I am feeling rather heartened by the lovely rainy periods, gratefully received, in late winter, leading us to thoughts and inspiration for spring’s awakening in our gardens.
And I am feeling rather heartened by the wonderful, generous spirits of fellow gardeners and plant lovers in our local community.
I relish the shared information, plant swaps and shared seeds and cuttings, and the reciprocal relationships that add more than just a “purchased product” to our gardens – they contribute stories and memories.
One such, local plantsman, sprout grower and generous spirit, John, has gifted wonderful microgreen sprouts and the most magnificent pumpkin to me “in kind” over the past few years.
He inspires me with not only the growing of nourishing food plants but also inspires me with his generosity.
Pay it forward, I say. Pay it forward to fellow humans and other beings, whether furred, feathered or scaled who share our home spaces.
So, this brings me to reflect on the joy of growing my own herbs, vegetables, fruit and, of course, sprouts that not only sustain me and my family, but also encourage the practice of giving.
Feel heartened, even if you have a ‘pocket-sized’ garden, there are plenty of easy-to-grow smaller food plants to suit.
Micro-green sprouts:
Alfalfa, mung beans, sorrel, chervil and clover are some of many seeds that you can quickly and easily grow. Packed with nutrition, sprouts are a fabulous addition on sandwiches and in salads.
For juice lovers, wheatgrass is a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Growing trays and towers are readily available from good nurseries and hardware stores.
Perfect for popping on your kitchen windowsill.
Miniature and dwarf fruit trees:
Perfect for pots and small spaces, there are a great array of fruiting trees, miniatures generally growing approximately two to 2.5 metres in height and dwarfs generally growing approximately two to four metres in height.
A few “stand outs” include:
- Miniature stone fruit: including nectarines and peaches;
- Miniature/dwarf apples: columnar apples, e.g. leprechaun, require little to no pruning;
- Dwarf citrus: lemons, limes, oranges and cumquats;
- Dwarf berries: mulberries, blueberries and lillypillies.
Petite vegetables
Perfect spring and summer vegetables to plant in small spaces and pots include:
- Determinate tomato varieties – compact, bushy plants that are ideal, growing to a predetermined height. Their fruit set and ripen time is shorter than the tall growing indeterminate varieties.
- Chillies – again great for pots. Ranging from mild to tear-producing hot, there is a variety for every tastebud. Easy to dry and store in the pantry or freeze.
- Lettuce – easy-peasy for successional planting in pots or garden beds, so your salad will never do without.
The list could, well and truly, go on. I have only just scratched the surface of what is possible in smaller spaces. Growing vertically, traditionally big, scrambling plants such as zucchinis, cucumbers and pumpkins is possible. Herbs are another wealth of possibilities in pots.
Until next time, Sally-Anne
