Here at Honest, we love dabbling in growing our own fruit and veg. Not only is swapping shop bought for homegrown hugely rewarding, but it also makes mealtimes even tastier and provides a huge wellbeing boost, too. And although we know that growing your own may not make a huge dent in the current rising cost of living, every little really does help!
While we admit to not being quite as knowledgeable as GYO gurus like our friends of Honest, Lucy from She Grows Veg and Ellen Mary, we have a few tricks up our sleeves to help beginners get involved and join the grow your own revolution…
So, if you’re thinking of getting growing, where should you start?
The trick to plan out what you want to grow while remembering three key elements:
– It might sound obvious, but only grow crops you actually like to eat. Do you love strawberries? Start there! Can’t stand spice? Don’t grow chilli peppers!
– Consider your outdoor space and how much sun it receives. Only grow crops that will thrive in the growing conditions that you have. Tomatoes need lots of sun, for example, whereas carrots and leeks prefer a bit of afternoon shade.
– Looking to save money? Grow crops that are expensive in the shops – this way you’ll make the biggest savings! Crops like peppers and garlic can be pricey in supermarkets but are easy to grow at home.
Get started with seeds
A cheap and easy way to get started is to grow from seeds rather than to buy young plants, as a packet of seeds will cost just a few pounds will produce a bountiful crop. We love Vivara’s range of organic vegetable seeds, which includes everything from pumpkin and courgette to spinach and sugar snap peas, plus a wide range of herbs, too.
Find a small, sunny spot
Next, find a sunny spot to help seeds thrive – south-facing kitchen windowsills, a sunny patio that gets the afternoon sun, or a greenhouse if you’re lucky enough to have one, are all ideal. The real beauty of growing your own is that you don’t even need much space! Thanks to space-saving garden innovations, such as Town & Country’s stackable Tiered Planter and elho’s Green Basics Veggie Wall, you only need to dedicate a small corner of your balcony, patio or garden to get growing.
Give them a splash of liquid love
Once your seeds are planted, help them thrive with regular watering and a splash of liquid love from a trusted brand like Phostrogen’s Organic Tomato Food and Baby Bio’s Herb Food. Using a high-quality, specialist fertiliser will mean you’ll get even bigger, juicier, and more flavoursome crops! In just a few weeks you’ll soon reap the rewards of your efforts and be enjoying homegrown produce with every meal.
Share the GYO love!
Once you have some crops established, you can even get swapping with family, friends and neighbours, to help spread the love and encourage more people to join the grow your own revolution! The environment will thank you, too – growing your own fruit and veg reduces “food miles” and CO2 emissions significantly, as well as cutting back on harmful chemicals used commonly in pesticides, so it really is win-win.
If you’re not sure where to start, check out the wonderful book “Get Up and Grow” by She Grows Veg.
