Share the love: vegetables for all!

I’ve always been keen to spread the word when it comes to growing your own.

Many people are so disconnected from their food that they are curious about having an allotment and what’s involved.

But for many it’s also too daunting.

But I’ve noticed that smaller projects can tempt people still.

Each year, I usually have too many seedlings in case too few sprout. I’m also a sucker for their tremendous achievement. I can’t let them just die.

So I’ve come up with a novel habit. I take spare plants in to my work. I also use Facebook to tell friends that there are spares.

This year I also shared the spare seed potatoes that we had. The tray in our staff room cleared quickly and though edible things disappear faster I’m sure they have been planted.

This is just one example in a pot that a friend has started off.

Here’s another. A little tub of joy.

The tomatoes and courgette plants were popular too.

Some friends are now doing the same. A veritable plant swap happens each spring.

There are chillies and tomatoes changing hands. Spare seeds appear too. Some cavelo Nero came my way this year.

I’ve also noticed that the same Facebook friends are finding spaces in their own gardens and encroaching on their lawns to grown edible crops.

The rhubarb exchanges easily. Other colleagues have brought rosemary prunings in and various other things they’ve grown. It’s like a mini cooperative.

And then, it’s interesting. I mentioned the other day that my allotment neighbour had great October broad beans and mine never surfaced.
But there’s good news! She kindly shared the produce with me.

That’s dinner sorted then!

What plants, produce or seeds have you shared with friends?