Growing your own fruit and vegetables has a raft of benefits; from improving personal well-being and mental health, to getting us closer to nature, aiding a healthier diet and the many environmental positives. Yet despite this, thousands of people across the UK don't have the space, the expertise or the know-how to start growing their own.
We celebrated 30 years of Linda McCartney’s with our pioneering Grow Your Own With Linda’s initiative that aimed to make growing accessible to people in inner-city locations up and down the country, inspired by Linda McCartney’s drive to make going vegetarian accessible all those years ago.
We're continuing to arm the next generation with the skills and opportunity to grow their own, no matter what space they have available. Read on to discover how to #GYOwithLindas following our Grow Your Own Guide.
Enjoy growing your own fruit and vegetables with ‘GYO with Linda’s’. In 1991, Linda’s love of animals, the planet, food and family inspired a revolutionary new veggie food company. Today more than ever, its caring and sustainable values make us proud to be part of what she started. Plant-based food for planet earth, from our heart to your home.
Paul, Mary & Stella McCartney
Urban growing is on the rise, and container gardens can provide a happy home to lots of varieties of veg.
Between pots and planters, hanging baskets and window boxes, trellises and stepladders, you can transform the smallest of corners into a flourishing veg patch.
You don’t even need access to outside space - a sunlit corner indoors can provide a haven for plants to thrive.
Growing at home can provide us with an explosion of varieties and flavours, taking us on a journey through the seasons, and giving us some top quality (and tasty) veg to eat at the end. Dig in!
Growing Tip:
A ladder against a wall is a great way to make use of height when floor space is tight, perfect for stacking pots and hanging baskets.
Picking salad leaves from a window box is one of life’s little joys.
You can grow pretty much any type of veg, even in a very small space. It’s all about making sure you understand how the plant grows! Some plants take up very little space and will grow happily in a window box or table-top pot. Others need deeper containers as they love to root down, so check your space first and then choose your favourites to grow.
Multipurpose composts are great. Especially when coupled with plant feed. You can level up by investing in a good quality or specialist growing medium, like loam-based compost, farmyard manure or specially formulated veg compost
If growing in small pots, use compost designed for containers. It holds on to nutrients better and helps to retain water
Avoid compost containing peat and choose a more environmentally friendly option
The above all grow vertically and love to climb, so position near a wall, or give them a trellis or even plant in a hanging basket so they can trail down!
These herbs will thrive on a balcony and provide a constant supply of flavour for your cooking.
Chillies love the heat of a house and the extended indoor season means you might get some red fruits. Notoriously slow to grow from seed, it’s best to buy an established plant (it’s not cheating, promise)
The above are extremely easy and can be bought as small plants and planted out.
The above are great from seed
For best results buy the above as a small plant and plant out.
Multipurpose composts are great. Especially when coupled with plant feed. You can level up by investing in a good quality or specialist growing medium, like loam-based compost, farmyard manure or specially formulated veg compost
If growing in small pots, use compost designed for containers. It holds on to nutrients better and helps to retain water
Avoid compost containing peat and choose a more environmentally friendly option
The above all grow vertically and love to climb, so position near a wall, or give them a trellis or even plant in a hanging basket so they can trail down!
These herbs will thrive on a balcony and provide a constant supply of flavour for your cooking.
The above are extremely easy and can be bought as small plants and planted out.
The above are great from seed
For best results buy the above as a small plant and plant out.
Chillies love the heat of a house and the extended indoor season means you might get some red fruits. Notoriously slow to grow from seed, it’s best to buy an established plant (it’s not cheating, promise)
You don’t need anything fancy to get going. Just some containers that will hold compost and seeds, and you’re good to grow! We live in the age of a quick fix and generation click, but at what cost? We have heaps of planting options at our disposal and all kinds of things can be upcycled, from throwaway household items and kitchen utensils, to biscuit tins and jam jars. Even welly boots, bike baskets and long-forgotten buckets can be repurposed. As long as it can hold the soil and you can add holes for drainage, there’s no limit. Get creative!
If you buy a pack of seeds, you’ll often get a lot in one bag, so why not share the cost (and joy) with friends? Or even dry out seeds from seeding crops and keep them for next year. Growing your own fruit and veg doesn’t need to burn a hole in your pocket.
Just remember to have something underneath to catch the water, like a saucer or tray.
Charity shops are great for finding treasure, and splashes of paint will transform items for a cheery colourful addition to your space.
Dedicate a few minutes to watering most days - maybe as you’re boiling the kettle, or during a phone call.
Sowing seeds in straight lines and marking will help you spot the difference between your budding seedlings and unwanted weeds.
“The greatest cooks I’ve ever met have been self-taught people who have developed their skill mainly through their love of good food”
Want to find out how to get involved in your local Grow Your Own with Linda’s Garden? Get in touch with our brilliant partners who have brought this all to life for the latest clubs, workshops, classes, volunteering spots and more!
A regenerated space between the Paulet Estate and local arts centre The Remakery in Brixton.
There’s an orchard, herb garden, vegetable planters and lots more (with lots to get involved with!) - come and try your hand helping out, or relax and enjoy the peace of a little oasis in the city.
51 Lilford Road, Vassal, Brixton, London, SE5 9HY
What was once an abandoned bowling green is now home to a thriving community garden, run by the fantastic Urban Roots & The Bowling Green in Pollokshields.
Come down to find out about their community events, help with upkeep and get your outdoor fix, with a side of learning to grow your own fruit & veg!
The Bowling Green, 49 McCulloch St, Glasgow G41 1SU
Kerri Park, kerri@urbanroots.org.uk
Based at St Michael in the City close to the centre of Liverpool, this garden has been transformed in partnership with the Faiths4Change team from a previously disused piece of land next to the church into a variety of fruit & veg for the local community.
St Michael In The City, Upper Pitt Street, Liverpool, L1 5BD
Annie Merry,
annie@faiths4change.org.uk