Grow Your Own

This year we decided to have a small veggie plot in a corner of the garden, the idea being to get the little ones involved and show them how things grow, to enjoy healthy organic food as well as saving a few pounds at the supermarket. Not being terribly expert in growing anything but tomatoes, we plumped for easy to grow plants: onions, courgette, butternut squash, carrots, parsnips and garlic. Maison Monkey's 'Grow your own' experiment has begun!

Still early in the year but looking good!

Its definitely a work in progress and this is how its looks at the moment. There are lots of seeds just sprouting and its amazing just how much stuff you can squeeze into a small area. The bare edge is caused by Little Bear grabbing handfuls of whatever he can reach and eating it!


We have a tiny greenhouse now full of tomatoes, peppers and chillies - all very easy to grow and kids love 'em! (well, maybe not the chillies, but they love picking the long shaped, shiny fruit.) Tot has really enjoyed helping plant all of the seeds too  and got thoroughly mucky in the process. Its actually quite difficult to get compost off a two year old's scalp and with all that fine baby hair I really had to scrub!

Strawberry patch

Strawberries and they are one of the most nutritious and healthy fruits you can eat, packed full of anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals. As the plants mature they send out runners producing even more plants for strawberries year after year.


Herbs are also really easy to grow and you don't need a lot of room. Any old container will do and with minimum effort you'll soon be rewarded with bunches of great home grown flavour. Chives are a winner with Tot. She picks them and feeds friends in the garden whether they like it or not!

New potatoes taste great and are fab to grow if space is short. There are lots of 'potato planters' available in any good nursery but we found an old dustbin does the job really well. Drill a few holes in the bottom for drainage and fill with about 6 inches of soil. Sit 4 or 5 sprouting potatoes on the surface and cover with another 6 inches. When the shoots have come through, cover with soil again and repeat  the process a couple more times. The result is a bin full of potatoes ready to harvest after plant has flowered. Its best to chose a spot not accessible by children as though as the plant leaves are poisonous.

 There are so many benefits of growing your own veg and everyone can do it, even if all you have is a window sill. So why not have a go at producing your own healthy organic food and save yourself some pennies in the process!