Senior lifestyle writer Francesca Lee-Rogers details to The Stray Ferret readers, how after many years, she decided to grow her own fruits and vegetables. She recounts her inspiration and how she got started.

The inspiration

One of my fondest childhood memories was going strawberry picking in the Yorkshire Dales with my nan, returning home laden with punnets of the fruit that we had picked with our own fair hands. We also used to go on walks near to her house and come across wild gooseberries, raspberries and blackberries, which we’d gather and later use to make delicious pies and crumbles. Those (fruitful) experiences made me realise the bounty that can be grown and found on the doorstep. 

Indeed, in recent times there has been a surge in popularity in foraging, the practice of gathering edible wild plants, fruits, nuts, seeds, and fungi from the natural environment. This has been driven by various factors, including sustainability, the experience of finding and eating locally grown wild food, and reconnecting with nature.

But how about growing your own fruits and vegetables? This is something that has always appealed to me, but having lived in London for the best part of 12 years in an apartment with no outdoor space before moving to Harrogate three-and-a-half years ago, there wasn’t really the opportunity. Though, I have later learnt that it is apparently surprisingly easy to grow your own fruits and vegetables indoors – who knew?

Last year my six-year-old son was gifted a strawberry hanging basket (coincidentally by my nan, and his great nan, who is now 85-years-old). After successfully keeping it alive and seeing the joy it brought him as he would enthusiastically run outside every day to water it and count the number of fruits it had borne that he could eat, this year I decided to take the plunge and grow my own.

What container to pick?

I considered creating or buying planters or raised beds to grow my produce in – which I may well do at a later date – but I was inspired by a friend who had stackable planters. These do exactly what they say in the name, and you can create a tower of produce. Although they're not the best choice in terms of sustainability as they’re made from plastic, the good aspect about them is that they’re space-saving and can be moved or rotated easily.

I bought mine at Otley Garden Centre – a set of four by Smart Garden. I was also once again with my nan who I went strawberry picking with all those years ago, so it was a sentimental touch to be with her as I was starting my own venture into growing the very fruit we picked together.

What produce to pick?

It was important for me to grow food that we could all enjoy. As mentioned, my son loves strawberries, while my husband and I have a penchant for cherry tomatoes, so I created a set of four containers of each.

I started by filling them with compost, and on each layer, I planted the plant on the outer edges (though if I had started earlier, I could have grown them from seed). This is especially important in order for the plants to get maximum sun exposure, as the middle part of the pot isn’t used due to the way the containers stack. Then in each tier, I put a different plant variety in it.

In each layer I kept the plant label in the compost so that I don’t lose track of what I’m growing, and I’m looking forward to seeing if we can taste the difference between the different varieties.

I also decided to fill one more set of four stackable pots with two types of peppers, butternut squash and aubergine. For the latter two, I may have made a rookie error though, as due to how big they grow, I may have to transport them into bigger containers.

Top tip: do plenty of research on what can and can’t be grown in tubs. Though you may be pleasantly surprised – other produce you can grow include herbs, carrots, cucumbers, beans, beetroot, radishes and garlic, to name just some.

The result

I’m pleased with how my project has turned out, and for good measure I bought some raspberry canes and a rhubarb plant too. It turns out it can be quite addictive, this growing business.

In the meantime, I’m making sure that my plants are in a sunny spot and that I water them regularly so that they thrive, and I'm keeping everything crossed that I will see the fruits of my labour soon…

What have you grown in your garden? And how have you managed to protect your plants from slugs, snails and flies as they grow? Comment below, and/or share your tips and photographs with us by emailing contact@thestrayferret.co.uk. 

We'd love to hear from you.