When quarantine struck the world everyone’s first reaction was to flood to the grocery store. People were hoarding all sorts of things like canned goods, rice, and frozen foods.
The extreme demand left the shelves empty and even had stores putting restrictions on how much one person can buy.
But others took a different route during the pandemic and looked to be as sustainable as possible.
Instead of flocking to the grocery store, imagine having unlimited food growing in your very own backyard.
That’s right, 29-year-old Alessandro Vitale, has said goodbye to the weekly grocery store visit and hello to his homegrown veggie garden.
Vitale moved from Italy to London 6 years ago and was over the moon when his new apartment had a community garden right outside.
He was one to have chili peppers and mint growing on his windowsill and now he had an 8x5m patio to grow all sorts of goodies. Vitale said in an interview,
“When I moved into this property with my girlfriend, I was so excited to have actual outdoor space and made the most of it straight away.”
The moment they moved in he was off creating all sorts of nifty ways to grow his dream plants.
He even used old water bottles as planters for herbs and other veggies. All of his diligence certainly paid off, the first harvest in 2020 was a total success.
Vitale hauled 30 different vegetables and herbs, making it so he hasn’t had to go to the grocery store for over 8 months!
He grew broccoli, cabbage, carrots, leeks, garlic, tomatoes, chilis and plenty of other nutrious veggies to keep them far away from the store. In fact, Vitale’s first harvest he lucked out with over 77 lbs of tomatoes, more than enough to pass around. He said,
“I had so much I was actually giving stuff away for free to my friends and neighbors. I put a sign outside my house saying they were free to take.”
Not only was he feeding his home but also everyone else around him.
This garden is truly the gift that keeps on giving. I mean, what better time to have a thriving garden then during a global pandemic?
With the help of his grandmothers delicious secret recipes, Vitale has been able to get very creative with his homegrown foods.
He especially loves making pasta sauces and jams with his veggies which are perfect for winter time.
As his garden continues to thrive he’s looked back on his childhood and how his grandfather was a big inspiration in his gardening dreams.
Vitales said,
“When I was a kid, I used to help my grandpa out in the garden. I remember he would import chili seeds from all over the world, and he would have tons of plants. I couldn’t even go near when they were being harvested as I would have tears coming down my face. Since then, this love of nature and gardening grew, and it’s just something I’ve always enjoyed as a hobby.”
The green thumb life has always been in his blood and it will only continue to flourish.
Vitale is a full-time tattoo artist, but always makes time to tend to his garden.
He’s even created a YouTube channel called Spicy Moustache where he gives helpful tips for any of your gardening needs.
Now’s the time to get your garden started so you can have fresh veggies of your own!
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