With increasing food costs and more emphasis being placed upon us to eat a plant-based diet, have you considered using your outdoor space to grow your own? In 2021, it was reported that 26.7 million people in the UK grew their own vegetables and fruit and in the same year, 7.4 million people started using their outdoor space for food production so why not make this summer the time you join them?
Moving to a small holding in mid-west Wales with his parents whilst he was little more than a baby, Huw started gardening with his father at a very young age, learning how to grow fruit and vegetables organically in their kitchen garden. By the time he was 12, Huw was ready to share his knowledge with a wider audience in the hope he could encourage other young people to experience the joys of growing their own produce. Some ten years later, Huw’s YouTube channel has over 30 million views on his gardening videos which show people how to get the best results from their allotments or kitchen gardens.
“I have learned over the years that vegetable growing doesn’t need to be expensive or time-consuming,” says Huw. “By writing this book, I want to demonstrate to my readers how to realise what is truly possible from your own raised bed, veg patch or allotment. Starting from the ground up, I have shared my techniques for maintaining soil health, where to place bins and why keeping chickens can be key; how to sow seeds for maximum success; which edible pollinator-friendly plants to grow and when to consider self-sufficiency.”
“Although it may sound unprofessional, I think if people try not to be perfectionists all the time, they will be rewarded by having more time to develop their food production area of their garden. I feel it is much better to just go for it, accept that failures will happen but remember to enjoy the successes you have too! I view gardening as a form of art in that we, as gardeners, choose how to design our space, what to grow and how to grow it based on our own experience. In my new book, I have given readers a detailed master plan growing chart highlighting how to garden with shade or in small spaces, recipes for natural plant feeds, the most useful weed (yes there are some!), must-grow plants with fantastic flavours and the benefits of gardening communities as well as the gift of giving.”
Huw also runs the Abundance Academy online where people can register to undertake online courses on how to improve your vegetable garden’s productivity. His new book acts as a complementary resource.
The Vegetable Grower’s Handbook – Unearth Your Garden’s Full Potential is published by DK Publishing, £16.99 (ISBN 9780241481325)
IMAGES: Jason Ingram