dig for victory

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The Victory Garden Project – July 11

One of the overgrown areas of the garden I'm going to clear

One of the overgrown areas of the garden I’m going to clear

What better way to get more exercise and get lots of fresh veg into my diet, than to create my very own “Victory Garden”!

At the house I am renting here in Nottingham, I’ve only just started growing a few vegetables, fruits and herbs in pots. My garden has a small lawn and I’m not sure whether the landlord would be too happy if I changed that into a wartime vegetable garden just yet, so instead I’m starting to clear a very overgrown area at the back of the garden, to re-create a small Victory Garden, and eventually supply our kitchen with most of the vegetables used in wartime recipes of the 1940’s..

I started clearing one of the overgrown areas today

I started clearing one of the overgrown areas today

I got quite excited this afternoon as I started to clear mounds of tall, thick weeds from the bottom right area of the garden, and came across a semi paved flat area which will be ideal for a small greenhouse. I can’t afford a proper greenhouse yet (although I’m keeping my eyes peeled on Freecycle) so I purchased a small walk-in poly greenhouse from Argos for 25 quid which I think will be very useful indeed.

The area I'm clearing appears to be part paved and flat so ideal for my little poly greenhouse!

The area I’m clearing appears to be part paved and flat so ideal for my little poly greenhouse!

So lots of clearing work to do, I’m not quite sure where to put all the debris, as I no longer have acres of land to dispose of branches and thorny bushes! At the moment I am moving weeds and debris from one area to the other weedy area!

I found some composters hidden in the weeds!

I found some composters hidden in the weeds!

Am looking forward to doing some research on common vegetables grown in back gardens on the home front. I do have an old leaflet on growing your own during the “Digging for Victory” campaign… thought you might like to see it. Click the images below to see full size images!

C xxxx

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Dig for Victory

If governments really cared for their people they would be using their resources to put together a modern day “Dig for Victory” campaign…

During WWII public information films encouraged individuals and communities to be ingenious, creative and to take responsibility in growing extra food for the table to balance food shortages.

The “Dig for Victory” campaign was launched in 1939 by the British government. Before the war Britain imported 55 million tons of food annually (over 2/3rds) . During the war that reduced to only 1/3rd and the dig for victory campaign helped alleviate some of the vegetable and fruit shortages.

People were encouraged to use any spare land like gardens, Anderson shelter roofs, parks etc to create productive wartime gardens that would be able to put food on the table for their families, most of the year.

The “Victory Garden” and the “Dig for Victory” campaign provides a model for todays society. 70 years ago, victory gardening was setting an example promoting recycling and sustainable land management (using companion planting, growing plants side by side to repel or attract insects) and fresh seasonal local produce straight from the earth (no air miles) high in nutritional value.

It’s time to return….

C xxxx