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Right, after a little success with sweetcorn and studs last year I'm determined to complete a raised bed on a south(ish) facing wall (3mts x 1mtr). I want to try and grow veg/herbs from now 'till the end of the year so I need to know what can be started now and what to plant through out the year.

Leaving the spuds out of it, I'd like to have another go at sweetcorn (although they took up a fair bit of space), peas, runner beans, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, onions and sprouts (for Xmas) as I think this fulfills the growing season.

Am I on the right tracks any hints and tips what time of the year should I be planting seeds or buying seedlings

Sweetcorn should be planted at the end of April/March in 3" pots under glass or cloches.

Early potatoes can be put in boxes in a cool dark place to sprout, for planting out mid to late March.

Lots of other stuff can also be planted under glass or in the greenhouse if you have one.

With spuds, what I did last year was to leave some normal potatoes to sprout (went on holiday and left some spuds in the cupboard ) and planted then in a bin liner and just kept filling up with soil as it grew. Got a great crop.

Sweetcorn I planted out in about June/July and got a good crop come September.

What I'm after is a timetable to maximise the growing season i.e what I can start off now (in the ground) and what I can be growing come Nov/Dec

It's too early for most things unless under glass.

Shallots can be planted now if the drainage is good, and the area is well sheltered. Brussels sprouts, early cabbage and leaks can be planted in sheltered areas.

Lettuces and radishes can be planted at the end of Feb if the ground is dry enough to form a seed bed.

Early March onions, parsnips and broad beans in sheltered areas.

Mid march early potatoes, but you must protect any shoots from late frosts by earthing up.

Obviously some of the above can be planted each month to give a continuous supply through the summer.

Sprouts now how long do they take to grow . For me, sprouts are only ever good if they have gone through a frost - in December

I'm surprised onions are so early - do I know nothing

So I think now is the time to prepare the ground - dig in compost etc and think about what I want to grow and the schedule

On further investigation I have found this from the RHS

Lots of plants can go in early if the garden is protected from the wind and severe frost in March.

Be carefull with the manure, some veggies will burn if you put fresh on the ground. And try and rotate the crops year on year.

One problem with planting some stuff early is wet rot if the ground is heavy, and you nearly always will have to protect the young plants from slugs and snails, early in the season.

I am looking at one of them plastic greenhouses

are they worth buying or not?

The one I am looking at is a little smaller than the one in the pic but cant find a pic of the exact one quickly.

I am glad to see other people have raised veg 'plots' and I am glad that there are people with expirence as I assumed I was the only one for some unknown reason

I had one of those mini-greenhouses, they work ok, but don't last for ever.
My raised bed for veg (Built last year) turned out to be a disaster.....
The slugs thought I'd opened a new restaurant
The cats all thought I'd built them a giant litter tray

Then finally all the butterflies in Verwood decided I'd opened a maternity ward for their caterpilllars...

I've got one of those 'greenhouses' on a south facing wall so its great to start off seeds come March/April. I also have the growbag verity altho' the plastic housing ripped as with the weight of water that built up on the 'roof' - you can get replacement covers

The cost is about £15 each for them so I personally think they are good VFM

I'm worried about the raised bed now as a) I have an abundance of slugs and snails (thinking about setting up an export business to France) and b) I have a number of our neighbors cats that use our garden as a cut thru' and toilet

We dont really have a slug issue, and the cat problems you guys have wont affect me, as I have 3 cats of my own that refuse to let other cats in the garden and also refuse to use our garden ad a litter tray so all good :)

Where did you get yours at £15?

Local garden centre - may have bee £20 for the greenhouse

Cheers mate, on the hunt tomorrow will see what I can find :)

Was in Wilkinsons today. They have them at £12.99

Different seasons and different places in the world determine when you actually put the seeds in the ground. So, make sure you can safely put the seeds in the ground and it is not still too cold.
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