Suddenly vegetables we take for granted are being rationed on our supermarket shelves. Tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and other salads are no longer plentiful from Spain and other regions we buy from at this time of year when, in the UK, this produce is off-season.

Spain has recently suffered from Storm Filomena, the worst snowstorm in 50 years. Morocco has had unusually cold spells and exports of tomatoes have been suspended.

Perhaps this is a prompt for us to eat the seasons and do without salad vegetables from other countries during the colder months. The air miles involved are also another incentive.

Even better, in case the shortage continues, why not grow your own? This may not cover all your salad needs, but for the sake of a few seeds and a sunny window sill it is surely worth a try.

A big bonus is the fun of growing and nurturing plants that you have grown from seed for your own use - the mental health benefits are well documented.

Get a few pots and compost, choose your seeds (cucumber. courgettes and tomatoes are easy to grow) and keep watered in a sunny space. Check online for tips for planting on. I recommend the results!

 

Elaine Ehrenfried,

Riverside Gardens,

Chandler's Ford