Growing your own food is enjoying a surge in popularity. It trims grocery bills, your waistline and provides reassurance about where your food comes from.
Downpours, drought, frost, snow... We can only predict that the UK weather is unpredictable. There may be a heatwave on the cards, or we may have to stare out of the window at a month of torrential rain but whatever the weather throws at us, if you have a Polytunnel, that's the least of your worries! Your thriving, protected crops will still be looking good and so will you...
Home grown food is healthier and tastes better than the same vegetable purchased from Supermarkets. While the jury is still out as to whether it's better financially (it probably will be), I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that home grown tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and sweetcorn...the list goes on, are more nutritious and far more delicious than conventionally farmed fruit & veggies. Not forgetting your home-grown food travels just a few metres (if you actually manage to get it out of the Polytunnel without eating it first) instead of hundreds or thousands of miles!
Anyone who has ever tasted a homegrown tomato knows how much more flavourful they are. They really, really are. Oh and smell of them on your hands as you pinch them off the vine...Heaven on earth. The same is true for almost anything you grow yourself. Comparing the flavour of a home-grown tomato with the taste of a shop bought one is like comparing apples to wallpaper paste.
Not bred for appearance, a long shelf life or resistance to bruising during transport. Bred for being nutritious, delicious and a sense of wellbeing!
Watching a seed blossom under your care to become food on yours and your family's plates is incredibly gratifying and when it's "yours," you grew that...you will be less likely to take it for granted and more likely to eat it (or preserve it) before it goes to waste. Experience the warm glow of knowing you grew that whole salad, soup or vegetable stew yourself! Epic!!!
Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables is one of the most important things you and your family can do to stay healthy along with exercise that doesn't involve pumping iron in a sweaty gym with hefty monthly membership fees, Polytunnel Gardening definitely ticks the boxes - Happy days! And what other hobby or past time gives you money back...an average family spends around £20 a week on fruit and veg - that's over a whopping £1000 a year and another reason leading families to turn to "Growing-Your-Own".
Polytunnel growing can be a family or community activity, helping you spend quality time with all age groups. It's also a great way to relax, de-stress, centre your mind, fill your lungs with fresh air and enjoy the sunshine.
If you're on the fence about Polytunnel gardening, give it a try. It's really easy, rewarding, lots of fun, beats the rising food prices, and there's a ton of free Polytunnel Gardening monthly hints, tips and expert advice available on the web.
Whether growing for pleasure, to save you money, to play with and educate your kids or just to improve your diet, it's safe to say, Growing Your Own is incredibly rewarding...
