The idea of growing your own veg is a popular concept nowadays but if you had a bit of garden or allotment in wartime or post-war Britain then you would almost certainly have grown some of your own food.
My granddad not only had an allotment but also turned over the greenhouse behind their house to growing tomatoes. There was a whole border full of rhubarb too – an easy and productive crop.
What was once a necessity for lots of people has become a trend, but one that is very important in these times of austerity.
I’m not suggesting the Chancellor starts a Feed Ourselves campaign but if you don’t already do it, now is the time to start.
Though you may not have had any prior experience at growing your own, with time and perseverance you will soon have a thriving patch. And once you’ve had some home-grown produce, supermarket veg comes as a poor second.
Some gardeners are apprehensive about growing their own but seeds just want to grow. All we have to do is give them the right conditions, weed the plot, water and nurture them, then harvest and eat them. What could be easier?
Once of the problems many of us envisage is not having enough space to support anything worth eating. Even a tiny patch managed imaginatively can provide fresh veg throughout the year. A 10ft x 10ft patch can produce something fresh through the season. Whatever size your garden, growing your own is an option.
Most of us have busy lives and may have misgivings about just how much time our vegetables are going to need. But most of the hard work is in setting up the plot and after that it should be plain sailing.
There are very few fussy crops, most of the time it’s a question of raking the soil, sowing seed and keeping the plot watered and weeded. Half an hour after work each day should suffice but you’ll probably find yourself there much longer. Concentrate of easy crops that will give you rich rewards – runner beans and courgettes, onions, salads and potatoes.
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