Keep your family safe from germs and bacteria
A sprinkling of Latte Creations makes an everyday coffee break extra special
Grow your own veg: first-time veg grower
Never tried it before? Then make this the year you give it a go. Carol Klein explains how to get started with veg. Photos by Jason Ingram
Reproduced from January 07 issue of Gardeners' World magazine. This month's issue on sale now Subscribe now and save 30 per cent.
When my husband Neil and I moved from London to Glebe Cottage in North Devon nearly 30 years ago, one of my ambitions was to grow vegetables. Though neither of us had any previous experience, within a couple of years we had a thriving patch, and by the time our daughters came along there was plenty for everyone. Eventually, though, raising herbaceous plants for my nursery and for flower shows had to take priority. But once you've tasted your own home-grown produce, supermarket veg comes a poor second.
Rediscovering the thrill of growing vegetables through filming my new BBC2 series Grow Your Own Veg has been richly rewarding. Some gardeners are apprehensive about growing their own - so I hope the series allays any such fears. Think about it - people have been growing their own food from the very moment they decided to stay in one place and put down roots. When you sow your first beans or plant out your potatoes, you're joining a tradition that goes back to the earliest days of civilisation.
Seeds want to grow. Plants want to produce leaves, roots, flowers and seeds. All we have to do is give them the conditions they need, weed them, water and nurture them, then harvest and eat them. What could be easier?
Short on time?
You may be worried that there's not enough time in your busy life to grow vegetables. But most of the hard work is in setting up the plot initially. After that, it should be plain sailing. There are very few fussy crops - it's mainly a question of raking the soil and sowing seeds, then watering and weeding the plot. Spring tends to be the busiest time, though if you're growing for year-round crops there will be veg to sow and transplant in every season. Sometimes working out a plan takes as much time as putting it into operation.
Try to match the size of your plot to the time available. Don't take on a huge area full of weeds if you only have a couple of spare hours at weekends. If you're busy, just start small. Vegetables don't need much fuss, but they do need consistent attention. Half an hour after work each day is enough - though you'll probably find yourself still there much later, as growing veg is moreish!
Did you know? Eating fruit and vegetables reduces the risk of stroke
Source: Stroke Association, 2006
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | next
printer friendly
send to a friend
Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Horoscopes| Message Boards | Quizzes | Newsletters | Join
iVillage Ltd is a UK company registered in England & Wales (3837269) at 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1 1HB