In a series of recent posts (see Start Plotting for Self Sufficiency and Top 10 Tips for Allotment Gardening), we concentrated on growing food crops on an Allotment or an Allotment Garden. But what if you want to grow your own food but have neither the space nor access to an Allotment? What if, like most of us, you have nothing more than a relatively small (normal sized) garden?

In the coming months we will be trialling a number of methods of food crop production in our own small garden. Ours is more or less the typical small plot, comprising a relatively shady east facing back garden, and an exceptionally sunny west facing front garden, which also happens to be our drive.

Initially we’ll be looking at growing potatoes, tomatoes, runner beans and French or ‘dwarf’ beans. But we’re also interested in growing much more, including a personal favourite, watercress.

We’ve started though with one of our staples, Runner Beans, and for anyone who may have missed it, here’s a link to our initial article, Reusable Runner Bean Bag Trial.

Editor, Third Age.