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4 Herts Advertiser Follow us on Twitter: @hertsadproperty Thursday, August 4, 2016
Garden
Why growing your own is more popular than ever
Going green
Growing your own food is
becoming more popular. We
are more aware of green
issues, resourcefulness is
trendy and many people are
keen to turn away from a consumerist
lifestyle and get back to basics, for a
simpler natural existence, as Caroline
Thain discovers.
Local waiting lists for allotments are
always full, which is not surprising,
as they are affordable valuable green
spaces providing opportunities to
improve quality of life by healthier
eating, exercise and get involved in the
community.
There is a lively campaign to
encourage residents to grow their own,
which is part of the work of Transition
St Albans - a group committed to positive
change in the district, especially in
relation to climate change, a low-carbon
economy and sustainable living.
As part of FoodSmiles St Albans, a
local community food growing project,
around 25 locals work their patch of
organic land at Hammonds End Farm
and produce vegetable boxes in return
for their labour.
Several St Albans residents are
opening their gardens to the public this
summer through Transition St Albans’
Open Food Gardens event, aiming to
inspire and motivate others to take up
this pastime, which reduces carbon
footprints and saves money.
You probably won’t be able to
avoid food shopping but planting and
nurturing fruit, vegetables and herbs
until you can pick, prepare and eat them
is a way to get outside, save pennies and
feel self sufficient.
But it can be daunting, so we have
cherry-picked six fruits and vegetables
that are easy to grow:
PeasThey are easy
peasy to grow!
You can start
them off
inside, in a
homemade
recycled
newspaper
pots,
organic
compost
and seeds. They are interesting as they
can be grown up a trellis and they flower.
They grow all summer, which leads
to gardening fun throughout the long
school holidays. Remember, the seeds
are poisonous: if you do plant them with
children, make sure they wash their
hands.
Strawberries
Everyone loves a strawberry, right? This
is like a treasure hunt straight from
Mother Nature - you have to peek under
the leaves to check on them. Homegrown
strawberries are sweeter than grocery
store counterparts. They can take up a
small or large part of garden, depending
on whatever space you have. Enjoy them
as a tasty snack, in desserts or salad.
Walking Stick KaleOnce you have grown the kale and taken
off the leaves, branches and roots, it
becomes a handy walking stick! It is
quirky because it grows up to 10 feet
tall and is reminiscent of Jack and the
Beanstalk. In one square foot of space,
you can grow loads.
Herts Advertiser 5 hertsad.co.uk/propertyThursday, August 4, 2016
RadishesThese grow quickly meaning you get
good bang for your buck. They are
simple to grow in 25 days and ideal in a
container. One seed makes one radish
so be sure to plant enough. Pulling them
out of the soil when they are ready
adds to the attraction. They are intense
in flavour but cooked in butter taste
delicious.
Home grown goodness: A baked potato can make a great, hearty meal Choosing low-maintenance edibles is key to success but there are creative ways to adapt your unconventional space to suit the foods you want to grow.
Kat Kenklies, 38, is a semi-professional gardener who happily grew many different types of fruit, vegetables and herbs from her London Road home, until she moved abroad for work.
She said: “I only grew food I liked eating and ones that were easy to grow and look after. I didn’t have the time to look after a proper veggie patch or even a greenhouse.
“Since my garden in St Albans didn’t have a suitable area for a dedicated vegetable bed, I incorporated my edibles into the flower beds. I grew cherry tomatoes in front of a south-facing wall along with tall sunflowers and smaller flowers in front, which worked well.
“Artichokes don’t do well in pots but when planted outside need very little looking after and grow spectacular silver foliage. I love green beans or runner beans, which I grew in ‘tipi tents’, made from five stakes tied together at the top, in the back of a flowerbed. They’re very forgiving and grow like crazy without much help.”
Her herbs were a delight too, with self-grown fresh oregano a must for cooking. Kat uses the flowering tips, which are full of flavour - and she says they are far superior to supermarket packages that often contain low-grade leaves and stems.
She also enjoyed growing redcurrants and gooseberries, because they reminded her of her grandmother’s garden. Though she didn’t have enough to make jam, she found it satisfying picking and eating them straight from the bush.
And generous Kat doesn’t mind sharing her produce with the odd creepy crawly either. “I have always grown edibles with an attitude of low maintenance. I can hover over my salad every day and pick up all the slugs but I didn’t want to. If the slugs got the salad, I still had tomatoes,” she added.
”I only grew food I
liked eating!”
Semi-
professional
gardener
Kat Kenklies
Three St Albans mums explain why they love to grow their own food
Amanda Carnell, 37, from the Cell Barnes area, said: “We do strawberries and cherry tomatoes every year and we also have a cherry tree and gooseberry bush in the garden.“The tomatoes are probably the hardest to do, as you have to take off additional bits, so they don’t go too thin. This year hasn’t been great as there has been a lack of sunshine.“We don’t really do it to save money but it’s nice to show the kids where food comes from and they love picking things straight from the plant.”
Fiona Zobole, 55, from Abbey Avenue, said: “I love growing enough to eat and give away to neighbours and friends. Spuds, carrots, beans, peas, peppers and chillies, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbages, marrows and courgettes, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants. Spinach and chard last ages. I do it to save money and feed kids good food.”
Katie Brinkworth, 36, from Oaklands, said: “We grow our own food because it is a fun hands-on activity to do together that opens up discussions about so many different things; healthy eating and nutrition, where our food comes from, packaging, cost. All sorts of conversations come up. “I think it’s good for my daughter to have experience of growing food and digging in the soil. It is also a great sensory activity for her too. Last but not least, it is good for our health, environment and wallet too.”
CabbageSome varieties grow enormous reaching
50lbs, adding to the fun. They are great
to grow with children, as they can get
big in 10 weeks, which gives them a
visual reward. They might even eat it!
If your family is not keen on cabbage
in its original form, try making it in to
wonderful coleslaw.
PotatoesIt is too late this year but make a
note for next year: potatoes can
be planted between February
and May. There is a mini science
project involved with starting a
potato seed, which must sit in
daylight until it develops eyes
and leaves. The potato is then
transplanted to a clean bucket
or the garden and left to grow. A
jacket potato you grew is one way
to make your summer barbecue
even more smashing. Or should
that be, erm, mashing. (Sorry.)
Growing your own
food can be a fun
family activity.