If you’re working all day over the autumn and winter, it can be a case of leaving home when it’s dark only to return when it’s dark. If this sounds like you, then don’t be put off growing your own, try this approach…
- Keep it small. We’d recommend our Urban Veg Patch which only needs approx 5 square metres of space, which can be any combination of pots, grow bags and beds.
- Grow under cover if possible. If you can pop a few pots into a greenhouse, then all you’ll really need to do is water them at weekends if necessary. Easy.
- Grow as close to the kitchen as you can. Putting your crops in pots just outside the front door will make harvesting them that much more appealing. It will also help to keep them sheltered by having them up against a wall.
- Mulch. By adding a mulch when you plant your veggies you will save lots of time and energy later on – they will be better protected against cold, wet weather, you won’t need to worry much about weeding, and they’ll keep a bit warmer too. Use a leaf mould or fresh compost. You could also try ‘strulch’ – google it – which will act as a mulch and help keep slugs at bay all in one go.
- Don’t worry about using your veg during the week. We know what it’s like. You come home, it’s dark, and wet and windy, and you’re tired and the last things you feel like doing are going out to harvest veg and cooking up a big meal. Save it for the weekends when you can go out during a break in the weather and give yourself a bit of time to cook up a stew or soup that will feed you during the week.