How to eat better for less!

1 Be smart about what you

grow. Plant what you and your family most like to eat and what is easily stored or frozen after harvest. Focus on easy to grow crops that have high yields and keep on giving over many months. Examples are zucchini for summer and silver beet for a year round leafy greens. If you are new to vege gardening or have limited space, begin with a small plot focusing on salad greens.

2

For a continuous supply that avoids gluts, plant a punnet of seedlings every two or three weeks or get into a regular seed sowing routine. Combo seedling packs from the garden centre are ideal if you want to grow a wide variety in a small space.

3

Plant fruit trees. Once established, fruit trees require very little work and are the ultimate proof that money really does grow on trees. Before planting, check which fruit trees perform best in your climate. In a small garden think multipurpose; fruiting plants can double as screen trees, sun shades, hedges, and wall decoration. Grown over a pergola, a grape vine provides beautiful summer shade while letting the sun through in winter. In a large garden, plant a variety of trees that will give you fruit at different times of the year. Include nut trees for a valuable source of protein.

4

Get clever with seeds. The patience that goes into growing vegetables from seed is rewarded with great satisfaction and can save money too. The trick is not to sow too much at a time, although surplus seedlings can always be swapped with friends. Start with fresh, high quality seeds. The older the seed, the more likely it will disappoint. Saving seed from last year’s crop can save money for many crops, but be aware that some of the highest yielding, most disease resistant crops come from specially bred hybrid seeds that won’t come true to type. Seedlings that give rise to poor yields or lack of flavour (like that wildling pumpkin that grew from your compost heap) may not be the best use of space.

5

Plant herbs. Ditch costly meal bases in plastic packets and grow your own flavours. Using herbs for flavour reduces the need for sugar and salt. Herbs can help reduce caffeine consumption too; try herb teas made from fresh herbs like mint, thyme, lemon verbena or chamomile. Herbs are among the easiest plants to grow in the garden, or in pots. Perennials like rosemary, thyme, oregano, mint and sweet bay grow all year round and survive many years in the garden. Versatile and highly nutritious parsley is an indispensable plant for any good cook and unlike most herbs, it will thrive in a spot with less sun.