Simple veg to get planting for summer

May is here - the month when everything gets busy in the garden and even the most relaxed of gardeners become excited and inspired.

Seeds are germinating, plants and shrubs bursting into flower and weeds are popping up.

It's a great time to think about introducing edible plants into your garden. There are plenty of easy ways to enjoy full-flavoured crops, even when space is limited.

If you are just starting out for novice gardeners the best way to start is focusing on herbs.

Parsley, dill and coriander can all be sown direct in the soil this month and you will be able to harvest them to enjoy throughout the summer.

Basil is best sown indoors in pots, you'll be able to take your pick of its leaves from July.

For semi-shaded spot in your garden you could try growing a selection of cut-and-come-again salad leaves. They are very delicious to eat and will save you having to buy bags of salad from the supermarket - you also be cutting down on plastic packaging. You can also grow them in a container.

Try mizuna loose-leaved lettuce, endive or rocket.

You can also sow pak choi, Swiss chard and beetroot to harvest and enjoy their colourful, tasty leaves. After three to four weeks, once the salad leaves are about 10cm tall - snip them off with scissors to just above ground level and they will re-grow for a second or third time.

Dwarf French Beans is the veg that will keep cropping during summer months. Pick them as soon as they are ready they will keep on giving all summer long.

Good fertile soil is required for them, so make sure you dig in some compost, and climbing varieties need canes for support.

Young plants can be planted out at the end of May, or sow seeds now directly into the soil where you want them to grow. You can sow a second batch next month and alternate picking between the two all summer.

For newbies, beetroot is a good, easy to grow option. Seeds require little maintenance once established. Beetroot does best if the soil is free of large stones for obvious reasons.

For carrots with plenty of flavour, it's definitely worth growing your own. Both beetroot and carrots germinate quite quickly within a couple of weeks and you can enjoy fresh beetroot in 8-10 weeks and carrots in 14-16 weeks.

For splendid colour and salad revamp try some edible flowers. They can be grown from seed and are easy to sow.

Nasturtiums seeds are simply pushed straight into soil in spring or summer and the flowers taste a touch peppery.

Pot Marigolds are also sown at this time of year and their orange flowers have a zingy citrus flavour.

Ready, Steady, Grow!