Fresh beds, fresh start: Sowing seeds for a shared harvest. Community garden going into August

The raised beds are in, the soil’s fresh, and the hard graft is finally starting to feel worth it. After weeks of slow progress (fitting it in between work, kids, and everything else life throws at you), the new community garden plot is finally starting to take shape—and it’s looking good.

With the posts dug in and the fencing nearly finished, I’ve now turned my attention to what really matters: the growing. These fresh, fertile beds are ready for their very first crops, and I’ve wasted no time getting stuck in.

This week I’ve been sowing seeds for a late summer planting, with the goal of a community harvest later this year. These are crops that thrive as the heat drops off and autumn rolls in—perfect for new beds and our Welsh weather.

Here’s what’s going in:

• Carrots – ‘Autumn King 2’, ideal for cooler soil and later harvests
• Beetroot – easy to grow, quick to sprout, and always useful
• Turnips – fast-maturing and tasty, leaves and all
• Pak choi – loves the cooler temps, adds crunch to any dish
• Lettuce – hardy varieties for salads well into autumn
• Radishes – one of the quickest wins, great for kids to watch grow
• Spring onions – low effort, perfect for adding to any meal
• Swiss chard – colourful, hardy and highly productive
• Kale – a winter warrior of a crop, and brilliant for smoothies or soups
• Sugar snap peas – planted now for a surprise treat in early autumn
• Cabbage – started in trays to plant out when space frees up

There’s something really exciting about planting into brand new soil. These raised beds are like blank canvases, and it feels like we’re setting the tone for what this community garden could grow into—literally and figuratively.

The goal isn’t just food (although there should be plenty of that!), but connection. Anyone in the community is welcome to get involved—whether that’s lending a hand, sharing some seeds, or just stopping by for a chat and to see what’s growing.

The first proper harvest may still be a couple of months away, but the groundwork is in—and with a bit of luck and a lot of watering, we’ll have a plot bursting with colour and nutrition before the frost comes in.

Here’s to the start of something good. Let’s grow!