50 Times People Tried To Grow Their Own Food But Ended Up Hilariously Disappointed (New Pics)

"A common challenge for gardeners when growing fruit and vegetables is having the actual space to grow in," Alison Levey, the person behind The Blackberry Garden blog, told Bored Panda after we asked her about the biggest obstacles in the field.

"Thankfully, you can grow some edibles with very little space, even if it is some chili plants or herbs on the windowsill. When growing outdoors, a lot of vegetables and fruits can be grown in containers. Carrots and courgettes grow well in containers as do potatoes too. Some soft fruits will grow well in containers as well. If you have a garden and have space for a small fruit tree, there are many available to buy."

Another challenge, according to Levey, is finding the time to do all of it. "That is a harder one to deal with, but little and often can work well or spending a nice afternoon at the weekend tending to your crops."

Todd Heft, who runs the Big Blog Of Gardening and has released a book called Homegrown Tomatoes, is 100% organic so he places the focus on the soil.

"If you get your soil conditions right, plants will thrive," he told Bored Panda. "By soil conditions, I do not mean fertilizers. I mean drainage and organic matter to feed the soil food web."

The gardener said this means using lots of compost to condition your soil.

"In the early spring, top dress your garden bed with 2" of compost," Heft continued. "After planting, add another 2" around the root zone of whatever you're planting. Only use fertilizers if a soil test indicates the need for it."

"After harvest, add another 2" of compost or use a cover crop to overwinter your garden bed. It's all about the soil."

For beginners, Levey thinks that French beans are good to start with since they generally are well-behaved. "If you have the space, purple sprouting broccoli is easy too and tastes wonderful," she added.

"Potatoes I find easy especially if grown in a container. Courgettes are very easy to grow, but be warned, they do produce a lot of courgettes and you might just run out of different ways to eat them!"

Heft agrees that beans are easy. "[It's] practically plant and play, especially bush beans. Tomatoes are easy to grow, but you have to be vigilant about disease if you're having a wet summer. Peppers are easy too and less prone to disease. So are potatoes."

He too believes that each of these can also be grown in containers if you have limited room or just a balcony or porch to work with.

"If you're growing tomatoes in containers though, make sure you choose a variety that is labeled 'determinate.' That means it's a variety that grows like a bush, not a vine. Some varieties are also bred to be grown in containers," he explained.

After you start experimenting, Heft said you should pay attention to watering. "Deeply water 1" per week if it doesn't rain. Overwatering or "giving them a little drink" three times a week does more harm than good."

And don't overwhelm yourself. "Only plant what you'll eat. It's better to grow a big variety of stuff on fewer plants than growing too many potatoes or tomatoes," he added.

Heft stressed people should also not use fertilizer indiscriminately. "Plants will only use what they need and the rest runs off into local waterways," he said.

"This causes havoc for marine life and aquatic plants. Most soils hold plenty of nutrients for plants. If your garden has problems, the cause is usually not a lack of nutrients."

Levey added that it's important to look out for weeds. "If they start to take over, it can make the whole experience very tiresome. Also, keep an eye out for pests such as slugs and snails who can decimate young plants very easily."

"But the main tip is to grow what you enjoy eating and then enjoy growing them and eating them. It should be a happy thing to do, not a chore," she said.

And don't forget to show off your produce!

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