Growing Your Own Fruit and Vegetables

Growing your own fruit and vegetables is a fun family activity that results in fresh, healthy produce and little harm to the environment. This rewarding chore doesn’t require a lot of equipment, experience or expertise, nor does it even require you to own or have access to any land! As with most things in life, you can muddle by as a beginner and your garden may still flourish if lavished with your love and attention. Even if you’re all thumbs, as long as they’re green thumbs you’re in luck!

Commit to Growing Your Own

Growing your own fruits and vegetables gives you total control over the products that you will be eating later. Not only will it allow you to decide what your family eats, but home grown fruits and vegetables also offer:

• Fewer or no pesticides
• No genetic modification
• A savings for your purse since they are cheaper than buying at the shops
• More flavour than fruits and vegetables grown specifically for a longer shelf-life
• More variety than the displays offered at supermarkets
• A reduction in the pollution created by transporting items to far away areas
• A chance to slim down by getting out and gardening, and then feasting on fresh foods

Investigate Your Options

There are many ways to grow your own fruits and vegetables in the UK, so don’t throw in the towel (or spade) because you live in a flat or city centre. Remember to investigate how gardeners in your area cultivate their fruits and vegetables, and be sure to research options such as:

• Growing in your own back garden
• Obtaining an allotment
• Planting in pots
• Using a grow bag

A Personal Harvest

Deciding what to plant is the first step to growing your own fruits and vegetables. Several factors may influence your decision, including how much time you have available, how much land or space you have available, what you would like to do with your produce (eat it, sell it, share it, donate it) and/or how comfortable you feel with this new endeavour. Absolute beginners may be wise to start with only one or two items, and then slowly expand as confidence is gained. Fruits and vegetables commonly grown in the UK include:

• Beans
• Carrots
• Parsnips
• Turnips
• Radishes
• Peas
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Asparagus
• Courgettes
• Squashes
• Tomatoes
• Apples
• Pears
• Strawberries
• Gooseberries
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Rhubarb
• Raspberries
• Peaches

Further Information

Many organisations exist to help you get started growing your own fruits and vegetables, so be sure to take advantage of the information and advice that they are willing to share. For further information on growing your own fruits and vegetables, contact:

• The Royal Horticultural Society.
• The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners.
• Garden Organic, the national charity for organic growing.
• Local authorities and gardeners associations.

Growing your own fruits and vegetables is a worthwhile, rewarding endeavour. If you are interested in growing your own fruits and vegetables, speak with experienced gardeners in your area for tips on how to plan your garden, select your produce and what to do with the delicious crops you will soon need to harvest. If you end up in the admirable position of having more fruit and veg than you can eat, remember that your neighbours will never turn up their noses at wholesome, organic produce. In fact, your biggest gardening headache might turn out to be deciding who gets what!