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Whether you’re sure you want to grow your own fruit and vegetables and need some basic advice or you’re still debating whether this is a valid exercise, this book will be helpful in advising and guiding on the basics of successfully growing most of the common fruits and vegetables.

To be truly self-sufficient for fruit and vegetables, you would need to be able to produce enough for consumption 365 days of the year. For most people this is unlikely to be feasible. Many people, however, may wish to become self-sufficient for some aspect of their food production, maybe basic vegetables for the year, salads for the summer or just soft fruits.

Growing fruit and vegetables is not difficult providing you observe some basic techniques and carry out the different tasks at the right time. It does require commitment, however, particularly during the summer months, when weeds are growing rapidly and your vegetables and crops require harvesting almost daily. It can be time-consuming and it’s not easy to take a break without your crops spoiling. It is better, therefore, to aim low initially, starting with a small plot and seeing how successful this is before you take on a full allotment.

There are many advantages to growing your own fruit and vegetables. Initially, whatever you grow can be harvested, prepared, cooked, if appropriate, and on your table within an hour or so. When you grow your own produce you can also harvest at the ideal stage, so you can have small tender young broad beans, finger-sized courgettes, and French beans as thin as pencils. And, of course, taste goes hand-in-hand with freshness. Such freshness and flavour can rarely be replicated from shop-purchased produce. Also, apart from the health benefits of increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables in your diet, the actual process of regularly tending a plot is good exercise.

When you grow your own, you can also choose the varieties that you wish to eat. Although you will want a good crop, I would suggest that in your own plot flavour should be a high priority. You can also choose to grow varieties of vegetable that aren’t commercially widely available. For example, golden beet is an easily grown variation of beetroot that makes a delicious vegetable but is rarely offered in the shops. French beans are available as tasty golden or curious purple types. There is also an increasing interest in heritage or heirloom varieties, as they are sometimes called. Old varieties of tomato and potato can have both a fascinating appearance and distinctive flavours.

Produce that has been picked from your own garden will also not have been contaminated with any pesticides or additives if you have chosen not to use these. Although a lot of crops are now grown organically, many are not and will have been treated with pesticides, and subject to post-harvest treatments to prevent decay during the sales period. When you grow produce yourself, you know exactly what has been used. If you want to avoid using pesticides, you will need to follow various alternative ways of combating pests and diseases (see here). In particular you can choose varieties that have inbred resistance.

So, is it financially viable? Initially there will be some expenditure on tools and basic equipment, plus there will be the annual costs of seeds, manures and fertilisers. A good investment always results in good yields, so buy quality seed and ensure that the soil is properly fertilised to start with. In most cases you will harvest crops valued far in excess of the costs of your initial seeds and fertilisers.

Now you’ve decided to give it a go, you can get started. The first three sections of this book will guide you through the basics of planning, soils, fertilisers, cultivation, pests and diseases that are common ground for most production. The following three chapters look in detail at vegetable and fruit crops and using a greenhouse. If you are impatient to get going, however, the ‘Quickstart Guide’ on here may be just what you need.