Growing your own vegetables can help cut grocery bills, get children outdoors and make the most of even the smallest garden spaces, according to expert gardener Peter Dowdall.
Woman selecting healthy food while grocery shopping in a grocery store.(Image: Getty Images)
As the cost of living crisis continues to put pressure on households, growing your own fruit and vegetables has never felt more appealing — and according to gardening expert Peter Dowdall, getting started is simpler than most people think.
“We’re lucky in Ireland that we have perfect growing conditions, really,” he says. “We have a warm and damp climate. Perfect.”
While gardening can sometimes feel like a skill reserved for the experienced, Peter insists the basics of growing your own food are far simpler than people think.
“What I would say to anybody who hasn’t grown their own food before is, don’t be scared. Just give it a go. Get out there. What have we got to lose?” he says. “After eating, drinking and breathing, it’s the next inherent simple thing to do. You just put something in the ground, give it water, and it will grow. Everything else is just an extra.”
One of the biggest mistakes, he says, is growing the wrong things in the first place.
“Think about what you actually like to eat. If you don’t like carrots, don’t grow carrots. If the kids won’t eat them, there’s not much point.”
It sounds obvious, but it’s a trap many fall into, often fuelled by enthusiasm in the early days. And that enthusiasm can lead to another common problem: simply doing too much.
“You could get a packet with 1,000 lettuce seeds — but you do not want 1,000 lettuces ready the same week,” Peter says. “It’s very easy to plant seeds, that takes seconds. But the job isn’t finished then. You have to mind them.”
That means watering, weeding and protecting crops from pests — the less glamorous but essential side of growing your own food.
“Just be realistic about the amount of time you can give,” he advises.
When it comes to maintenance, Peter keeps it simple: water and pest control are the two big ones.
“It’s not just slugs,” he says. “You have aphids, greenfly, whitefly, caterpillars — they can decimate your crops overnight.”
But rather than reaching for chemicals, Peter is firmly in favour of a more natural approach.
“It’s vitally important that we don’t introduce pesticides into the mix. It’s all about working with nature and maintaining that balance,” he explains. “Use barriers to keep pests off your vegetables, but don’t kill them — slugs are food for birds and hedgehogs, and they help keep your garden healthy.”
While some gardeners start seeds indoors as early as February or March, many will only begin now — and that’s perfectly fine.
“Really, you can’t plant a lot of things out until late April or May because of the risk of frost,” Peter says. “May is the main time to start planting out.”
And if you’ve missed the seed stage, there’s an easy shortcut.
“It just means a trip to the garden centre,” he says. “You’ll find lots of small plants ready to go — you’re just skipping a step.”
From tomatoes and courgettes to carrots and beetroot, there’s plenty you can start planning now. But ultimately, Peter’s advice comes back to keeping things simple.
“My advice is always just plant what you want to eat,” he says. “Most of it is very straightforward.”
For those short on space, there’s more good news. You don’t need a large garden to grow your own food.
“You’d be amazed how little space you need. Even a couple of square metres can grow a lot,” Peter says. “Just avoid things that take up too much room, like potatoes, and focus on crops like salads that grow quickly and close together.”
Raised beds are another simple solution, especially in Ireland’s often wet conditions.
“They’re great because they’re well-drained and you can create your own soil,” he explains. “They also look attractive and give you a defined space to work in.”
Even without a garden, it’s still possible to get started. Herbs, in particular, are ideal for windowsills or balconies — and can save you money too.
“You can grow herbs like parsley, thyme and sage very easily,” Peter says. “Pick them straight into the pan — they couldn’t be fresher, and they’re expensive in the supermarket now.”
Just don’t overdo it.
“The main mistake with herbs is killing them with kindness,” he adds. “Most come from hot Mediterranean climates, so they don’t need rich soil or lots of water. They need good drainage and a bit of sun — that’s it.”
For families, growing your own food can also be a great way to get children involved outdoors.
“Kids love it,” Peter says. “And if they’ve helped grow something, they’re far more likely to eat it when it ends up on their plate.”
Find more great gardening tips and tricks and have Peter answer your common queries using Ask Peter at https://theirishgardener.com/pages/ask-peter
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