Written by Clare Elson
I think we've all had some free time recently, and we have all tried to keep our sanity in check in various different ways. Our team took to their inner gardeners to grow some wonderfully diverse produce, straight from their own homes!
1. Anthurium Clarinervium
We weren't entirely sure what Darcy, our Digital Marketing Manager, meant when he mentioned he'd been growing this over the summer but his plant is a bit of a show stopper. Also known as 'Flamingo Flower' it has striking heart-shaped leaves and a velvety texture. The plant originates from Mexico but clearly is quite happy at home with Darcy and his housemates in East London
2. Tomatoes
Who doesn't love home grown tomatoes? Easy to grow in a sunny corner or on a windowsill, they have been brightening up summer salads in Clare's house. The green ones can be made into green tomato chutney and stored for the autumn when a little summer burst of flavour is needed.
3. Avocado plants
The most extraordinary things to grow. You'd imagine only the hottest climates would produce Avocados but apparently not. Just take a regular avocado stone, suspend one end in water and just wait for it to sprout roots and start growing. You can buy special avocado vases to do this or just improvise with a jam jar and a few cocktail sticks and enjoy watching as the plant springs to life. Then just plant it in soil and watch it grow and grow.
4. Lemon Verbina
Priscilla has a rather impressive herb garden and aside from the more well known Rosemary, Sage and Mint, she grows Lemon Verbena. Easy to grow in the garden, a plant pot or a sunny window box it's a perfect for flavouring all kinds of dishes, it can also be used as a herbal tea. An excellent way to detox after a summer of lockdown snacking!
5. Potatoes
Helene is known for her green fingers and spends most weekends at her allotment. She also grows potatoes in sacks in her back garden. Easy to grow, you simply fill an old bin, a grow bag or an old sack half full with compost and plant a couple of whole potatoes inside. Once you start to see the green shoots emerge above the soil, cover with a bit more compost, wait until they emerge again and then repeat. Easy!
6. Strawberries
Karen's been growing strawberries in hanging baskets. A perfect addition to breakfast cereal, porridge or in a cocktail, her top tip is to make sure they don't get too waterlogged. And they look so pretty too!
7. Celery
Beate's growing tip this summer is celery. Amazingly easy to grow - you just put the root of an existing head of celery once you've eaten it in shallow water (use cocktail sticks to suspend it like the avocado plant) and after about a week a new head will emerge. Plant it in a pot of soil and within a few weeks you'll have your very own celery!
Not everyone has green fingers...
This was going to be a list of 8 different things we've grown, but then we asked Jack. It turns out that although he may be a digital wizard, plants wilt at his mere presence! It just goes to show that not everyone is suited to the good life.
