Grow your own vegetables

By James Middleton - Added 2nd of June 2008

Haven't got time to garden?

Today, so many of us feel that the pressures of modern living leaves us with very little precious time to spend in the garden or on an allotment. I'm always encouraging friends, family and just about anybody I meet to consider growing their own vegetables as I see this as being the only way forward in the face of our spiralling food prices, unsure economic climate and our sickly global condition.

I believe (and I will no doubt get into trouble for suggesting this), that we in the West are slaves to consumerism. Yes, we have ridiculous mortgages to cope with and we do work longer hours especially here in the UK, but we can't find the time for many of the things that past generations enjoyed because we are under so much pressure to buy the very latest new thing. I've found over the past 6 or 7 years that 'things' truly won't bring happiness, but make you feel that you have thrown money away as the gadget of yesterday becomes, once more, obsolete.

So what has this got to do with gardening and allotments? Well, I have found an astonishing release from the pressures of modern living with the introduction of gardening and allotmenting in my busy life. It does take up a lot of my time, I grant you, but my advise to you is if you can whip up enough enthusiasm toward growing your own, then your priorities in life will shift and you will find time.

A solution - 30 hour clock!

"There aren't another hours in the day!", I hear you cry. I should point out; I work up to 8-12 hours per day as a self-employed web developer and University lecturer. I also have a 1 year old son to keep entertained, a dog to walk and a 20 year mortgage to pay. But because I have a passion towards gardening, I find plenty of time to tend my crops. A passion for gardening is the key, not bolting another 6 hours onto the 24 hour clock. You have to be 'into gardening' to be fully willing to sacrifice time.

How to gain a passion for growing things

Firstly, bare in mind that growing your own vegetables is good for...

Your stomach - Food free from harmful pesticide, a lot fresher and richer with vitamins than anything your could buy from your the supermarket.
Your wallet - the price of vegetables continue to rise into the foreseeable future. Grow your own and save money
The planet - when you buy from a supermarket, remind yourself of where your food has come from; the other end of the country, the opposite side of the world? It had to be shipped/hauled from somewhere far from the supermarket outlet.
Building community - we are always complaining that modern life is making us very insular. Join an allotment and meet lots of people!

If the above hasn't caught your attention, here are some practically tips for getting into the whole 'growing' scene:

Grow from seed - Even the hardest heart will melt at the first glimpse of life popping through the compost. Always follow the instructions of the seed packet to the note. Cutting corners may result in a disappointing start to your knew hobby and result in a loss of interest!
Don't believe in the existence of green fingers - we all are perfectly capable of growing plants. We just have to make sure that we (as in the previous point) follow the correct instructions and advice.
Not much space - use window boxes or patio pots to start your garden off. Buy compost from your local garden centre.
Grow herbs - your culinary habits will also change as soon as you taste for the first time, fresh herbs from your own garden. Nothing beats that feeling!
Make use of space - grow runner beans up against a shed or garage. Plant lettuces into window boxes or potatoes in the flower border or even strawberries in a hanging basket! Be creative with your gardening and experiment. There is nothing to suggest that growing vegetables has to be separate from growing flowers and shrubs.

Credits & Links

Article written by James Middleton - www.theallotmentgarden.co.uk.

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