Grow Your Own Food

What to consider before you start

with CLAIRE RATINON — Organic food grower, writer and gardening columnist for The Guardian. Author of Unearthed.

Lesson 4 of 24

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Whether you like to eat tomatoes or courgettes, in this lesson you’ll learn why it’s important to grow what you like to eat and how growing your own could introduce you to unique and rare varieties.

From the Lesson Workbook

What to Consider Before You Start

Starting out on your gardening journey can seem a little overwhelming but it needn't be. In this lesson, I'll explain why it's important to think about what you want to grow and why.

Before you begin your growing journey, the most important question to ask yourself is: what do you want to grow? While this might seem a bit obvious, when you're growing in a small space it is essential to grow food that you actually want to eat.

To begin with, think about what fruits and vegetables you enjoy eating and what you like to cook on a day-to-day basis. Growing some of the things you eat most regularly is a great way to ensure that you use your garden and get the true benefit of your space.

Another thing to consider though is what you enjoy eating that you can't often find in your local shops. Are there any unique or rare varieties that you enjoy that you can't find, or perhaps you are prohibited from buying regularly because they are expensive?

Your Assignment

Make a list of some of the crops that you would love to grow in your garden. Look through seed catalogues and visit your local garden centre to see what seeds are available, and don't forget to pay close attention to heritage varieties too.

Vegetables:

Fruits:

Herbs:

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Claire Ratinon

Your Instructor

Claire Ratinon

Organic food grower, writer and gardening columnist for The Guardian. Author of Unearthed.

Claire Ratinon is a food grower and writer, specialising in growing food organically. She is passionate about the act of growing plants - especially edible ones - and the potential for this to be nourishing, connecting and healing. Her journey into horticulture began on a rooftop farm in New York City and since then she has spanned a range of roles, from growing produce for Ottolenghi’s Rovi restaurant to delivering food growing workshops and talks. Claire writes a regular column in The Guardian's magazine and is a contributor to Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time, Waitrose Food Magazine and Bloom magazine. Her book, ‘How To Grow Your Dinner Without Leaving The House’, celebrates the food growing possibilities of small spaces, from window boxes to balconies.

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