Grow your own this summer

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There’s nothing more rewarding, or tasty, as eating your own home-grown fruit and vegetables, and the good news is that right now is the best time to start growing your own!

With a plethora of crops that can be grown from seeds, there’s bound to be something you can grow however big or small your garden is, or even if you have no garden at all.

No Garden
If you are an urban dweller and don’t have a garden, we’re pretty sure you have window sills and where better to grow herbs and veg than on a sunny ledge? A quick trip to your local garden centre, or even supermarket, can get you set up with all you need to create a crop whatever you are working with.

Baby salad leaves are perfect for growing in small pots and tin troughs and because they are fast-growing you will soon get foliage and kitchen ingredients. Mint, parsley and coriander all work well as window plants and if the sun shines on you sills, basil is a winner too.

Small Gardens
Small gardens are the perfect place for creating an eclectic mix of flowers, fruit and vegetables. Choose a mix of crops that you actually want to eat, say strawberries, tomatoes and peas and complement these with sunflowers and pansies for impressive results.

If you have a courtyard or patio to work with, look no further than bags, pots and sacks to create a crop of potatoes, peas and peonies to be proud of. Again, you can add herbs into the mix and if you do decide to plant spuds, this reduces the risk of pesky slug invasions.

Large Gardens
If you are the owner of a bigger garden this will give you greater growing space and more opportunities to be creative and work big. Think about the space and the kind of garden you want to create. Are you looking for structure and fine detail or do you have children and therefore need flexibility as climbing frames and bikes come into the equation? Plan out your garden into various areas, look at where you get the most sun, where there are shady areas and consider the soil type as this can influence what you grow. Trees can be a lovely part of any garden and if you have the space, you can look at creating a mini orchard. Apple, pear and plum trees are all pretty easy to grow and maintain and the labour of your love will be compotes, chutney, jellies and jams all year round.

To take away the English weather’s ability to crush your crops, when you have a large space you can incorporate a greenhouse. These are perfect for growing things such as chillies and tomatoes as well as grapes and lemons but always ensure the greenhouse is clean at the start of the season and there is adequate ventilation otherwise things might not go quite to plan.

So, what are you waiting for? Pick your pots, sort your soil and get growing.

Team Pure Beauty

Easy food hacks for a happy kitchen

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By the end of the week, if you are anything like us you’ll have half a loaf of bread going mouldy, apples that are beyond bruised and milk that is well and truly on the turn.

Due to busy lives, eating out and BOGOF offers from the supermarkets, we tend to waste more food than ever which isn’t good for our pockets or the environment and leaves a nasty taste in the mouth – literally.

We have put together some easy to follow food saving hacks that really work.

It is better to get less and waste less and you can do this if you plan your meals for the week. Work out which nights you need to cook and factor in lunch boxes, snacks and guests and you’ll soon notice the difference to your wallet.

Only buy what you need. Many people do a ‘big shop’ and stack their trolley high with goods for the week. You may well find that if you shop little and often, especially for fresh produce, you will waste less and save more.

When you do shop, make a list and stick to it. Even better, shop online and use a template list you know works.

Check your fridge is clean and also set to the right temperature.

Make sure you put crisps, cereal and snacks in an airtight container or zip lock bag. This will prevent them from going soft and losing their flavour which means you can eat them rather than chuck them.

The freezer is your friend. Over ripe bananas can be frozen then used for cakes and smoothies. Freeze past their best herbs with olive oil and you have a ready made stock cube and if you know you aren’t going to eat that chicken crown, freeze it for next week.

When you make a pasta bake or bolognaise, cook a double batch and either for lunch the next day or freeze for next week.

Use up fruit and veg by blasting it all in your blender and making a nutrient packed smoothie.

If you have sad looking carrots, celery, potatoes, peppers and onions, don’t bin them. Simply peel, chop and cook them in a pan and you’ll have a healthy, warming bowl of soup in no time.

Bread doesn’t keep forever so put half a loaf in the freeze and take it out as needed. If it does go stale, toast and use a croutons or blast in the blender and you have breadcrumbs for homemade chicken nuggets.

Don’t waste any ice cream, scoop portions into freezer bags when you buy a tub and you’ll have instant pudding with nothing left over.

Don’t throw away that left over pizza, wrap and put in the fridge, then when hunger strikes put it in the microwave with a cup of water for one minute. This will add moisture to the air and the pizza stop it drying out so when bell goes it’ll be fresh and tasty once again.

Find out if there is a local food bank near you and give them anything you know you won’t use.

Got a hack you love? Drop us a line and let us know.

Team Pure Beauty