New to growing veg? Read on...

By Elisabeth Arter

If you're new to growing veg, follow my recommendations for varieties that are popular, easy to grow and make good use of space

'A greenhouse is especially important for summer tomatoes, early and late salads and raising young veg plants in modules for transplanting into the open.'

My veg-growing tips

• Choose F1 Hybrids varieties and those given the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
• Try Swiss chard and early purple-sprouting broccoli, as these have a short shelf life and are seldom seen in supermarkets.
• 'Little Gem' cos lettuce is much easier to grow well than iceberg lettuce, while loose-leaved lettuce is dead easy, especially at the baby-leaf stage.

Do I need a greenhouse? I'm often asked whether it is important for a veg grower to have a greenhouse. I bought my first one when I was 21 and would advise any keen gardener to invest in one. It's especially important for summer tomatoes, early and late salads and raising young veg plants in modules for transplanting into the open. You can buy plants in, but raising your own from seed gives a far wider choice of varieties, saves money, allows you to choose the timing and, for me, is one of the most enjoyable aspects of gardening.

Where to grow Most vegetables can be grown in containers and some can be mixed among flowers in borders, but you'll almost certainly have better results and find it easier to grow in a bit of garden given over entirely to vegetables, or vegetables and soft fruit. Put in a follow-on crop immediately after another has been harvested, and you can grow a surprising amount in a small space. See my list of the easiest veg to grow below:

Beetroot I never have any trouble growing beetroot from a direct sowing in the open ground in late May to early June, and invariably use thinnings to make a second or third row. House sparrows are the biggest problem – they adore the leaves so much that I have to net the crop from sowing to harvest.

Broad beans These are exceptionally easy, provided they are started in November or late winter so pods develop before black fly are about. I usually sow direct into the ground, but starting seeds in modules under cover helps in a very wet or cold winter, and is wise if mice are a problem in your garden.

Broccoli (sprouting) By sprouting broccoli, I'm thinking of the easiest, early, purple-sprouting type and its superior varieties 'Claret' and 'Redhead', for use from the end of winter up until May. It is seldom seen in the shops. Far easier to grow than summer broccoli, which attracts too many caterpillars, these plants may need winter netting to protect from wood pigeons.

Cabbages There are cabbages for cutting at different times of year and I can't imagine a garden without some of them. Most important are speedy growers, like 'Hispi'. Raise it in modules, then plant out in late March to early April for cutting in June. Good late autumn/winter varieties include 'Savoy King' and 'Tundra' – sow in late April for midsummer planting.

Carrots Sow direct as they won't transplant, avoiding land that has recently been manured. Cover with fleece to keep root fly away. If space is limited, give priority to a spring sowing of 'Early Nantes'. It's best to sow maincrop varieties for autumn/winter use a week into June.

Courgettes Courgettes are best sown in pots for transplanting (once there are a couple of pairs of true leaves) into a site that's very well supplied with rotted organic matter and given ample water in the growing season. Courgettes (marrows are overgrown courgettes) are handsome and productive plants that can be grown in a flowerbed or patio tub.

Cucumbers (indoor/outdoor) Greenhouse cucumbers can be temperamental and old-style ridge varieties are not very good to eat. But you'll find a modern indoor/outdoor variety such as 'Swing' will produce splendid cucumbers without much trouble. I find it an excellent summer crop for my walk-in polytunnel. Raise inside from seed or buy plants.

Garlic Anyone can grow this easy relative of the onion in a sunny, well-drained spot. Plant individual cloves in autumn to early spring to harvest in late summer, and store by hanging in a frost-free garage or spare room.

Leeks Planted out in midsummer, perhaps as a follow-on to early broad beans, leeks are a very easy crop for use during winter. Grow your own pencil-thick transplants from seed, preferably in modules inside, or buy plants.

Lettuces For an easy life, avoid iceberg varieties that damp off when nearly ready to cut and the Romaine-type cos that takes a long time to mature. Instead, grow sweet and tender 'Little Gem' or crisp and solid 'Tom Thumb', followed in midsummer by loose-leaf picking lettuce. All can be sown direct into open ground, but I'm always more successful when I sow seeds in a small pot and prick out into modules for transplanting outside.

New potatoes Unless you have a lot of growing space, I wouldn't advise maincrop potatoes, but freshly dug, tender new potatoes are so much nicer to eat than shop-bought ones. A covering of fleece, or a cold frame, protects the earliest planting from late frost and makes it easy to harvest tubers while shop prices are high.

Onions Onions grown from sets are so easy. For best results, choose firm, smaller sets that are less likely to send up flower stems. Plant in early April and protect with netting in the first weeks to prevent house sparrows or cats digging them up before roots have formed.

Parsley You must grow this nutritious kitchen herb (February to July) that needs little space and is best started anew every year. Seed is slow to germinate and can be started inside in modules to go out later. Half a dozen well-grown plants will probably be ample for the average household.

Parsnips A very useful winter root veg that's easy to grow but quite expensive to buy, probably because it occupies the ground for many months. Sown direct in late March to early April and thin to about 8-10cm (3-4in) apart. Parsnips need little care, other than weeding, until you dig them up as wanted. Parsnips won't transplant satisfactorily.

Radishes Given good soil or compost and plenty of water, these tasty little roots are ready to pull in four to six weeks from sowing. Sow thinly every three to four weeks in succession from around late February. I like to sow a few in the parsnip drill as row markers, harvesting the radishes long before the main crop needs the space.

Runner beans A top favourite that needs little 'floor' area, but sturdy supports to allow plants to climb up to 2m (7ft) or more. Dig in lots of rotted organic material before planting, keep roots moist and sow or plant in two or three batches to give a long picking season. 'White Lady' is one of the best varieties with flowers that sets better than scarlet runners. Put out plants from an April sowing in early May. They will need glass, polythene or fleece protection on cold nights for the first month or so.

Shallots A mild cousin of the onion that stores well and is great in pickles, while plants can be used when young as substitute spring onions. You can grow them from seed or young plants, but it's far easier to put in mature shallots in late winter for each to develop into a cluster of new bulbs.

Sweetcorn Bought sweetcorn is not nearly as good to eat as cobs cooked within minutes of picking from your own garden. I sow in modules in late May to plant out in a block through black plastic, and find scarcely any care is needed until plump cobs are ready to harvest in late summer. 'Swift' is a superb variety.

Swiss chard Some prefer spinach, which very quickly gives leaves for kitchen use but runs to seed rapidly in warm weather. Instead, I grow Swiss chard, sometimes listed as leaf beet, with great big leaves that have thick midribs and can be picked again and again over some months. I like the green type, but red or yellow varieties are more showy if you want to grow them among flowers. Cook immediately after picking.

Tomatoes My favourite greenhouse crop for summer, the plants will also thrive in the ground or containers against a warm sunny wall in the open. You can buy plants, but given some warmth they are easy from seed and this gives a far wider choice of varieties. I was very impressed by cherry-sized 'Piccolo' this summer.

For further gardening advice, hints and tips, go to www.gardensmonthly.co.uk