Interested in growing your own fruit, vegetables or herbs but don’t have enough space to grow crops of any kind? Don’t lose heart. With a little knowhow and the right equipment you can create your own miniature version on your balcony or in a courtyard. More than ever before, Australians are embracing the grow-your-own trend. Research by Nursery & Garden Industry Australia found that 83 per cent of people find the idea of growing their own produce appealing and about 63 per cent have an edible garden, an increase of 3 per cent over the previous 12 months.

The desire for tastier and healthier produce, free from chemicals and additives, is one reason. Adopting a greener lifestyle is another. Sustainability is no longer the buzzword of the new millennium; it’s part of the way we live. With increasing demands on fossil fuels and depleting natural resources, finding ways to reduce our carbon footprint is vital.

Next time you tuck into a fresh, crunchy salad, think for a moment about its real cost in energy. There’s the fuel needed to grow it, powered electricity systems to water it, machinery to harvest it, transportation to the supermarket, herbicides, pesticides and more. With the global credit crisis, families are also looking for ways to stretch their dollar further and growing your own can save money.

Less disposable income for many families and shrinking family sizes also mean many Australians are downsizing their homes to live in apartments and townhouses. You can create a healthy edible garden in even the smallest of spaces. And if you lead a transient lifestyle, balcony gardens are ideal. When you’re on the move, you can simply take your vegetable garden with you.

If you’re a city dweller, the earthy aroma of growing fresh produce can transport you to a greener place. Seeing the first seedlings flourish under your care and watching and nurturing your fruits and vegetables are deeply rewarding and good for the soul.

Children can also enjoy getting involved in the garden. Watching things grow and harvesting their edible bounty will prompt them to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and perhaps to try things they hadn’t before. To encourage children to be involved in your new green venture, it’s a good idea at first to plant vegetables that grow quickly. They’ll see the fruits of their labour from pot to plate and be ready to embrace the potted garden with gusto.

If you are new to gardening, you might also like to opt for planting seedlings at first. You’ll discover what works best for you and you’ll see results much faster. When you decide you are ready to plant seeds, you can use recycled butter containers to plant them in before they go into your pots.