Grower of the month Amanda Learning something new with gardening

Learning something new with gardening

Meet our grower of the month, Amanda. In our blog post today, Amanda shared with us her gardening journey and the many lessons she has learnt through gardening. Read on to find out more. 

How and when did you start gardening / growing? 

I started gardening in 2020 when I received some free vegetable seeds, as part of a supermarket promotion. I sowed the seeds and instantly fell in love with growing my own fruits and vegetables. I then started buying more and more seeds and expanding the growing area in my garden. 

How has your garden changed since you first started growing?

My garden was mostly just a patch of grass. But slowly as my love for gardening grew, I had to change the garden to suit my new hobby. My husband and I built raised beds and installed a new green house. As my garden is relatively small, I soon realised I didn’t have enough space to grow everything that I wanted to. So in January 2023 I applied for an allotment, and I got the keys in April 2023 and I’ve not looked back. It gives me all the space I need to grow a variety of different vegetables. 

What is your typical day like when it comes to tending to your garden?

I always start with a nice cup of tea and just take time to be in nature and the outdoors, take in what things have changed since my last visit and make a mental note of the things I would like to do that day. There is always weeding that needs to be done, I usually just potter around at my plot, checking for any damage to crops, securing plants that might need support, checking netting etc. There’s always something to do, but it’s always enjoyable. 

What do you enjoy most about growing/gardening?

Gardening has been great for my mental health; it’s the main reason I do it. I find it very therapeutic and calming. I love being outdoors and being out in nature. Being at the allotment allows me to slow down and just take in my surroundings. Being able to produce food for my family gives me such a great sense of achievement too. It’s a hobby the whole family can benefit from. 

What tips would you offer to other gardeners/growers? 

My tip for other gardeners and growers would be just to enjoy the growing process, don’t over-think things or compare yourself to other gardeners that you see. Just grow the things you like, the things you like to eat, as there’s no point in growing a vegetable you don’t like. I always take photos of my allotment too, after every visit, as sometimes, it can feel a bit overwhelming and like nothing is growing or changing. You can look back at your photos and realise how much things have changed and progressed and it gives you that motivation to keep going. 

I think it’s so important to get children involved in gardening as well, so they know where our food comes from. It gets them outdoors, away from screens and exploring nature. My background is in playwork, so I know how important play is for children and what an amazing play space a garden or an allotment can be. My advice would be, to give your child a patch, that is just theirs to play in, where they are free to dig and play, without them accidentally digging up any of your crops! Give them their own tools, so they can explore their patch. Ask them to help with sowing things like seed potatoes, as they are easier for them to handle and they will have great fun digging them up, when they are ready to harvest. 

What are some of the benefits of growing your own?

There are so many benefits to growing your own food. It’s great for your mental health, it’s good exercise. It’s also a good way to reduce your carbon footprint. The taste of the produce, in my opinion, is far superior to that of store-bought foods. It is great if you want to learn something new, there is so much to learn, and as my 88 year old granddad told me at the start of my gardening journey – you always learn something new with gardening, which I have definitely found to be true. I’m always learning and evolving with every season. 

Have you used any coir-based products? 

I love using coir-based products, I find them to be very effective and versatile for every stage of the growing process. It is also environmentally friendly, which is another reason why I chose to use coir-based products. 

What are your thoughts on becoming a sustainable grower? 

I think it’s vital we all do our part for the environment. We need to be mindful of this in our gardening practices too; by making sure, we grow organically and reduce waste where possible.