Grow Food for Free : The Sustainable, Zero-Cost, Low-Effort Way to a Bountiful Harvest

Huw Richards set himself a challenge - to grow his own fruit and veg for free for a year. He succeeded and now wants to help you do the same. Can't afford a raised bed? Try repurposing an old wooden pallet. Don't want to spend money on buying plants? Look in the fridge and your kitchen cupboards for food that you can plant. Need a particular tool? Barter or borrow from a neighbor. Don't have a garden? See if someone in your area has an untended patch you can turn into a well-loved veg plot. Huw's Grow Food for Free has the inspiration and practical advice you need to start, grow, love, propagate and harvest your own fruit and veg organically and at zero-cost. This is real sustainability! Zero cost, low effort and a long-term solution to your fresh produce needs! Grow your own food in your home garden, acreage or container, and look forward to a bountiful harvest year-round. You can plant fruit and veggies at home without spending a penny, and Huw Richard’s shows you how. Packed with tried-and-tested advice, this gardening book covers: • Finding a space to grow — in the yard or on a terrace or balcony — and sourcing the materials you need • Deciding what to grow your crops in (the ground, a raised bed or containers) • Clear growing instructions on more than 30 species of popular annual and perennial crops • Huw Richards’ 52-week journal of how he grew his own food for free for a year without spending a penny • Advice on how to go about selling your produce to raise money to expand your growing area Author Huw Richards is a man on a mission. He is passionate about teaching you how to garden and grow your own food. Years of experience and trying different things has taught Huw how to garden with little money (or without a garden) and he shows you how to do the same! Grow Food for Free teaches you how to produce no-cost, low-maintenance fruit and veggies — and finding low-cost ways to overcome common gardening worries. Learn about the space you need and how to prepare it, make your own compost, tackle weeds, pests, and diseases, and how to get hold of your first set of seeds! Discover strategies to expand your garden. Can’t afford a raised bed? Try repurposing an old wooden pallet. Don’t have money to buy lots of different seeds? Look in your kitchen cupboards for food that you can plant. This home gardening book shows you everything you need to barter, borrow, repurpose, and propagate your way to a bountiful harvest without burdening your bank balance! CONTENTS How to use this eBook Contents Introduction The Power of Barter SET UP YOUR VEGETABLE PATCH What Your Space Needs Tools to Share or Borrow Use Somebody Else’s Garden Grow Food on a Patio, Terrace, or Balcony Establish a Water Supply Work with Your Climate Choose Your Setup Create Your Own Containers Cheap Raised-Bed Solutions Create a Raised Bed for Free Fill Your Raised Bed Grow in the Ground Starting Crops on the Windowsill Organize Your Space Make Your Own Tools Make Your Own Watering Devices PRODUCE YOUR OWN COMPOST Soil and Compost: The Essentials Using Homemade Compost Your Compost Bin Budget Compost Bin Solutions Build a Compost Bin for Free Compost Recipes Source Free Compost Materials Permaculture Woodchip and Biochar Make Your Own Liquid and Comfrey Feed SOURCE SEEDS AND PLANTS FOR FREE Annuals and Perennials Planting from Your Kitchen Pantry Swapping Seeds, Making Contacts Plant Swaps HOW TO GROW PERENNIALS Perennial Crops Herbs Rhubarb Jerusalem Artichokes Blackberries and Hybrids Strawberries Fruit Bushes HOW TO GROW ANNUALS How to Sow How and When to Water How to Transplant How to Weed Harvesting and Storing Save Your Own Seed Peas and Beans Brassicas Root Vegetables Salad Greens and Leaf Crops Cucurbits Tomatoes Peppers and Chiles Alliums Keep Your Soil Healthy Forever FIGHT PESTS AND DISEASES Slugs and Snails Common Pests Common Diseases and Disorders Crop Rotation LOOKING AHEAD Make an Investment What to Sell How to Sell Setting Up a Seed or Plant Swap When to Expand Your Growing Area A Three-Year Plan HUW’S JOURNAL Resources Acknowledgments About the Author Copyright Huw Richards set himself a challenge - to be self-sufficient by growing his own fruits and vegetables for free for a year. He succeeded, and now wants to help you do the same.Can't afford a raised bed? Try repurposing an old wooden pallet.Don't want to spend money on buying plants? Look in the fridge and your kitchen cupboards for food that you can plant.Need a particular tool? Barter or borrow from a neighbor.Don't have a garden? See if someone in your area has an untended patch you can turn into a well-loved veg plot.Huw's Grow Food for Free has the inspiration and practical advice you need to start, grow, love, propagate and harvest your own fruits and vegetables organically and at zero-cost. This is real sustainability! "Huw's Grow Food for Free has the inspiration and practical advice you need to start, grow, nurture, and harvest your own fruit and vegetables organically and at zero cost, even if you're new to gardening."--Publisher