There is something deeply satisfying about eating food you have grown yourself. A tomato still warm from the sun, potatoes dug ten minutes before dinner, herbs picked fresh for the pot. More and more people in East Devon want to do this but do not know where to start, do not have the time to keep on top of it, or have an allotment or veg patch that has got away from them.
That is where I come in. I help people grow their own fruit and vegetables, whether that means building raised beds from scratch, planning what to sow and when, keeping an existing plot maintained, or simply coaching you through the process so you can do it yourself with confidence. Everything I do is 100% organic with no synthetic fertilisers, no pesticides, no shortcuts.
Raised beds make growing your own accessible — even in a small garden
What I Can Help With
Building & Preparing Raised Beds
Raised beds are the best way to start growing your own, especially in East Devon where the native soil can be heavy clay inland or thin and sandy on the coast. I build beds from untreated timber to whatever size suits your space, fill them with good quality organic compost and topsoil, and get them ready for planting. A typical setup of two or three beds in a back garden can be done in a day and will give you years of productive growing.
Sowing & Planting Schedules
Knowing what to plant and when is half the battle. I create a simple, practical sowing schedule tailored to your specific plot, taking into account East Devon's mild maritime climate, your soil type, how much sun your plot gets, and what you actually want to eat. No point growing a glut of courgettes if nobody in the house likes them. I focus on crops that are genuinely worth growing at home because they taste noticeably better fresh, are expensive in the shops, or are hard to find locally.
Ongoing Plot Maintenance
If you love the idea of growing your own but do not have the time or physical ability to keep on top of the weeding, watering and general care, I can do it for you. Regular visits to your veg patch or allotment to keep things productive: weeding between rows, thinning seedlings, tying in climbing beans and tomatoes, harvesting when things are ready, and making sure nothing bolts or goes to waste. You get the produce without the daily commitment.
Allotment maintenance — I keep your plot productive so you can enjoy the harvest
Coaching & Advice
Some people want to learn how to do it themselves and just need someone to show them the ropes. I offer hands-on coaching sessions in your garden or at your allotment. We work together on your actual plot, with your actual soil, and I teach you the practical skills: when to sow, how deep, how far apart, when to water, how to deal with pests without chemicals, when to harvest, and how to keep the soil healthy for next year. It is not a classroom lecture. It is sleeves-rolled-up, hands-in-the-dirt learning.
What Grows Well in East Devon?
East Devon's mild climate and long growing season are a genuine advantage for home growers. Here is what does particularly well:
- Potatoes: East Devon's red clay soil produces brilliant potatoes. First earlies in March, maincrops through summer. Nothing in the shops comes close to a freshly dug potato
- Runner and climbing beans: the mild, damp summers are perfect. Once they get going they produce more than you can eat, which makes them great for sharing with neighbours
- Courgettes and squash: love the warmth and the rich soil in raised beds. One or two plants will feed a household all summer
- Salad leaves: cut-and-come-again lettuce, rocket, mizuna. The single most cost-effective thing you can grow. A packet of seed costs a pound and replaces months of supermarket bags
- Tomatoes: outdoor varieties do well in sheltered south-facing spots. The flavour of a home-grown tomato versus a supermarket one is not even comparable
- Soft fruit: raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants and gooseberries all thrive in Devon. Once established they produce for years with minimal effort
- Herbs: rosemary, thyme, sage, chives, parsley and mint all grow brilliantly in East Devon, especially in raised beds with good drainage near the coast
- Broad beans: can be autumn-sown in Devon's mild winters for a really early crop. One of the easiest and most rewarding crops for beginners
Gardens & Allotments
A productive kitchen garden — you do not need a lot of space to grow a lot of food
I work with both back gardens and allotments across East Devon. Whether you have a sunny corner of a Sidmouth terrace garden, a generous plot behind a Honiton detached, or a full-size allotment at one of the local sites, the approach is the same: work with what you have got, build good soil, grow what suits your conditions, and keep it organic.
If you have taken on an allotment that has been neglected, I can clear it, dig it over, and get it back into production. This is one of the most common jobs I do. New allotment holders are often full of enthusiasm but overwhelmed by the state of a plot that has been left for a year or two. A day of clearance work and some sensible planning can turn it around completely.
Why Organic?
If you are growing food to eat, it makes no sense to spray it with chemicals. Everything I do in your veg patch is organic: I build soil health with compost and well-rotted manure, control pests with companion planting and physical barriers (netting, fleece, copper tape), feed with organic products like seaweed and fish blood and bone, and manage weeds by hand and with mulch. Your produce is genuinely chemical-free from soil to plate.
Pricing
Grow Your Own work is charged at £30 per hour, the same rate as all my services. Raised bed building is usually quoted as a fixed price based on the size and number of beds, including materials. I will always give you a clear price before starting. Regular allotment or veg patch maintenance can be arranged on a weekly or fortnightly schedule.
Works Well With
Many of my Grow Your Own customers also have me look after the rest of their garden during the same visit. Lawn mowing, hedge cutting and general maintenance pair naturally with a veg patch check and harvest. It is more efficient and means the whole garden gets attention, not just the productive bit.
Get a Free Quote
Call 07767 241844 or fill in the quote form to talk about what you want to grow. I will come and look at your space, discuss your ideas, and give you an honest assessment of what is possible and what it will cost. No pressure, no hard sell, just practical advice from someone who loves growing things.