A few of years ago we resolved to grow food seriously; a large garden or an allotment will keep your household well fed. We now have onions, shallots, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, butternut squash, and corn on the cob, leeks, Jerusalem artichokes, spinach and salads most years. Nature is prolific – from the seeds of one tomato you get hundreds of plants, each with dozens of fruit.

Indeed, there are some edible plants that are so prolific you will never starve.

Food to Plant

Jerusalem artichokes and rhubarb are crops that need virtually no attention and they will embarrass you with their profusion.

You’ll be giving them away – begging friends to take some. Once you have planted artichoke bulbs, you’ll have plenty of these root crops to dig up year on year, any time between November and March.

A modest application of organic manure annually is more than enough to encourage them – they can become a bit of a pest if they’re allowed to spread into areas where you have other plans, so best to keep them in a separate bed.

Rhubarb you can ‘force’, by the simple expedient of placing something over the plant that will funnel the growth upwards towards the light. We use spare compost ‘dalek’.

The result is finer, pinker, longer stems, like those you pay a lot for at the greengrocer’s or in the supermarket. Alternatively, you can leave the rhubarb to do its own thing, which will bring you a heavier harvest of bigger, thicker stems that are also delicious when cooked and put into a crumble. Rhubarb needs only a bit of manure to yield almost more than you can manage.

Changes to Your Garden

1. Get your lawn into shape

The biggest part of your garden is the lawn. Ensuring that your lawn is in a good shape and is kept tidy is the best way to make sure your garden is on the right track to becoming wonderful.

2. Fencing

For security and safety, you will have to have secure fences installed. This can range from chain wired to wooden, either way, these will have to be installed by a professional to ensure your home is properly protected. Find out more.

3. Seating Space

Whenever you are looking to change up your garden, you will need to think about seating areas. You will have to consider space and if there is enough of it for people to manoeuvre and get comfortable. See: Seating Ideas.