OUR TOP TIPS FOR GROWING YOUR OWN

As the weather improves, many of us start to think about the fruit and vegetables we might be able to grow in our gardens or on our windowsills. But it can sometimes be a little daunting to  know quite where to start – and if kids are involved, you want to make sure you get some quick wins. So, here are our top tips for making a success of growing your own:

Start small

It’s easy to get over excited and try and grow too much. What you find is that they either don’t flourish or you have too much to harvest. So just start small and remember – don’t plant every seed you buy, stagger them to get really enjoyable and fun harvests.

Find the right spot

You need somewhere that is going to be warm and sunny. This could be a sunny windowsill or a sheltered sunny garden spot.

It doesn’t have to cost a lot to get started

There are always old tubs and containers that be used to grow things in and if you ask around, friends and family will often happily do ‘seed swaps’.

Beware the late frost

Don’t get too excited and plant things outside without protection before we are safe from winter frosts – there is nothing demoralising than a patch of frost hit seedlings.

Grow items you like to eat

Or ones that you really want to try. This is what it’s all about after all – enjoying delicious fresh food and the satisfaction of having grown them yourself will make them taste even better!

Fancy getting the kids involved?

Well, here are a few sure fire ways to really spark the imagination…

• Plant seeds that are quick to grow and harvest, such as radishes and peas
• Kids love planting seeds that are easy to handle, so try courgette seeds
• If you have limited space and time, you can try little plug plants. They’re more expensive, but are the quickest way to get to the harvest stage – great for tomato plants
• Try regrowing leftover vegetable scraps – it’s really fun and rewarding……if you have the remains of a head of celery or spring onions you can leave it in water for a few days and once you have good roots, they can be replanted for a second harvest