Well it's been a few weeks now since I planted out my garden so I thought I would post a few pictures and let you see how it's getting on. Amazingly, everything is still alive, even the basil which I have to admit is looking a bit pasty but it's the longest I've ever kept one going so I'm proud!

The salad leaves are thriving and the mix of sunshine and showers we have had the last few weeks seems to be just what they need. I'm looking forward to my first harvest of leaves tonight to make a yummy salad with last nights left over roast chicken!

I think I am now a grow your own convert and will be ordering the autumn/ winter garden later on in the summer. If I can do it so can you!

Last week we posted about where to buy your organic produce from but have you ever thought about growing your own? I have tried and failed to grow my own many times, I always seem to be blighted by the weather, slugs, caterpillars, seeds don't germinate etc etc and the only things that I ever manage to grow are potatoes and fruit bushes. Basically things you can't go wrong with. I am eternally envious of those green fingered few who seem to be able to grown anything and wish I could do the same! 

This year after hearing about Rocket Gardens I thought I would try again. Rocket Gardens send you out your very own, organically grown mini plants, lovingly tucked up in a bed of straw, packaged into a box and sent straight to your door. Not wanting to get ahead of myself I ordered the window box garden. It arrived last week and I was very excited to unpack my box and plant my mini-plants out in plant pots (after I nipped to homebase to buy some more, clearly underestimated how many plants I was getting!). You could plant them straight into the ground but I'm lazy and pots are easier to weed!

My box contained:

Dwarf French Green Beans x 3
Mixed lettuces x 10
Rocket x 10
Mizuna x 10
Spinach x 10
Golden streak mustard x 10
Spring onions x 10
Beetroot x 10
Basil x 1 pot
Parsley x 1 pot
Chives x 1 pot

We are now a week on and I haven't managed to accidentally kill them! In fact they seem to be doing well and that's with a whole week of cold and rain. The only things that aren't outside are the green beans and basil as it is still too cold for them to go out just yet but they are happy enough on the kitchen windowsill and growing away. Hopefully my luck with this years crop will continue and I will be harvesting yummy salad leaves all through the summer! Will let you know how I get on.

I have even bought some strawberries and planted them in a hanging basket away from slugs and Molly (the puppy) who would eat them! If I can do it so can you! Why not pop along to the garden centre or order a lovely organic garden from Rocket Gardens. 

Nowadays the Supermarkets have a good range of organic fruit, veg and meat but if you want real traceability, good value and to help fund sustainable agriculture and land management and the local economy then you can't beat buying direct. Not sure where your local organic farmer is, or if you can buy direct from them? Well here is a wee directory put together by the lovely folk at SRUC (formerly SAC) who have made life a bit easier for you! Just click on the file below.

For those of you in England I have added a few links to some great suppliers we have bought from and recommend!

www.gazegillorganics.co.uk - Organic, rare breed meat and raw dairy products from their herd of Dairy Shorthorn Cows in Lancashire!

http://www.fordhallfarm.com/ - Fordhall in Shropshire was one of the pioneers of organic farming and developed a foggage grazing system which allows their livestock to graze year round. Supplies organic and free range meat.

www.hookandson.co.uk/ - Stars of the Moo Man documentary and suppliers of raw dairy products from their dairy farm in Hailsham.