Page 28 - ALG Issue 4 2018

General
Needs, Seeds and Feeds
Part of having an allotment is growing food to save cash. We are now becoming much more aware that the green gym is really helping body and mind. It seems growing your own is one of the greatest hobbies we can enjoy. As with any hobby, people will sell you expensive kit that you really don’t need. When I learnt to garden I was instructed by people who had gardened during the Dig for Victory days. They had to feed their families using minimal equipment. I have employed these tactics for the past 20 years and can vouch for the extremely productive results.
First let’s look at the family needs. There is no point growing food that people don’t like and having huge gluts in the summer and autumn and nothing the rest of the year. The cropping plan that was used in WWII shows how to plan a garden. This is an excellent start for novice gardeners. Learn how to store and preserve food; this not only keeps the larder going in lean times, but a Christmas present of red currant jelly, strawberry jam, chutney and sloe gin will go down very well and save cash on buying things people really don’t want. Use the monthly leaflets issued by the government during the war to ensure nothing is forgotten.
Now let’s consider seeds. Seeds such as tomato, peas, beans and squashes are easily saved and can save the gardener many pounds of hard-earned cash. Save shallots, garlic and even consider growing potatoes from actual seed held in the fruit of the plant.
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