Alan Titchmarsh
Friday 9th May 2008
Grow your own veg and know what you're eating with expert advice from Alan Titchmarsh
Why is growing your own fashionable?
We're more aware of where what we eat comes from. When you grow your own it's good to know that the stuff you're eating is responsibly grown and as fresh as a daisy.
How easy is it?
It can be really easy. My new book, The Kitchen Gardener, tells you about which plants are easy and which are difficult to grow. Growing onions, for instance, couldn't be easier. You just need the right conditions, and the book explains how to find them.
What are some good pointers if you're a complete novice?
Always start on a small scale. Start with a small patch of ground and grow a little row of radishes or spring onions or rocket. Grow the things you love eating – that's another important thing.
What would you recommend for someone with limited space?
You can grow carrots in a window box very easily. Or lettuces are great, and they mature very quickly. If you've got a sunny patio, a grow bag with a couple of tomato plants in the summer will give you tomatoes that you can eat straight off the vine.
The Kitchen Gardener is great…
I wanted to turn it into a real bible so it is definitive, but not intimidating. Everything you need is in there in a very straightforward way, whether you're a seasoned gardener or not.
What are the main benefits of growing your own fruit and veg?
Pride and flavour, because you're picking, cooking and eating a crop often within minutes. You never get fruit and veg that fresh in the supermarket so your carrots do taste sweeter.
How much time do you need to dedicate to growing veg?
If you want to be self-sufficient, then you're going to have to dedicate a lot of time. But most people just want to grow a few things, so an hour or two a week is ample.
What do you grow?
Every year, I have the old favourites like red onions, courgettes, leeks and lettuce. And I always have one or two new vegetables. I'm desperate for an asparagus bed so that's what I'll be trying this spring.
Extracted from The Kitchen Gardener by Alan Titchmarsh, published by BBC Books at £20. Copyright © Alan Titchmarsh, 2008.
Readers can buy Alan Titchmarsh's The Kitchen Gardener (RRP £20) for the special price of £17, including free UK p&p. To order please call 01206-255800 and quote the ref “woman&home”.
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