5 reasons to grow your own fruit and veg

Whether you’re growing your first tomato plant, a couple of herb pots or are looking to add to an allotment of vegetables, make a start today. Need more convincing? Here are five fantastic reasons to grow your own.

They taste fantastic

The fresher they are, the more flavour they have, and you can’t get fresher than vegetables picked from your own garden half an hour before they hit your plate. Unlike supermarket vegetables, gardeners’ varieties are selected on the basis of their outstanding flavour, rather than their ability to handle travel and storage.

They’re healthy

What better way to top up your 5-a-day than with your own homegrown vegetables? Freshly picked, organically grown produce will be packed with vitamins and nutrients too. But it’s not just the produce itself that’s healthy. Getting out in the fresh air to sow and tend your crops is good for you and brilliant exercise. It’s fun for children to join in with too – and gardening’s great for reducing stress.

Save money

Seeds are inexpensive to buy and will yield a new crop year after year. With a little care and attention, you can enjoy the thrill of watching your investment grow from tiny seeds into wholesome homegrown crops. Continue sowing at regular intervals to maintain a harvest right through the summer months.

They look good

Many crops not only taste great but are also beautiful to look at, improving the appearance of any garden or patio. The vivid pink stalks and patterned leaves of swiss chard ‘Galaxy’ look as pretty as any border plant, and your empty beds or pots will get a dramatic makeover if you fill them with red-leafed lettuce, yellow courgette, or herbs such as feathery dill and bright purple-flowering chives.

 

They’re seasonal

All food lovers aspire to eat seasonally and it’s simpler when you grow your own. The natural gardening cycle brings a series of highlights as different crops mature through the year. You’ll become more attuned to what’s in season and more appreciative of each month’s produce when you start enjoying homegrown produce picked at its best.