Kitchen Garden Forum

Good morning
hopefully, I posted this first post of mine in the right forum.

The only vegetables I have ever grown before are runner beans.
I have a small plot measuring 10 foot by 2'7" against a six-foot high brick wall. The garden is also a south facing And I would like to grow vegetables in it. There are very few vegetables that we don't like. So I am open to suggestions, also we have a few small beds containing flowers and shrubs. Is it feasible to grow root crops amongst them?


Last year, We bought a wormery and will be Emptying the resulting compost into this plot.

Hi Dave

You really have got a small plot - 25 square feet. I assume the wall is south facing. If so, keep it well watered and fed. Here are my suggestions/alternatives:

1 Try square foot gardening see http://www.squarefootgardening.com/

2 Grow runner beans and climbing French beans in a 10 foot row

3 Grow salad crops including "cut-and-come-again" successionally sown, and a few tomatoes and peppers/chilis.

Keep watching - other member will come up with lots of suggestions.

Best of luck

Alan

thank you Alan
we have a very small walled garden (we call it our sailing garden, as it doesn't require a lot of work doing to it and allow us to go off sailing at weekends).
The wall in question runs from south to north. the back of the house facing south.
Perhaps a picture would help






The plot is just about out of the picture, you can just see the edge of it on the bottom right-hand corner and is about the same size as the one you can see just past the pump. I am not sure what time of day, this was taken, I can't remember, but it is south facing.

A very warm welcome Dave, a small plot like yours, always seems to take more planning than a bigger plot.
You really must try and keep the soil in good condition by feeding everytime you remove a crop.
By doing this you should be looking at getting two or maybe three crops off the same piece of ground in a season.
Yes you can grow root crops in your other beds, as long as the soil is good, and you are prepared to give them a drink now and again.
If you can start any of your veg off in trays or pots, and then transplant them into the ground, it won't take your ground up for as long, you could also by plug plants too.

As for what type of veg, all the salad stuff, carrots, cabbage, leeks, french beans and maybe a courgette.
There are lots of others that you can grow, but remember the golden rule sow little and often for most things.

oldherbaceous

Great advice, I thank you. I was a little worried that certain vegetables may not grow well together (shows you how much I know about vegetable growing ). I'm glad you didn't say "far too small"
I also like the idea of planting them to get the maximum out of the plot.

I'm getting quite excited about our little vegetable plot.

Alan
thank you for the website. I shall look into it in greater detail.

I agree with the salad stuff in such a small plot but would also add herbs like parsley, chervil, chives, French tarragon (might need protection in winter) and sweet marjoram, in fact, anything which you want to use in small amounts and just pop out of the door for. Although spinach, peas and broad beans, for instance, are lovely fresh, too, but you can always buy very good organic ones frozen if you only have very little room to grow veggies. I would not waste space on things like sprouts, caulis or swedes which take up a lot of room for a long time.

Good morning Monica
thank you for your contribution. Funnily enough, herbs are the one thing that I have always grow, all within a few feet of the kitchen door. I suppose, I spent an average three to four hours in the kitchen every day, and to be deprived of my herbs would be like cutting off my left hand.
Salad crops, are a great idea, as we do spend an awful lot of time in the garden during the summer eating salads.
Is there such a thing as" come again" crisphead lettuce such as Cos or romaine?
I also think you're proberbly right about the brussels sprouts, and cauliflowers.

Hi again

All lettuces will work as seedling/cut&come again.
I grow Misticanza di lattughe (mixed lettuces - 13 varieties) from www.seedsofitaly.com - 6000 sed for £1.49 - should keep you going for years. You could also try mixed chicories and mixed endives from same source. Sow little and often and you wo't be short of salad, and you won't use too much ground.

Alan

Alan
thank you for that I, have just placed my order.
It seems as though I have come to the right site. Thank you for your patience, I think it may be some time before I can take off my stabilises.

Just one other thing I thought about Alan, how long will do seeds last for? and do I have to keep them in a cool dark place?

Quick answers Dave

1 About 5-7 years.

2 Yes

Happy salads

Alan

Thanks Alan

I'm a firm believer in there's never anywhere too small to grow SOMETHING edible. So good luck with your mini plot. I had a similarly small plot to start with - notice those words 'to start with'. BEWARE:

First I had one 90' x 30' allotment. Then one and a half plots. Now we're moving house to ensure my allotment is at my house, thus saving my marriage!! (I was always there at weekends - so hope you REALLY LOVE sailing or ........)

Also - raised beds are a good way of stuffing more veg in a small plot - but they do dry out quickly.

mazmezroz
Thanks for that. I have been watching BBC2 Grow your own veg series. I cant wait for spring to arrive