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Some readers might remember that last year I was very interested in growing my own produce, I even ended up with an allotment! Unfortunately I made the decision to give the allotment up as I prioritised my time and money, but growing my own is still a huge interest to me. However, living in a little one bed flat with very limited outdoor space has made my goal of eating food I have grown myself a bit of a pipe dream. When I was contacted by Notcutts to see if I would like any advice, I knew that any help I could get when it comes to growing my own in the space I have would be very valuable! Here’s Mr McGregor, a gardening enthusiast from Notcutts with a bit of background and some tips…

I have been gardening for over 27 years and you could say that within that time I have become quite an expert. However, I am not that boastful of my knowledge although I have picked up a few tips along the way. Growing fruit and vegetables has given me great pleasure over the years and I love nothing more than to cook up a healthy meal for my family. However, when my wife and I bought our first home we had to be innovative with the room that we had, utilising every available space – trailing tomatoes from a hanging basket and having herbs lining the kitchen windowsill.

I’m getting a little ahead of myself here, so before I carry on telling you the many ways you can grow your own without a garden, let me share with you the reasons why I believe every household should do their utmost to pick up the spade.

Walking through the many aisles of a supermarket we are often confronted with the choice of either purchasing organic provisions or not. Ideally we would all love to shop organic, but that comes at a price. However, when you grow your own you can slash that price tag and feel proud that your family are eating produce that has been grown using your own two hands.

If price isn’t enough to encourage you to buy a packet of seeds, I’m sure the health benefits would convince you. Growing organically or with the help of chemicals is your prerogative, but cutting out the chemical process can do you a world of good. You are sure to notice a difference in yourself. You can feel more energised and perhaps see a couple of pound fall off, your complexion can appear brighter and overall you may notice you have a healthy glow.

What’s more growing organically can help you live a greener way of life. Crops that are grown with the use of chemicals can damage the environment, poisoning surrounding wildlife and running into controlled waters.

When you begin to grow your own you can save the environment from further harm and replenish your cupboards with healthy alternatives. Although you may not have a large garden or a back space at all, there are ways around it. I have already mentioned growing from hanging baskets and placing a selection of herbs on the windowsill. However, if you have a patio or balcony you can grow your veggies in containers or sacks. If the containers will be in the home, perhaps a conservatory, why not make an attractive feature out of it and chose a decorative container?

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Mr McGregor

Mr McGregor is a popular writer for Notcutts, a specialist in growing a kitchen garden inside as well as outdoors.

Thank you Mr McGregor, I probably have no excuse not to at least try growing more than a few pots of herbs on my kitchen windowsill! I love the idea of growing veggies straight from compost sacks. Do you grow your own? What are your tips for growing your own with minimal space?

*post in partnership with Notcutts