A GROWING SUCCESS

There’s something so wonderful about planting, picking and eating your own homegrown produce, as Jennifer Morgan discovers

Why more of us than ever are growing our own – and how you can up your green-fingered game

Move over DIY: we’ve become a nation of Gyo-ers with a reignited passion for harvesting our own fruit and vegetables. During the first week of lockdown last year, there were more than one million web visits to the RHS Gardening advice pages, and a third of these specifically visits to ‘grow your own’. And while we were quick to order compost, raised beds and tomato plants, we’ve embraced a slower love of gardening that shows little sign of wilting a year on, with over 6.6 million posts tagged #growyourown on Instagram. It seems we’ve re-found our connection with food, as landscape architect and allotment owner Victoria Wade (victoriawade.co.uk) believes: ‘I think more than ever we want to know where our food is coming from – there’s a real desire to reconnect with the land.’

Slow gardening (a term coined off the back of the Slow Food movement of the 1980s, founded by Italian Carlo Petrini) means gardeners savour everything they do, using all of their senses and through all seasons, regardless of garden style or size. Basically, it’s an attitude rather than a checklist of things to do… or not.

Slow gardening is satisfying, not a chore.

And it’s this renewed appreciation in the mindfulness of gardening that has appealed to so many over the last 12 months or so.

‘The pandemic has really encouraged people to grow their own food, having more time to connect with nature and spend outside,’ says Deborah Schneebeli-morrell, author of Grow your Own Food (Cico Books, £12.99). ‘If you can’t easily pop to a shop to buy a salad for lunch, then it’s easy to see the appeal of growing it yourself, even if it’s just in a pot or window box. It’s enjoyable, productive and therapeutic.’

‘Our allotment really kept me sane last year,’ adds Victoria. ‘During lockdowns, it was the only place we were allowed to go when the restrictions were really strict. It was our sanctuary from all of the madness going on in the world – we were so lucky.’

But the allotment has also brought Victoria, her husband, Joe, and their young daughter an amazing sense of community: ‘Everyone is really generous, sharing their knowledge and produce. We swap lots of plants and veggies, which I love!’

‘I’m lucky that my own personal passion – growing things outside to bring in – has become fashionable again,’ says Sarah Raven (sarahraven.com), whose new podcast Grow, Cook, Eat, Arrange, with Arthur Parkinson, is available now.

‘We all care now about food and flower miles, taste and individual character of what we’re picking, eating and smelling. We’ve seen an increase in demand for seeds, as gardeners take pleasure in growing from the earliest stage; it gives a sense of hope and achievement that many of us are longing for.’

Fellow podcast member Arthur adds: ‘I like to grow my own produce because it’s my way of being above the supermarkets, with variety, goodness and supporting the bees through having my own little garden oasis. It’s about colour, beauty and living life each day.’

Sounds good – where do we sign up? Interior designer Amy Jones (gretamae.co.uk) moved outside last summer. ‘It was always something I wanted to do,’ she says. ‘When we moved from London to

Shropshire, I had dreams of being self-sufficient, but it’s only in this last year that we’ve had enough time on our hands to sort out the garden.’ Amy now has large raised beds, a cold frame, potting table and – thanks to Facebook

Marketplace – a greenhouse. It’s been an expensive new hobby, both in terms of time and money. ‘I didn’t

think it would be, but it has added up,’ she says. ‘It’s been worth it, though, as it has taught me patience and to slow down. I always want everything yesterday, but plants work to their own schedule.’ If Amy feels a little stressed or needs to take a work break, then she heads to her greenhouse to take a look at her plants. ‘It calms me down while being very exciting at the same time,’ she says. If you’re a complete novice, then Deborah says to start following gardeners and growers on social media, chat to other gardeners and even sign up for an allotment. ‘Whenever I’m asked by new grow-your-own-ers what to grow, I suggest leafy grow-cut-and-come-again veg such as beetroot, leaf celery, lettuce, red kale, rocket, sorrel and spinach,’ says Sarah. ‘And work on your soil. Tempting though it is, don’t just plant the seeds any old how; the soil will probably need improving if you haven’t cultivated your plot before. Veg likes a loving environment – light, airy and full of goodness. A small soil lump size is crucial.’ And you don’t need a huge space, either. ‘Salads are easy in pots or boxes, while micro greens are fun to grow,’ says Deborah. ‘Think seasonally too: I always grow lots of garlic and chillies to last the winter. If you only have pots, then try herbs – perennials are very useful – or, depending on the size of your container, you could grow beans and peas. Just keep pots well watered and fed. Start off with a rich compost and add some well-rotted manure or mushroom compost.’ You need to be vigilant, though, as Deborah adds: ‘Inspect for slugs and snails regularly.’

When it comes to successes, Victoria’s had different heroes each year. ‘Last year our peas were absolutely spectacular (I grew the variety “Blauwscholler” for the first time), and the year before that, we had a bumper crop of courgettes,’ she says. ‘Every year something different thrives, which is what makes gardening so much fun… and a little frustrating, too. If you are new to gardening, then start with plug plants if the thought of seeds scares you. Get your confidence up and keep going.’

‘Picking your own crops – whether veg, salad or herbs – is easily and instantly rewarding,’ says Sarah. ‘It ties you to the place, on that day and in that season, which, it seems, is just what more and more of us are looking for.’