Stay at home and grow your own

There's nothing quite like the taste of freshly grown fruit and vegetables from your garden. That, coupled with the sense of achievement, makes growing your own a fulfilling and ultimately rewarding past time. The great news is you can start now.

Get the family involved and explore the range of fruits, vegetables and herbs you can grow in pots, borders and even baskets. Here we have a selection of great tips to help get you started on your very own - 'grow your own' journey, from pot to plate!

House Plants Department

Fruit

Wouldn't you love to grab a fresh, juicy apple or a handful of strawberries from your own garden? You can grow many different fruits in your garden at home, even if you have limited space. But before you start dreaming of the delicious gooseberry pie you'll make from your harvest, consider which fruits will grow best in your garden.

Autumn Plants Department

Vegetables

March/April is the perfect time to start preparations for the year's vegetable crops. Planting vegetables from seed can great fun for the kids. Tomatoes, carrots, beans and potatoes are just some of the large collection you can choose from, there will even be something for the fussiest little eaters, we promise!

 

Autumn Plants Department

Herbs

Why not grow your own? Last year saw many of us turn to the garden whether that's growing plants in pots, planters or baskets or starting a herb garden. From tasty basil to fragrant mint, growing your own herbs can be very rewarding. Plus they are great to add to your recipes. Why not get the kids involved?

The Collins Family 6 Best Tips for Grow Your Own.

Home vegetable gardening tricks are often passed down from one generation to another. The importance of harvesting all you can in return for a little hard work will never go out of style. Follow these vegetable growing tips and enjoy a bountiful harvest all season long!

Plant High-Yield Vegetables

Make the most of your time and space by growing vegetables that produce a high yield. At the top of the list are tomatoes, onions and lettuce. They require the least amount of space and time, but give the most valuable yields in return. Melons, winter squash and pumpkins are fun to grow, but take much more space and produce very little.

Use Quality Soil

Plants draw their nutrients from the soil, so it only makes sense that the better the soil, the better your vegetables will taste come harvest time. One of the best ways to improve soil is by adding organic matter. You can mulch with all kinds of materials – straw, for example, is excellent for vegetable gardens. Just make sure to apply it on a still day and water it well to weigh it down.

Adequate Sun Exposure

Very few vegetables grow in an area with less than half a day of sun. If your garden is getting more shade than sun, you may have to relocate it to another area of the yard. Before planting, keep an eye on various areas of your yard throughout the day to see which area gets the most sun. When you take the time to start a garden the right way, your veggies will reward you.

 

Watering for Gardens

Vegetables benefit from a consistent watering schedule. Too little water and you may not get vegetables at all. Too much, and you can drown the roots and spoil the fruit. Use a watering nozzle at ground level to deliver even moisture to the plants at their roots. Hook your hose up to a programmable timer. Set it and focus on some of the more labor intensive vegetable gardening tips.

Improve the Taste of Your Vegetables

Store-bought vegetables often lack flavor simply because they’re grown in the wrong season. Vegetables generally fall within two categories: those that love cool weather and those that need warm weather. Planting spinach and kale in the summer may sound like a good idea, but the results often taste bitter, and tomatoes won’t turn red in time if you plant them too close to fall. Plant at the proper times to reap the best garden harvest.

Time to Bring Some Veggies Inside?

If you grow a wide variety of crops, your vegetables (even different varieties of the same vegetable) will ripen at different times over the course of a season. Be sure to harvest each vegetable at peak ripeness – it’s easy to overlook a plant one day only to find the handful of tomatoes you’d eagerly been awaiting had suddenly turned mealy. Check plants daily and never miss out on perfect timing.

 Grow vegetables that are easy to grow

If you're just starting out, going to easy-grow veg is your best bet. It can be very dispiriting as a beginner veg gardener to plant and tend for vegetables to have them fail or be attacked by pests or the weather.