When I was still renting a room in Midlands in 2016, I wanted to experience how it would be to grow some food. I always wanted to do it but somehow allowed myself to get distracted from it.
Ideally I would want to grow majority of my food, which would be possible on a piece of land since I don't consume dead animals or any of their excretions.
But for now, since I didn't even have a garden to myself, I wanted to plant some vegetables and see what can be done in a few pots and a growing bag.
On my previous visit to Poland I bought some seeds so they were ready to go. Next I needed the potting soil to raise my seedlings. I went for Canna Terra 50L Professional Soil Mix. It turned out to be really good soil and I highly recommend it. I ended up buying two more bags.
It was all an experiment... ;)
Sowing Time
I started sowing at the beginning of May. I sown radishes, cucumbers, courgettes (zucchini) and chard.
At first, I had the seedlings next to my bed on the counter. Watching these little babies grow was a delight. Once they sprouted and needed more light I moved them next to the window.
It was the middle of May. While it was still good to sow some things, I decided that it would be better to buy some plants like cherry tomatoes and a strawberry plant.
Waking up every day to look at these babies, was an amazing, enriching experience. All they needed was some water, light and love. Still not sure if me talking to them help or not :P
Planting Out Time
Once they were big enough, which took a couple of weeks, it was time for planting out and I'm finding hard to express how much fun it was. I had 3 big pots, I bought a small rectangular planter and a growing bag.
I found the spot that had the longest sun exposure throughout the day and got to planting.
I planted radishes in one pot, courgettes found residence in 2 other pots. I planted chard in the planter, tomatoes, strawberries and cucumbers were meant to live in the growing bag.
It was a middle of May.
Beautiful isn't it? Well maybe not to everyone or at least not at this stage but to me it's the real porn... :)
I'm Just A Witness
Every day in the morning before going to work, I would go and tend to the plants, and everyday I would be amazed by how little input they needed. Nature took care of everything.
Later, at the beginning of June:
Radishes going strong...
Courgettes, taking their time.
I know I should thin them out but I just couldn't...
The First Harvest
Soon enough on the 8th of June it was time to harvest some radishes.
Radishes are a pretty fast growing plants. You can expect to harvest after about 4-6 weeks.
They tasted amazing. Spicy, crunchy, there is no way you can find such amazingly tasting radishes in any supermarket. Unfortunately after couple of harvests slugs decimated most of the next batch I planted...
I had an organic potato that I just stuck in the soil in place of radishes. Soon enough I've noticed this beautiful potato plant growing.
I harvested 5 or 6 delicious potatoes if I remember correctly :)
Time Goes On
At the beginning of July things looked a little different.
Courgettes are coming along...
Looking good...
Is that...?
By the end of July it got serious...
What I learned is that growing tomatoes outside, in a growing bag with poor drainage is a bad idea. I had some good harvests but soon the plant got blight from too much water.
I've made a lot of cucumbers in brine from these.
To Conclude...
It was an amazing experience to grow food and I learnt so much for both the mistakes and the "successes". It is such an enriching activity, deep interaction with Nature, relaxation, feeling of accomplishment. And obviously fresh, hand picked, healthy and nutritious food.
If we all took the responsibility for the food we eat back on ourselves, the World could look much different. We wouldn't be destroying the environment as we do right now and we would be much healthier for it.
We will all soon learn, that growing our own food is the only sustainable way of life in the future.
Growing food I eat is fundamental to me and I aim to design my life with the food production at the core of it.