Slightly O/T but I'm looking to start a vegetable patch and need advice. HELP!!!

Like I said I'm looking to start a vegetable patch, partly to cut down of food expenses (when I'm eating again that is!) and partly to give me something that needs physical exercise as a hobby when I'm done.
The problem I have is that I'm a total novice with gardening, nevermind growing vegetables! Does anyone have any tips as to what someone who doesn't know what they're doing should attempt to grow to start with that's easy and rasiliant (sp) as I have a habit of trying to run before I can walk on everything?

Hi there,

Recently I've started taking more interest in gardening. My only real foray into the 'green fingered' world was to successfully grow tomatoes (which are REALLY easy).

What can I say except buy the seeds and a bag of compost and follow the advice given on the seed packet. It seems to have worked for me so far - my seedlings have come up a treat over the last 7 days.

Have a look here on the greenfingers forum
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/

beware, its addictive! we started out small last year and now I have 4 raised beds, 15 large terracotta pots and 4 troughs and I still want more! great quick growers to get started with are spinach, cut and come again lettuce, rocket and radishes - all of which can be grown in tubs if you have little space and will save you a fortune if you buy bags of salad. There is nothing quite as delicious or nutritious as picking your own baby leaf salad and eating it minutes after picking!

Good luck!

i had a good crop of cucumbers last year . just grew em in pots .... they were like triffids

last year we grew, toms, cucumbers, peppers, chillis, runner beans and broad beans in pots on the patio, had a great crop of everything especially cherry toms in hanging basket!!!

Thanks everyone these are all great ideas! Don't worry jane I can't go nuts with it to much, I've only got a small garden without digging up my lawn (can't dig it up, my 8 year old would freakout at me!lol). I have just about enough space for one raised bed (quite a large on though) and I'm looking at getting 1 or 2 of those strawberry teracotta (sp) pots.