Now I am not going to go into details here as quite simply, I could write a whole book on the topic – and I will one day! It is something I love doing and really encourage others to do too. Growing your own fruit and vegetables has never been easier or, in my opinion, more needed. All shop-bought fruit and vegetables unfortunately come with a price: either the regular stuff has been screwed around with – forced, sprayed with chemicals and/or been kept in cold storage for God knows how long – or the organic stuff comes with a hefty price tag.
If you have some garden space I would highly recommend giving some time and effort to preparing the ground or building some low-cost raised beds so you can try your hand at sowing, growing and harvesting your own crops. This can be as big or as small as you wish, from a few herbs or some salad veggies, to rows of potatoes, cabbages, carrots and the like. If you are stuck for space then most fruit and veg can be grown very successfully in containers like patio tubs and window boxes ... so no excuses! And if, like me, you start small and slowly build, then it ensures you don't become overwhelmed with the task at hand and it gives you plenty of time to plan ahead and learn by doing.
Growing your own has become popular again and rightly so – at least you know exactly what you are eating, how it has been grown and how it has been treated. Every garden centre in the country has all the supplies you need to start your own kitchen garden and even most supermarkets are selling seeds.
When I first started out I had no idea what I was doing but, with the help of the Internet and some library books, I taught myself everything I needed to know. It hasn't been without its challenges and failures, but that is all part of the learning experience. Plus, it got me out of the house and gave me a whole new lease of life – I would definitely recommend it for those who are feeling stuck in a rut like I was. Just watching nature at its best gives you a wonderful feeling, not to mention the health benefits of eating your own crops on a daily/weekly basis.
Growing your own is a wonderful thing to introduce to your children, great for them to get involved with and ultimately to get them eating a fresh supply of what you produce. It is certainly better than dragging them away from their consoles to eat processed rubbish food like chicken nuggets and ready meals.
So go on ... give growing your own a try and you will, quite literally, reap what you sow!