The Cook's Garden - 2008
With the sale of vegetable seeds overtaken that of flowers seeds in the UK clearly something is changing in our gardens. Think taste and freshness, imagine being personally connected with the food on your plate and experience the satisfaction of saving money while eating quality food.
This year I joined the growing band of people growing some of their own vegetables and herbs. A move to a new home gave me a plot of ground part of which had been previously been used as a vegetable garden. Although overgrown the thought of bringing vegetables and fruit straight from the garden to the kitchen was irresistible. Clearing the weeds gave some pleasant surprises as I discovered some survivors from the previous garden. A patch of rhubarb, half a dozen strawberry plants and a few raspberry canes.
In choosing what to plant my choices were lead by my taste buds with additions from generous friends. Top of my list was Tomatoes, a versatile fruit whether eaten raw or cooked and easily preserved by freezing. Runner beans headed my choice of vegetables. A salad bed was a must with lines of lettuce, rocket, radishes, beetroot and onions sown. Enthusiasm and literally a taste for something new saw me trying Mizuna, Chinese Celery and Japanese Parsley. A packet of mixed oriental salad seeds has lead me to examine the row curiously wondering what exactly is growing. A gift from a friend lead to a potato bed planted with varieties of blue, yes blue potatoes. If you want to learn more about potatoes take a look at my short film.
My first steps in growing my own vegetables has been an education, it has certainly challenged some of my assumptions. I have been surprised by the time required to grow some vegetables especially those that are harvested in the winter. I had no idea that to have brussel sprouts on my table in December I would need to plant them in July. Another lesson was the amount of space required to grow larger vegetables like cabbage, planting 60cm apart will soon fill a bed.
The whole experience has brought many benefits from physical exercise and fresh air to creating a deeper understand of the food I eat.
From little seeds do yummy things grow
For me there is a special kind of excitement and satisfaction in growing from seed. The usual rule is not to sow a seed deeper than it's width. Early in the year I sowed into seed trays that I then placed on sunny windowsills. Once the danger of frost had passed I transplanted them outside. Later in the year I have sowed directly into the ground using a stick at both ends of the row to mark their location. Some seeds are notoriously slow to germinate, parsley is one example. On the other hand my radishes were very quick to start coming up. There is something very special about picking your own vegetables for the kitchen. Eating food with maximum taste and freshness that you have grown yourself is an incredibly satisfying experience.
Variety is the spice of life
Apart from the cost advantage and the benefits of eating truly fresh food packed with flavour growing my own vegetables has opened my eyes to a new world of choice. Previously a tomato was a tomato, choice was pretty much down to size and whether they to have them on the vine; oh, I nearly forgot tinned! Now I have twelve varieties of tomatoes growing in my garden. Discovering the range of varieties that exist for almost every vegetable has been a revelation.
Growing organicly
I had already decided that I wanted to grow organically. It seemed common sense not to use chemicals on ground where I intended to grow my own food. Admittedly this meant harder work digging and clearing the weeds by hand but that just seemed a necessary part of a bigger picture. A pair of blackbirds nesting in the adjacent barn have provided pest control with their patrols of my beds. My imagined nightmare of slugs and snails devastating my plants so far have not materialised. What I did not expect was how much of a problem pigeons are. They have caused major damage with the broccoli and kale, both now are protected by netting.
Zen and the art of growing veg
Growing vegetables instead of flowers doesn't mean that your garden loses it's appeal as a place of relaxation or contemplation. If anything it increases your connection with Nature and the food you eat.
Personally I have found the whole experience very rewarding. It certainly has changed my life is many beneficial ways. I have gained health benefits including more exercise and a healthier diet. As someone who has always enjoyed cooking for friends my culinary knowledge has exploded. On a deeper level I have a new reverence for the food I grow and ultimately eat. In the middle of the garden I have a bench to sit on. Most mornings I sit there with a mug of tea, not a bad way to start the day.
