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How to grow your own fruit and vegetables
A cottagers guide to growing your own fruit and veg, save a few pounds and enjoy eating and maybe selling the fruit and veg
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- How to Test your soil, find out the pH of the soil in your garden,
- Sandy soil,Clay soil and chalky soil
- Preparing seed beds,fruit and vegetables you can grow easily in your garden,
- How can I sell and make money from home grown fruit and vegetables.
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The LINKS in this "growing your own" article and at the bottom of this page are not annoying pop ups or adds, they link to other pages on my site providing more detailed information.
Preparing and digging the ground for growing your own.
I'm assuming you are not going to use Chemical fertilisers or weed-killer, the cost will far negate the savings you are going to make growing your own. The Cottagers didn't use chemicals !! The only sure way to know you are eating chemical free fruit and vedge is to grow your own, If the area is water logged you will need to sort it out before you dig it over.
Dig the area over removing as many large stones and weeds as you can, don't try to remove every stone, its impossible. Providing the soil breaks up into reasonably small chunks there is no need to rake it over. Weeds that haven't gone to seed can be added to your compost heap. Weeds that have gone to seed like Bindweed and ivy can be rotted down in a plastic bag and then added to the compost heap.
If you are planning to turn a lawn into a planting area for fruit and veg, you will need to remove the turf, (this is hard work and if you can wait its easier to cover the area with black plastic until it rots down).If you are going to remove the turf, mark out liftable squares about 2" deep with a sharp spade and scoop the turf off, turn it over and store in a heap in a corner of your garden to turn into loam to be added back to your garden.
SEED BEDS, the areas you are going to sow rows of seed will need to be raked fine before sowing, most seeds are sown direct into the garden but sow a few in trays, the seedlings can be sold at car boots, more than covering the cost of buying the packets of seed in the first place. Guide to sowing seeds
How can I sell and make money from home grown fruit and vegetables
Realistically none of us make a lot of money from the fruit and vegetables we grow ourselfs, But there are a few ways to sell your home grown produce and cover your costs and maybe make a bit of spare cash.
Try selling your home grown fruit and veg,seedlings and plants at car boots. If you get your timing right i/e Winter veg when its in short supply and expensive, Runner bean plants, Cabbage plants, Bedding plants and Hanging baskets in early spring, you will be able to sell at a reasonable price.
If you live in a honest neighborhood, you could try leaving your produce just outside you garden gate (making sure you empty the cash tin as often as you can)
Local greengrocers, specialist restaurants, and delis may be interested in your home grown Herbs,Fruit and Vedge, providing you can promise a regular supply.
Neighbours are a bit difficult ( how could you charge you elderly neighbour the full price, I end up giving the fruit and veg to them free). Instead try swapping for services like babysitting or a bit of help in the garden or around the house maybe find neighbours who keep hens for eggs and swap fresh fruit and vegetables for fresh eggs .
If you have any tips that will help folk sell grow your own garden produce, please let us know using the so we can pass them on, especially in this economic climate. Mike
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Selecting plants.
Organically-grown plants can be found on the web, choose a gardeners shop that clearly labels organic plants. The best way, if you can, is to buy organic seeds and grow your own plants from seed.
If you are sourcing your plants from a garden center be aware that the plants grown for sale in the large modern garden centers will be grown using chemical fertilizers and pesticides and as well as bringing some of these chemicals into your garden, because they are addicted to the chemicals, the plants will show signs of stress for a while as they are weaned off. Also check the plants and the root system for signs of insect or disease problems. If the plant looks straggly and weak, put it back, even if its reduced in price. Only introduce strong healthy plants into a chemical free Organic garden.
Sowing and growing your own fruit and vegetables tips.
Broccoli
Has high vitamin content and anti-cancer agents.The sprouting types are hardy and overwintered for harvest in spring and can be white or purple. Calabrese is harvested in the autumn. Sow thinly in April and May 1/2 in deep in rows 6in apart. Thin the seedlings to 3in apart. You can sow in March in the milder south and again in June for late cultivars..Transplant when the broccoli seedlings are about 6in high planting about 18in apart. In dry weather water them well before and after transplanting .The Broccoli will need a good soaking in dry weather and a feed of home made liquid fertiliser now and then will work wonders. Harvest when the flower shoots (spears) are well formed but before the individual flowers begin to open. Cut the central spear first. This is followed by a series of sideshoots, which can be picked regularly for about five weeks.Collect the seeds from the plants you are keeping for next years seeds.
Cabbages
Can be grown to pick throughout the year. spring, summer and winter seeds are available. Spring greens are young spring cabbages Sown mainly in summer, but also all year round.Sow the same as Broccoli above.
Spring cabbage:
in July/August; transplant in september/October.Summer cabbage from late February/early March (under cloches or similar cover) until early May; transplant in May/June. Winter cabbages in April/May; transplant in late June/July.Transplant the young plants as for Broccoli. Compact varieties 1ft apart, larger varieties 18in apart, spring cabbages only 4in apart thin out to 1ft apart from February onwards using the thinnings as your spring greens. Water and feed as for Broccoli. Harvest the Cabbages by cutting through the stem just above ground level at the same time cut a deep cross in the stump and you'll geta second crop of tiny cabbages.Collect the seeds from the plants you are keeping for next years seeds.
More fuit and vegetables you can grow easily in your garden include:
Cauliflowers
To grow perfect cauliflowers you'll need a rich and deep soil and there mustn't be a check to growth, so careful planting and watering are essential.Sow thinly 1/2 " deep in rows 6" apart in March and May in a rich and deep soil , Thin to 3" apart when 1" high. Transplant to growing position when plants have five or six leaves, Water well before and after transplanting. Space 2ft apart or closer for smaller heads. Cauliflowers are hungry so reguraly water and feed with a liquid fertiliser . Important not to check growth regular watering is essential. Harvest when the heads are firm.Collect the seeds from the plants you are keeping for next years seeds.
Brussels sprouts
Sow from March to April as for cabbages ,thin out to about 3" apart. Transplant when 4-6" high about 2.5ft apart in firm soil containing plenty of humus . Important to water well before and after transplanting. Water and feed reguraly with home made liquid fertiliser Time to pick, Should be just about plump enough for Christmas.Collect the seeds from the plants you are keeping for next years seeds.
A few other vegetables that with a bit of practise, are fairly easy to grow:
Potatoes
are a easy vegetables to grow, buy a few seed potatoes from your local seed shop or better still ask an allotment holder or gardener for a few of his seed potatoes. plant them in a trench and as they grow pull the soil up around the stems. This is important as uncovered potatoes will turn green. keep them well watered in dry weather. They can also be grown in old buckets and large flowerpots and thru Winter in a greenhouse.
Cherry tomatoes
Grow from seed or seedlings in late spring. Best in a greenhouse or try against a sunny south facing wall.
Spinach beet
Very easy to grow. The slugs and caterpillars seem to leave spinach alone. Its planted directly into the garden and thined out when they come up. Pick the leaves as you need them.
Radish
Very easy salad vegetables to grow,with a nice spicy tangy flavour sow direct into the garden. Lettuce Lettuce can be easily grown . Sow small amounts throughout spring and summer. They will need protecting from slugs and snails Try planting them between rows of spinach for natural pest control. Cress Sow in small butter tubs in about an inch of home made compost.
Courgettes
are best grown in a greenhouse from seed but try transplanting a few out into a sunny part of your garden. They will need regalar watering. One problem I have found is that some baby courgettes fall of the plant and rot, so dont panic this seems to be normal but if you know of a solution please share it with me.
Carrots
are quite easy to grow in fine soil but if you dont mind some odd shapes they are ok in stony soil too. Carrot fly is a problem particularly in the second year. Try companion planting pest control its a bit trial and error but worth the effort when you pull and taste your first organic carrots
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 To see the range of Suttons seeds click on the seedling, click tulips for bulbs.
Be inspired
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| You might want to have a go at companion planting to control garden pests.
Sandy soil is easier to dig but doesn't have as many of the essential nutrients clay soil does so you will need to dig in plenty of compost making compost
Chalky soils are dry, stony and low in nutrient, but by choosing plants that grow in chalky soil you can still grow a good selection.
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Daily Telegraph research found that a basket of six fruit and five vegetables from Tesco and Sainsbury's costs £37.20, compared to just £21.01 on average from four different independent greengrocers around the country. We whinge about paying £16 more for a basket of six fruit and five vegetables. Add the cost of driving to the supermarket to the extra £16 you are paying for your fruit and veg. It's no wonder we are winging about food inflation.
We moan every time our local Butchers,Bakers,Greengrocers and Post office gives up the battle with the supermarket, but don't support them when they are open, prefering to buy and eat fruit and veg that has gone around the world twice, instead of buying local produce that is on average, £16 cheaper for a basket of six fruit and five vegetables.We let supermarkets get away with charging far more for fruit and veg than they should.
We have helped lose nearly 3,000 independent greengrocers in the last 10 years, forcing us to pay more for our fruit and vegetables. The closure of greengrocers comes on top of 2,700 local independent butchers, bakers and fishmongers that have closed since 2001. We are paying more for your vegetables.
Don't blame the strong supermarket versus dodgy planners and their "week" regulations, its us. Add the cost of driving your car to the supermarket on top of the extra £16 you are paying for your fruit and veg. It's no wonder your winging about food inflation, instead, start saving money on food by buying better and cheaper local produce from our local greengrocer,butcher,baker and candlestick maker. I don't own or are in anyway involved with a local bakers,butchers or greengrocers shop, just wondering why we are happy to pay more.
Shop local, Grow your own fruit and veg, Keep chickens, and save money on food bills.
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Free advertising for fruit and vegetable box schemes on local shops page.
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