Grow your own veg this spring with Milton Keynes homebuilders’ top tips

This spring, many people are looking forward to spending more time outdoors and putting on the gardening gloves again, so the leading developers have handpicked their best suggestions for budding gardeners.

Spring is the ideal season for planting and adding some colour to a garden, so it’ll be in full bloom in time for home buyers looking to host summer barbecues or simply enjoy the sun in a vibrant garden setting.

Jason Hearn, Sales Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes, said: “For those who have recently purchased a property or are still house hunting, there are many easy ways to make your garden your own.

“After a long winter period, we are ready to enjoy the sunshine and make use of our gardens, so in the spirit of National Gardening Week we are encouraging homeowners to turn their gardens into more than just a beautiful space and grow their own veggie patch.”

Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ top tips for growing produce at home are:

Find the right plot

Finding the right area for new plants is like finding the right home, location is crucial, and it’s important to consider how much space is needed and how it’ll look after the hard work is over.

The best way to start is by mapping out the veggie patch and check how much space there is to work with, rather than selecting the plants first and struggling to squeeze them all in.

It’s best to check which vegetables flourish when growing next to each other and which ones need more personal space. If the flower beds are starting to fill up, invest in window boxes to adapt the space and personalise the home’s exterior.

Select easy to grow plants

For those just starting to adapt their brand-new garden, start with something low maintenance, such as potatoes or bush tomatoes plants that only require planting, picking and eating.

If time is limited, try planting strawberries, which root for three to four years and only require a quick trim in the springtime.

Understand the plants

For a garden to be a success, it’s important to understand which area each of the plants will thrive best in. Get to know what the amount of sunlight and water they require every day.

It’s helpful to make note of which areas in the garden get the most sunlight and are more sheltered from the wind, in order to determine whether the plot is suited to tougher or more delicate plants.

Don’t forget about weeding

With an edible garden, it is crucial to keep up with regular weeding. Although weeding can be time-consuming, it’s vital to a vegetable patch’s survival as weeds can compete with the produce, robbing them of nutrients.

Weeding is an ideal opportunity to soak in more sun and, is an easy way to keep the garden clean and tidy.

Enjoy the process

As a relatively slow process, growing produce requires patience, but the end result boasts many rewards from the feeling of satisfaction to tasting the homegrown ingredients.

The Royal Horticultural Society states that spending plenty of time around gardens and green open spaces greatly benefits our mental and physical health. As well as keeping healthy and active, gardening is a fun activity for the entire family to enjoy and lets people personalise both inside and outside their home.

For more information about any nearby developments, visit Barratt Homes in Milton Keynes or David Wilson Homes in Milton Keynes.