It is not as much as a new trend but keeps on going. The most recent surveys show the following:
- Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents who have a garden plan to grow their own vegetables this year;
- More than four-fifths (82%) are motivated to grow their own vegetables because it will yield vegetables with better quality, taste, and nutrition;
- More than two-fifths (46%) say that growing their own vegetables will be cheaper than buying from a store;
- The majority of respondents (46%) who are planning to grow vegetables say that their vegetable garden is a small plot (10 feet by 10 feet or less).
More and more people are opting to grow their own. In many garden centres sales of vegetable seeds have overtaken those of flowers.
Nowadays anyone can do it. No matter the plot size, from a window still, balconies or terraces to a sprawling countryside estate, or the level of horticultural knowledge, growing your own is easy and fun.
It is better to have your plot as close to the house as possible because it makes it easier for you to nip out and gather some lettuce or herbs for cooking.
If you have room enough create beds divided by paths so that there is no need to walk on the cultivated soil. This is known as the "bed system" and it is the most popular of layouts. This system has many benefits: crop rotation, it is easier because you know exactly what went where (no need to guess), you can apply compost, manures and fertilisers exactly where they are needed. If you have raised beds the topsoil is deeper and the drainage is better. It is also important to make sure you can easily get wheelbarrows of manure or compost to your beds.
If you think space is a problem that is not an obstacle to grow your own. Grow boxes, pots, and containers, vertical garden systems are the solutions to have your own vegetables or herbs at hand.
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