6 Things to Know Before You Start Growing Your Own Food
It takes time and practice, but growing edibles in the suburbs or city is possible with smart prep and patience
Imagine walking out of your kitchen door and picking huge leaves off kale plants so tall they look like mini palm trees. Courgettes and tomatoes pile up on your worktops, and freshly picked chives are just a matter of visiting the pot on your balcony. You have so much lettuce, you’re giving it away. Such is the life of a home gardener.
With a little bit of knowledge and a lot of practice, it’s possible to grow much of your food yourself. Even flat dwellers can reap the benefits of container-grown herbs and vegetables. Producing edibles can beautify your surroundings, reduce your carbon footprint, provide a creative and active outlet, and increase your access to nutritious food.
Gardeners reap the benefits of a world of delicious and colourful produce that takes local and seasonal eating to a new level, including things such as fresh-picked peas, tomatoes, rocket, cucumbers and blueberries that taste better than anything you can buy in stores.
With a little bit of knowledge and a lot of practice, it’s possible to grow much of your food yourself. Even flat dwellers can reap the benefits of container-grown herbs and vegetables. Producing edibles can beautify your surroundings, reduce your carbon footprint, provide a creative and active outlet, and increase your access to nutritious food.
Gardeners reap the benefits of a world of delicious and colourful produce that takes local and seasonal eating to a new level, including things such as fresh-picked peas, tomatoes, rocket, cucumbers and blueberries that taste better than anything you can buy in stores.
Anyone can grow food
If you don’t have a big, sunny back garden, take heart: you can still grow food. A balcony or even a windowsill will work. If your space is shady, most salad greens, and even blueberries, can grow well.
If you don’t have a big, sunny back garden, take heart: you can still grow food. A balcony or even a windowsill will work. If your space is shady, most salad greens, and even blueberries, can grow well.
Start small
Gardening is a skill that takes time to learn. If you’re new to growing food, start with just a few potted herbs or one raised bed. Embrace mistakes and don’t beat yourself up if you lose a crop to slugs. Gardening is a forgiving practice: you can always begin again.
You might also like Which Fast-growing Edible Crops Can I Plant Right Now?
Gardening is a skill that takes time to learn. If you’re new to growing food, start with just a few potted herbs or one raised bed. Embrace mistakes and don’t beat yourself up if you lose a crop to slugs. Gardening is a forgiving practice: you can always begin again.
You might also like Which Fast-growing Edible Crops Can I Plant Right Now?
Good soil is key
Don’t expect results from your garden’s existing soil. To grow vegetables, you need rich soil with lots of nutrients.
Before planting anything, get the best soil you can find, preferably organic. If you’re working with a full-size garden, find a soil supplier in your area and arrange a delivery. For container gardens, you’ll want a good-quality potting mix.
To keep your soil fertile year after year, you’ll need to add compost every spring.
Find a garden designer on Houzz to help plan your fruit and veg space.
Don’t expect results from your garden’s existing soil. To grow vegetables, you need rich soil with lots of nutrients.
Before planting anything, get the best soil you can find, preferably organic. If you’re working with a full-size garden, find a soil supplier in your area and arrange a delivery. For container gardens, you’ll want a good-quality potting mix.
To keep your soil fertile year after year, you’ll need to add compost every spring.
Find a garden designer on Houzz to help plan your fruit and veg space.
Gardening takes time
You can’t just plant seeds once at the beginning of the year and walk away. Gardens thrive with weekly planting, thinning, weeding, harvesting and pruning, and will need to be watered frequently in hot weather.
When planning your garden, take your schedule into account. A full garden may need up to 10 hours of work a week, while a small balcony can get by with only a couple of hours.
You might also like How to Squeeze a Vegetable Patch into a Small Garden.
You can’t just plant seeds once at the beginning of the year and walk away. Gardens thrive with weekly planting, thinning, weeding, harvesting and pruning, and will need to be watered frequently in hot weather.
When planning your garden, take your schedule into account. A full garden may need up to 10 hours of work a week, while a small balcony can get by with only a couple of hours.
You might also like How to Squeeze a Vegetable Patch into a Small Garden.
You still have to wash your vegetables
Even when your crops are pesticide-free, it’s important to wash them thoroughly to remove soil, bacteria and parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii. A big salad spinner will be your best friend.
Even when your crops are pesticide-free, it’s important to wash them thoroughly to remove soil, bacteria and parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii. A big salad spinner will be your best friend.
You can grow a lot of food
With just six 2m x 1m raised beds in a sunny garden, you can feed a family of four all the kale, tomatoes, carrots and greens you could possibly eat without having to go to the shops, plus enough extras to freeze for the winter. If your space is smaller, a collection of medium-sized planter boxes can keep you supplied with the salads you need.
The benefits of gardening are immense. Growing food is a fascinating hobby, an effective stress reliever and a surprisingly good workout – just watch your back when it comes to digging.
Growing a significant portion of the vegetables your household eats, or even all your vegetables, is more attainable than most people realise. By starting small, setting aside time each week for garden maintenance and not getting discouraged if things don’t go perfectly, you’ll be well on your way to garden success.
Tell us..
Are you planning to grow your own this year? Share any tips or ideas you’ve picked up in the Comments.
With just six 2m x 1m raised beds in a sunny garden, you can feed a family of four all the kale, tomatoes, carrots and greens you could possibly eat without having to go to the shops, plus enough extras to freeze for the winter. If your space is smaller, a collection of medium-sized planter boxes can keep you supplied with the salads you need.
The benefits of gardening are immense. Growing food is a fascinating hobby, an effective stress reliever and a surprisingly good workout – just watch your back when it comes to digging.
Growing a significant portion of the vegetables your household eats, or even all your vegetables, is more attainable than most people realise. By starting small, setting aside time each week for garden maintenance and not getting discouraged if things don’t go perfectly, you’ll be well on your way to garden success.
Tell us..
Are you planning to grow your own this year? Share any tips or ideas you’ve picked up in the Comments.
Trying to decide whether you should grow vegetables this year? Here are some things you should know first.