Grow Your Own Food articles are designed to help you with practical tips, photos and step by step instructions on growing incredible edibles at home.

Need Herbs in a Hurry? Grow Rocket!

Want to learn to grow rocket? The humble herb known as Rocket or Arugula is one of the easiest, fastest foods to grow. Perfect in pesto, delicious in dips … this slightly peppery green has many bonus health benefits. So dig in!

With both culinary and medicinal uses – try adding this easy-to-grow edible to your garden.

Why grow rocket?

‘Pocket Rocket’ is Packed with Incredible Health Benefits

According to Isabell Shipard in her informative book ‘How Can I Grow Herbs in My Daily Life?’ rocket is a rich source of sulforaphane. A powerful anti-cancer, anti-microbial and even anti-diabetic compound. It’s also a potent trigger for detoxifying blood and cells and helps promote production of cancer-preventative enzymes.

The fresh leaves are highly alkaline and rich in anti-oxidants.

The leaves contain phytochemicals that have protective and disease preventive properties. These include countering the carcinogenic effects of estrogen and helping protect against prostate, breast, cervical, colon and ovarian cancers, by their ability to inhibit cancer cell growth and the cytotoxic effects on cancer cells. (more…)

Anne Gibson2018-04-19T14:36:31+10:00Categories: Grow Your Own Food, Herb Gardens, How to Grow, Vegetables & Herbs|Tags: grow your own food, Herbs, how to grow, Small kitchen garden, vegetable & herb gardens|5 Comments

Want to Grow a Herb Tea Garden?

With so many culinary and medicinal health benefits, a herb tea garden is a must for every gardener. Even if you just have a balcony or tiny space, herbs have so many uses.

Grow your own herb tea garden – easy herbs to grow, brew and use for health

Easy Herb Teas to Grow and Brew

If you’re not already growing your own herb garden, hopefully you’ll be inspired to start! There are a wide range of delicious and aromatic herbs you can grow for hot or iced herb teas and medicinal use.

Pick sprigs of fresh mint for herb tea

Getting Started with Herb Teas

Chamomile (German) Tea

A mild flavoured relaxing tea that I’ve used hundreds of times over the years. Helps to calm and soothe the spirit, settle stomach aches and indigestion and is a great tea for helping you relax, destress and get to sleep. It goes well with a little honey and a slice of lemon. You can also use the tea as a hot foot bath for tired or sore feet! (more…)

Anne Gibson2021-03-29T14:37:45+10:00Categories: Garden Themes, Gardens & Projects for Kids, Grow Your Own Food, Herb Gardens, How to Grow, Vegetables & Herbs|Tags: garden themes, gardens for kids, grow your own food, herb tea, Herbs, vegetable & herb gardens|6 Comments

Choose Safe Containers for Growing Food

Do you want to grow food in safe container gardens? Whilst not wanting to dampen your enthusiasm for using repurposed planters or getting started, I encourage you to do your due diligence when choosing that perfect container. Even raised beds are big containers. So it’s worth considering the materials you use so you are not accidentally introducing chemicals that leach.

The majority of pre-loved or second-hand goods may well be safe to use. However, before you reuse a container for planting in, there are some considerations, other than whether it can hold some dirt and leafy greens!

My philosophy is “to err on the side of caution – it’s better to be safe than sorry!”

Tips to Help you Choose Safe Containers for Growing Food

1. Check the Skin it’s In!

What is the container is made of? If you can, find out what material the planter or item is made from (especially on the surface).

Can you find out more from the manufacturer? Check their website or contact them directly.
Is the surface porous? Some materials such as terracotta or unfired clay are extremely porous. They can absorb and leach water-soluble chemicals through the surface into the soil.
Make sure you wear PPE (personal protective equipment) when handling repurposed materials to avoid accidental contamination. Dust, peeling paint and chemical residues are easily inhaled or absorbed through your skin so take care to wear suitable gloves, masks and eye protection.

Affiliate Links: Your support of this site is appreciated!

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Anne Gibson2020-05-03T15:15:57+10:00Categories: Container Gardening, Container Ideas, Grow Your Own Food, Repurposed Planters|Tags: Cachepot, Growing food, Pots & containers, repurposed planters|151 Comments

Growing Your Own Food from Seed

Do you grow your garden by planting seedlings and potted mature plants or by sowing seeds? There are times when it makes sense to some of each. Seedlings and larger plants can save you time, but there are many advantages to sowing seeds too.

As a seed saver, I’d like to share some important reasons why we should all grow at least some of our homegrown food from seed.

5 Reasons Why You Should Grow Your Food From Seed

1. Save money!

Seeds represent great value for money so investing in even one seed packet will reap huge rewards if you choose the right kind of seeds. However, if you learn how to save your own seed you won’t need to continue to buy it.

On a tight budget? Most seed packets have more seeds than you need. If you swap seeds with others you can grow your garden for very low cost. (more…)

Anne Gibson2020-07-19T10:54:50+10:00Categories: Grow Your Own Food|Tags: grow your own food, Safe seeds, Save money, seeds & seed saving, vegetable & herb gardens|5 Comments

Saving and Sourcing Open-Pollinated Seeds

Are you sowing seeds in your garden? Want to know where to source certified organic, heirloom and open-pollinated seeds? Dig in to learn more about the different types of seeds and where to source them.

Where to source non-gmo, organic, heirloom and open-pollinated seeds.

Grow your food from safe seeds

These seeds will produce plants that are ‘true-to-type.’ This just means the plants grown from these seeds will have the same characteristics as the parent. More importantly, you will be able to save seed from the plants you grow.

Save edible seeds with important characteristics

Seed Saving Terminology – What does it all mean?

To get a better picture of the terminology and what type of seed to source, here’s a brief definition of some of these terms: (more…)

Anne Gibson2023-03-07T16:58:51+10:00Categories: Grow Your Own Food, Vegetables & Herbs|Tags: grow your own food, seeds & seed saving, vegetable & herb gardens|12 Comments

How to Pick Herbs and Vegies for Top Crops

Have you always wanted to know the ideal time to harvest your vegetables and herbs? What about the best way to pick them without damaging the plant? This post answers both these questions and I share some tips from personal experience to help maximise your yield.

Home grown produce from our kitchen garden | The Micro Gardener

I keep a basket with scissors and a sharp knife handy for daily harvesting.

Timing – WHEN to harvest

The short answer to this is – the timing varies with each crop. However, there are some handy guidelines on what to grow when that give you a good indication approximately how long you have to wait to savour the delicious veggies and herbs you grow!

Strawberries are ready to harvest when they are full size and ripen to a dark red

Here are a few tips … (more…)

Anne Gibson2020-08-14T09:12:28+10:00Categories: Grow Your Own Food, Herb Gardens, How to Grow, Problem Solving, Vegetables & Herbs|Tags: grow your own food, harvesting, Herbs, how to grow, Small kitchen garden, vegetable & herb gardens|2 Comments

Grow Sprouts – An Easy Soil-less Garden

Sprouts are seeds that have been germinated in water. They form a tiny root and a shoot. These baby plants are a nutritious food you can grow all year around. No soil needed! Dig in to learn how to sprout your own seeds.

“Of all the vegetables, sprouts are the richest source of vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Sprouts provide more nutrient, gram for gram, than any other natural food known.” – Isabell Shipard, author ‘How Can I Grow and Use Sprouts as Living Food?’

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Anne Gibson2021-09-26T10:44:02+10:00Categories: Grow Your Own Food, How to Grow, Indoor Gardens|Tags: grow your own food, how to grow, sprouts|6 Comments

Getting a Small Kitchen Garden Started

Start with what you or your family love to eat. Think about what is important to you. Why waste precious space growing something you won’t eat, or grow flowers if you like herbs!

Shallots are the lead actor in this pot of yummy edibles. Filled with herbs, edible flowers & salad greens, this is a ‘Pick and Pluck’ salad garden.

This is one of my edible salad gardens in a pot – filled to the brim with tasty herbs like parsley, chives and spring onions, edible flowers, baby spinach, tatsoi and rocket. I rotate this by planting seasonal greens and herbs.

Keep it simple and you can fit at least some gardening into your life. Having an idea of what you want is a good starting point.

Clever design tips will help make the most of the space you have. Lots of plants including vegetables require very little effort but reward you extremely well for a minimal outlay. There are lots of clever ways to design your space for maximum production, design out problems like weather or nosy neighbours and add beauty, colour, fragrance and structure as well as encouraging children to get their hands dirty.

“This is a universal idea – to connect the garden with the kitchen and with the table and back to the garden again.” – Alice Waters, Chef & Author “In the Green Kitchen”

So where do you begin? Here are some ideas for starting a small kitchen garden … (more…)

Anne Gibson2018-04-20T17:11:36+10:00Categories: Grow Your Own Food, Indoor Gardens|Tags: Getting started, Growing food, Small kitchen garden|9 Comments

Small space gardens can be beautiful, abundant and low maintenance.

Make the most of the vertical space you have by layering.

Many people have the challenge of gardening in small spaces. If you’re short on time, space, energy or money, don’t despair! There are many options you can try, even if you have limited room to grow a garden.

Urban gardeners with a windowsill, indoor pot, balcony, verandah, courtyard or not-so-squeezy backyard can all grow incredible edibles for the kitchen table, fragrant cut flowers or vibrant colour, privacy screens and much more.

Whether you’re a beginner gardener or a ‘green thumb’, on this site you’ll learn tips and tricks about everything relating to gardening in small spaces including:

Inspiring design ideas to make the most of the space you do have;
Troubleshooting common problems;
Container gardening and creative container ideas including repurposed planters;
Portable gardens for those on the move and vertical gardens to maximise space;
Practical advice on how to grow and fun ideas for gardening with kids;
How to save money with MYO (make your own) garden projects;
Maintaining your garden; and
Garden themes for small spaces.

Most of us live busy lives in urban locations with limited time and energy to spend on the dream of a healthy beautiful garden. One that seems to grow effortlessly almost on its own. One that costs us virtually nothing; produces incredible volumes of food; flowers; fragrance; and enviable looks from visitors but takes little time to maintain! (more…)

Anne Gibson2020-12-18T16:33:18+10:00Categories: Clever Design Ideas, Colour & Fragrance, Container Gardening, Grow Your Own Food|Tags: Micro gardening, Small space|8 Comments

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