2010 Edible Plans

It's the beginning of April and everything is starting to sprout. After last year's disasters I'm determined to have a real go at growing vegetables successfully this year - both plants and from seed.

Yes, most gardeners will already have been sowing and planting but my little patch is really only suitable for summer growing.

I'll fill as much space as I can with vegetables - both in the purpose built raised bed, in amongst the existing plants and shrubs and in pots.

With that in mind I set off for the garden centre to collect up some vegetable plants to get things started. I've returned with:

Tomatoes - a good mixture of varieties, including my favourite cherry variety.

Beans - broad beans - small plants to get me started as I was so unsuccessful growing them from seed before.

Mangetout - always a favourite and relatively easy to grow, if the slugs and snails don't get to them first.

Beetroot - should grow well if they survive the first few days and get established.

The rosemary got cut back this weekend, which has cleared about three foot of patio area, it's grown so big. Somewhere under there are also a sage and thyme plants.

The blueberries are starting to sprout - they didn't do so well last year. The gooseberry plant has got some good green growth on it. It may be a bit too optimistic to hope for fruit this year but you never know.

I'm going to find a good source of manure to enrich the soil along with my own compost to give them all a good start (especially the beans).

I also came back with a wooden crate which when lined I'll fill with different varieties of leaves and rocket.

Courgettes will also be on the planting plan - although I've never had great success with these. Cucumber, squash and chard I'll start from seed. Runner beans as well if I can get them to grow this time - otherwise back to plants.

Here goes ...