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I've cleared an area of around 12ftx12ft in our garden. I'd like a shot at growing some of our own stuff. Really so the kids can help maintain and have an appreciation of where food comes from. I don't want it to become a full time job so I thought maybe go for the greenhouse or veg patch, not both at the minute. Which one would be the best for a family of beginner gardeners? I can pick green houses up from Gumtree for peanuts so the cost difference is not really a factor. Also which veg is easy to start learning to grow with?
What do your children eat? Crankbrat likes broad beans artichokes radishes salad and herbs so gets more out of our veg beds , our greenhouse gives the veg an early start and produces tomatoes and cucumbers which the boy hates.
on a 12 by 12 patch I would assume you could fit a small green house and a few small raised beds and have a nice selection of different stuff.
Salad is always a nice easy one to start with tomatoes are generally successful, as are various lettuces & radishes - we used to grow them in hanging baskets to keep them away from slugs & snails; a couple of lettuce per basket surrounded by the radish.
Potatoes are pretty easy.
We tried brussel sprouts & carrots but they got mullered by insects.
Beetroot was nice & easy & tasted very good.
We stopped doing it because it took too long to keep on top of & it was always me doing the work. My Wife liked the idea of it, but not the actual 'doing'...
We got a greenhouse for free via local Freecycle, just put a wanted ad on there, lots of people move into houses but don't want them, especially of they have young kids
Found growing new potatoes in potato bags has been really good.
Greenhouses need watering, veg patches not so necessarily. Maybe relevant if you go away during the summer.
For kids I would go veg patch. Green house is a great addition for lengthening the season but nothing beats a fork in the earth, worms , weeds etc !
All sorts of beans are very easy , fun building a wigwam or support structure and watching them rocket up.
Lettuce (cut and come again type and head) rocket carrots onions are great fun.Pak choi was a big hit as well last year , my boy loves it