Article by Peter

I have started an urban garden, without really having a garden, and as such thought I would share my ideas since last years harvest was fairly bountiful.

I figured this would apply to a lot of people who maybe have a flat roof,or a driveway or a patio rather than some bona fide plot of land!

Basically, I have been scouring the local neighbourhood or using web resources such as the wonderful Freecycle for the council supplied recycling boxes / top soil / fertiliser and seeds.

My driveway is now partially covered by a shapely network of large red boxes into which I have started sowing this years seeds. I have started composting, plus got an interesting mixture of chicken poo and wood chippings given to me by a local farmer, which in small quantities seems to add something useful to the soil.

I tried this for the first time last year, successfully growing lettuce / spinach / beetroot / carrots / parsnips / strawberries / mint and a ridiculously bountiful supply of tomatoes. Due to the success, I have commandeered more recycling boxes over the winter, and aim to add garlic / beans / cabbage / chile / peppers and onions to the list this year.

I am hoping results will be at least as good as last year, and my stir-fries even more tasty!!

I wanted to share my project, as I feel food security is an important issue and wanted to show that a garden isn't necessarily a prerequisite to successfully achieving this aim with a bit of lateral thinking.

Plus, its really quite satisfying eating a meal of ingredients literally plucked from the driveway!!

I was planning on adding some images.....hopefully by July / August I can add some more showing the growth, particularly from the tomatoes, which I aim to grow up the canes, and shelter the strawberries naturally, so the fruits can grow without being eaten by birds prior to harvest....