What first got you interested in growing your own food?
I first got into GYO when I was 10 years old (I’m now 37). It just seemed like a natural curiosity at the time although I would hide this from my schoolmates. We had a patch of garden at the very top of my mum’s house that I transformed from brambles to a vegetable patch. My grandfather and other family members got wind of this and offered help. My grandfather has always grown food in his garden which I always saw growing up and he would often encourage me and this included a Christmas present of manure one year (lucky me). What I did not know, until a couple of years ago when my grandfather passed away, was that he grew up on a plant nursery and at the outbreak of the Second World War, his headmaster got him to teach his classmates to grow food too. I have since inherited his greenhouse, which has a very special feeling when I’m working in there.
You mention on your website that you have a veg garden and an allotment – what do you particularly like to grow?
I am only really interested in growing edibles. I find it hard to given a definitive answer to one thing I especially like to grow – my favourites are always what are in season at that time. The first strawberries, the first peas etc. are always the best. I guess if I had to choose a particular favourite, it would have to be chilli plants.
You keep chickens on your allotment. Do they pose any particular challenges? Any top tips?
This story is from the April 2020 edition of Kitchen Garden.
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This story is from the April 2020 edition of Kitchen Garden.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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