What is a victory garden?
According to Wikipedia:
''Victory gardens, also called war gardens or food gardens for defense, were vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens planted at private residences and public parks in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Germany during World War I and World War II. In wartime, governments encouraged people to plant victory gardens not only to supplement their rations but also to boost morale''
Why is a victory garden relevant now in 2022?
The idea of victory gardens became popular again during the global pandemic of 'Covid 19'. People all over the world and in particular the UK began to see the importance of home grown produce again, not only to feed their families but also as an escape from being stuck indoors all day everyday during the various lockdowns that were held all over the country. As i write this in May 2022 victory gardens are popular still and for additional reasons. The UK is currently undergoing massive changes, there is financial unrest, many people are struggling financially and household bills are increasing by the day for everything from food to fuel. Many families are turning to the idea of victory gardens, growing food at home in the hope that this can reduce their spending and combat any potential food shortages in the coming months and years.
How can you start your own victory garden?
If you live in the UK and are wanting to start your own 'victory garden' then the first thing to do I recommend is some research and planning. Think about the space you have available in your garden or if you are lucky enough your allotment. Consider what foods your family use most and that are possible to grow in your location and start planning what you'd like to grow and what you'll need in order to grow those items.
Different plants need different amounts of space, need to be grown at different times of the year, require different amounts of sun, different levels of drainage and different levels of care. I'd recommend getting one of these books and taking the guidance from them to help you plan out your garden before jumping straight in and investing in seeds and compost.
Once you have an idea of what you'd like to plant and you know what can be planted in the month you are in you can either look at growing from seed or buying plug plants / established plants from a local nursery or garden center. It is also worth looking on social media to find out if there are any local plant swap groups near you where you might be able to pick up free excess plants experienced gardeners have grown too many of or start swapping plants in the future when you have got yourself started.
What if you have limited ground space to grow your own food?
If you have limited ground space or no ground space at all but want to grow your own food consider looking into container gardening. This is a way of gardening in various containers instead of directly into the ground. There is a lot of information in books and online about this method of gardening and it is a method I talk about often here on my blog because it is one that I have to use due to having no ground growing space in my little garden. Only on my small allotment plot.
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