Not only are homegrown veggies as fresh as possible in terms of time from soil to plate, but it also removes the packaging problem that is an ever-growing issue for our environment. Plus, the satisfaction of sitting down to a meal that you partly grew yourself is second to none.
For the beginner, the choices can be daunting, but here are three easy-growing, high-yield options that are good to get you started.
1. Lettuce
With summer coming and temperatures creeping up, nothing beats a fresh, crunchy salad for a light lunch or to go with that BBQ. Lettuce grows fast, can be planted throughout the year, is easy to harvest and can even grow in partly shady areas.
2. Potatoes
A humble staple that can be roasted, mashed, boiled or chipped to go with any meal, the potato is a great addition to any veggie patch. They will also grow in a big pot on a sunny balcony or patio as well. Its best to get seed potatoes from a garden centre for growing your own as these will be certified disease free.
3. Courgette
Courgettes are easy to start from seed and produce a high yield. They do like a little room, but you can grow them in big pots or growing bags if space is an issue for you. Be warned, you will need a big library of courgette recipes or plenty of friends to gift to, as you can expect 3-4 per week when they get going!
