon pesto if you’re interested - delicious, nutritious and incredibly quick to prepare!
Bit longer term but cucumbers and courgettes are good aswell although I'm up north so a few weeks till I can start them yet. I'm not sure if you can still get hold of strawberry plants now but they're brilliant in pots
Can a lot of these suggestions, Peas, Onions, Lettuce etc be started as seed now and planted out or do they need to be brought on in a shed first?
I'm up in Cheshire and its still cold here so whats best?
Any suggestions for hardy outdoor veg as I'm going to use my empty flower beds for veg now!
French beans will go in next month, like them better as they freeze well.
Hope this gives you the info to go for it yourself, do let us know how you get on @TimS330
Actually, I grow all my veg in pots - easier to protect from pests, and get the soil mix right.
How early things grow and crop largely depends on your local conditions though, if growing outdoors. You can always cover soil with cloches etc to warm up the soil though.
Chard grows easily too, although it's probably better in the ground. I use it like a cut and come again lettuce.
If you sow every few weeks with things like lettuce, you can pick the young leaves, and let some grow to full size too. I often plant the odd one or two among the ornamentals. The frilly red ones are very pretty when in with other flowering plants
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...