We have finally got our act together and we are starting to grow fruit and vegetables in our garden. There are many benefits to growing your own veg, so it has been something we have been thinking about for a while. We have had a couple of false starts with getting go with this project, but recent events have spurred us on to grow our own veg in our garden, and we have gone about things in a rather unique way.
Growing Your Own Veg: Our Previous Attempts
A couple of years ago, I wrote about a previous attempt to grow vegetables in our garden.
It is difficult to describe what the garden looked like before, but it wasn’t great. It is more like a concreted backyard than a proper garden, and it is very narrow wrapping around the back and side of the house.
There were lots of overgrown parts that were not growing anything attractive or useful. Then, my partner transformed it to make it a nice place for the family to spend time.
There was a section for the younger children to play, including a climbing frame my partner made, and two sheds- one each for my partner and older son. My partner also made a decking area just outside the back door. This was so that we could all eat outside together as a family.
We also made some feeble attempts to grow some fruit and veg. The tomato plants, strawberry plants and herbs all did reasonably well. However, the dog dug up the garden and destroyed the rest of the vegetables.
This minor setback was enough to put us off putting the time and energy into growing fruit and vegetables again, until recently.
Why We Have Started Growing Our Own Veg Now
After our previous poor attempts to grow our own veg, I still wanted to have another go. It is something I have put off, and I have been really busy with the children and work.
The trigger to putting in the effort and giving it another go was the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis and the consequent coronavirus lockdown.
People began panic-buying and there were very little fresh fruit and veg on the shelves. We had no idea how long that situation would last, so we started talking about growing our own fruit and veg again.
Another issue was money. My earnings have taken a hit during the lockdown, especially now that I am homeschooling three of my children at the same time as trying to work. We know that growing your own veg is a great way of saving money, so we decided to give it another go.
Adapting and Using a Unique Method
The lockdown due to the COVID-19 epidemic means that many places are not open and we are trying to stay at home as much as possible to abide by the social distancing guidelines.
Therefore, getting all the usual equipment you need to start growing your own vegetables was tricky. Fortunately, we are used to improvising. I had also got some inspiration from a video I had seen about replanting hacks.
We had a lot of plastic bottles in the recycling bin, so we decided to use these as plant pots and mini-greenhouses. We cut the bottles in half horizontally and cut slits along the cut edges so that we could slide the top half back over the bottom half.
The bottom half of the bottles were partially filled with soil and the seeds are planted. The top half is then forced over the bottom half slightly to create a mini-greenhouse.
Using the bottles is protecting the seedlings from our playful children, the dog, local cats and weather the conditions. The sides of the bottle will also give the plants a little support as they grow. The hole in the top means that air can still circulate and you can water the seedlings. We have been using a water spray bottle so that we do not add too much water.
Utilizing the Space in Our Garden and Home
This has been an indoor and outdoor project. We initially set up the seedlings in the recycled plastic bottles in the conservatory, which we use as our dining room. Most were lined up along the windowsill.
We also have a red trolley with wheels that we have been using for both growing the plants and for transplanting them to the garden. This has upper and lower levels, so there is plenty of surface space.
A section of the garden has been devoted to planting vegetables. To stop the dog from damaging our efforts like the last time we tried to grow our own veg, my other half has built up the raised beds so they have a fence in front.
Many of the plants we have grown need a frame to climb or for support. Using old scraps fo wood we had in one of the shed, he has built a frame against a brick wall. My partner has added some string and wire mesh we had to offer more support as the plants grow.
In the corner between the brick wall and the fence that divides off the decking area, there is a deeper wooden planter. We have used this to plant the potatoes.
Current Progress
One section that runs two-thirds of the length of the back garden is now devoted to growing our own veg. Outside, we now have potatoes, cabbages, cucumbers, tomatoes, broad beans, beetroot, celery, leeks, and peas. There are also some sweet peas growing because my partner was confused and didn’t realize that these are flowers.
Inside, we have more tomato plants, chillies, peppers, courgettes, basil, and a lemon tree.
The Benefits of Growing Your Own Veg
It is worth considering growing your own veg yourself as there are many benefits. Some of these include:
- Save money– Growing your own veg can potentially save you money.
- Better taste– Arguably, veg that you have grown yourself tastes better than food from the shops. It has not been transported thousands of miles and then sat around on shelves.
- Organic– If you avoid using chemicals when growing your veg, then you can grow organic produce.
- Spend time outdoors– If you enjoy spending time outdoors and getting fresh air, then growing your own veg is a fantastic activity.
- A new hobby– Gardening and growing your own food is potentially a new hobby that you may enjoy.
- Convenient– It is more convenient to pop into your garden and pull up some fresh veg than walking or driving to the shops to buy some. You can take it out of the ground, wash it, and then cook it straight away.
- Educational– If you have children, letting them help you is an excellent educational opportunity. You can teach them about plants and what they need to grow. You can also teach them about where the different foods come from and how you can use them in cooking. Children love the idea of eating something that they have grown themselves.
- Pride and satisfaction– There is something very satisfying about producing something useful for yourself and your family. Growing your own veg can give you a sense of pride and achievement. To take something from a seed, grow it, prepare it, and then serve it on the dinner table is very satisfying.
Have you got any experiences of growing your own veg? We would love to hear from you in the comments below.