Grow Your Own-What’s the Point?
The Pros and cons of kitchen gardening…
As I write there are gale force winds battering my garden, it’s mid-June and I should be sat in my summerhouse drinking a gin and tonic. Instead I have been up a ladder fixing its roof, not something I would recommend during a gale but someone has to do it (note to myself: I need a wife 
)
Now the roof I can cope with, but what really gets my goat is what the weather has done to my borlotti beans. Once again they have been savaged by the driving wind despite me leaving it later than ever to plant them out. My pumpkins want the cold, wind and rain like I need another flea beetle attack-talking of which all of my brassicas have been demolished beyond all recognition by said beetle.
I was talking to a friend of mine who began growing vegetables ten years before I was born and now he’s given up. Never one to step foot inside a supermarket he now questions the point, and more interestingly, the cost of growing your own. I never thought I would hear him talk like that but he says life is too short to wait for a cabbage to grow.
I must confess that I have seriously begun to consider downsizing my kitchen garden, work commitments make it very difficult to sustain and when all of your hard work is undone by bad weather and/or pests it almost makes the decision for you. Trying to juggle a full time job (with extra hours added on) with other interests has led me to believe in more specific, targeted growing rather than almost everything just for the sake of it.
Growing your own vegetables isn’t cost effective, when you factor in the time spent sowing and raising the plants, nurturing them, watering, feeding and weeding them then a single cabbage costs a small fortune. If it wasn’t for the sense of achievement in growing them then there would be little point. I’ve been doing this for a number of years and believe me the sheer hard work involved makes it an expensive way of feeding yourself.
Despite my change in thought regarding production amounts I shall continue to grow salads, herbs and vegetables simply because I enjoy it and I know what I am eating. There is still a lot to be said about growing your own food but at times like this that stiff upper lip takes some maintaining.
Looks like this economic downturn has hit my veg patch too 
Miles
sorry to hear of the weather damage. The weather is indeed depressing.
Thankfully my kitchen garden is very well sheltered so does not suffer.
I do it for the pleasure and satisfaction certainly not for economy, even with today’s food prices growing your own makes no economic sense.
Downsizing may be a good idea for you because if it becomes a chore then it ceases to be a pleasure ergo making continuation pointless
Cheers
Rod
June 23, 2008 @ 7:22 am
Rod,
Must confess it is more chore than pleasure at the moment, I also believe that change can be as good as a rest, so maybe it’s time to concentrate on other matters.
Time will tell, in the meantime I have a fallen tree to see to
Miles
June 23, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
Miles,
What’s this about a fallen tree…. are we talking wood burner size? Still, by the time you have trimmed it to size and stacked it and then loaded it on my trailer for me, you’ll be exhausted and unable to tend your veg patch so never mind
Ray Mears wouldn’t let a little thing like a fallen tree get in his way… so we look forward to seeing your efforts at wigwam building or perhaps layered up for mushroom growing or rustic garden furniture…. the possibilities are endless, sort of lego for the adult single male 
As for my own veg, well they’re growing nicely for the time being despite everything hurled at them over the past week. I have to agree with you Miles, it is hard work even for a small number but I can recommend the various kale seeds available… they seem to grow quite quickly and haven’t been nibbled by pests… not yet anyway. My coriander plant is producing lots of leaves and flower heads too so there should be seeds later on if I remember to water it.
Cid
June 23, 2008 @ 4:57 pm
Cid,
Don’t get your hopes up, it was in a large pot which has smashed in the storms. Still, if you want to get rid of it for me, no worries
Miles
June 23, 2008 @ 7:13 pm
Miles,
My efforts in trying to grow just some radishes have been in vain. Some of the plants had lovely green leaves but the radishes have been munched by something other than me. I planted them in various places and at different times and I will not bother again. I shall stick to my herbs.
Allotments may be great things when you are retired or a whole family participates in them. They need daily attention and are impossible to keep whilst occupying a full time job. I think I would still prefer to grow veg. in the garden rather than going off to an allotment. Having said that, the radish experience has put me off anyway.
You seem to have plenty of other interests to fill any spare time you might have.
Elsie
June 23, 2008 @ 7:27 pm
Elsie,
Small holdings, allotments, gardens, whatever you have they take some keeping up. My other garden is plenty big enough for me, I just feel it’s time to diversify.
Miles
June 23, 2008 @ 8:47 pm
Miles,
What’s this about a smashed pot…. we’ll be expecting the shards to manifest themselves as a Gaudi mosaic ….. well you did say diversification
Cid
June 23, 2008 @ 9:37 pm
Cid,
Too late-they’ve been laid to rest elsewhere (a bin) Tracy Emin can sleep easier now!
Miles
June 23, 2008 @ 9:42 pm