New veg grower

[Lumpy]

The first thing I ever grew was lettuce about umpteen years ago. Happily sowed the seeds and after a few weeks had hundreds of the little bloopers. It never occured to me that you didn't just shove them all in at the same time.
So yes trial and in my case many errors!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Ant, if you do not make mistakes you will be the first gardener in history not to do so. I still keep an A5 note book with variety, planting times, weather etc. You will be surprised how useful this becomes in just a few seasons.

[Kristen]

I wouldn't stagger beetroot, carrots or potatoes but others may have a different idea.

Me too, I stagger my harvesting instead

I sow 3x Beetroot plants to a 9cm pot, and then plant out. When I want some I harvest the biggest, leaving the smaller ones to grow on. Sometimes I leave the final one longer than planned and it becomes a monster, perhaps more woody but once cooked I'm not sure I notice much difference (unless it is left forever )

I do sow carrots at different times, but we use loads so its more "production line" rather than successional sowing. I am still pulling up carrots from the rows from the final sowing in early Summer