What’s great about growing produce is that we can start off really small, so small in fact that even a lowly windowsill is a great place to begin. For those that live in apartment blocks, a windowsill or a verandah provides enough space to save you both dollars and helps us feel better about doing our bit for the environment.

I meet a lot of people who live in high rise apartments who want to do something for the environment, but struggle to feel either motivated on a day to day basis or feel that any efforts are not rewarding enough and so give up. Through simply growing a few herbs in pots and even a few basic garden salad ingrediants on a verandah, that frustration level is reduced and will of course ensure a greater satisfaction when we eat what we have grown.

I have a small herb patch just outside the kitchen door so I can run outside, cut what I need and use it in my everyday cooking. If you have a kitchen window pick up some herbs such as parsley, basil, chives and thyme, grow and use them and watch how your excitment grows and desire to grow other things increases.

Parsley is underrated. So many time we go to a resturaunt and we see a green sprinkling on our meal as a pointless garnish. Parsley goes in many of the everyday meals we make, including soups, stews, stirfrys and sandwiches. Parsley will help freshen your breath after eating garlic and onions.

If you like italian meatballs or lasgne, then basil is a herb you want access to. Nothing beats fresh basil. Its distinct fresh, sweet falour will enrich those pasta dishes and with so many varying varieties, some are suited to those that like a hot dish on the palette.

Chives are good fun. Easy to cut up with scissors and sprinkle into mashed potato and sour cream.

Pots and planters are great for kids and those older among us who struggle to bend over. Through watering just a couple of times a week, keeping them trimmed so they do not flower and go to seed, these little flavoursome plants will provide for you over and over again.

Just a couple of pointers: make sure that the potting mix you use to grow your herbs is of a premium quality. Remember, the quality of your plant is only as strong as it food and environment.

Be careful about growing mint in planters and pots, it will spread like wildfire and is difficult to keep under control.

If you decide to grow in pots, think carefully about what type of pot you will use. Terracotta pots are great because they look good, however they are heavy and harder to move around. The other thing with terracotta is that on hot days moisture is evaporated and so will need to be watered more often. A good way of getting the kids into gardening is to get them to paint the terracotta pot and seal it with Estapol.

In regards to watering, it is interesting to note that herbs are more likely to die from overwatering than the other way round. By placing a layer of mulch ontop of the soil will reduce evaporation and will feed the soil as it breaks down.

Finally, don’t think that just because you have limited space you can grow anything. Summer salad ingrediants such as lettace, tomatoes and cucumber are easy to grow with very little maintainence and take up very little space.