The vegetable garden!

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It’s summer that marks the return of the vegetable garden! And despite the unsettled weather in most areas, we are in the middle of harvest season! Right now, it’s abundance… Only for those who grow their own fruits and vegetables. For the others, you have to go to the checkout!

The vegetable garden

It is still necessary to have space, a little technique and time for the follow-up of the interview. With these 3 elements, the economy can become quite fast. A potato plant gives about 2 kilos of tubers. And for the rest, the average annual production, for an amateur, varies between 1 and 2 kilos per square meter. Of course, the harvest of chives is less efficient than that of potatoes or pumpkins!

The vegetable garden is a pleasure, but in addition, it allows substantial savings for those who take the trouble to embark on the adventure.

And right now, there’s no question of going on vacation… Almost all crops are coming to an end and the gardener must be there to transform the trials!

Today, and according to “Freshfel Europe Consumption Monitor”, we consume only 360 grams of fruit and vegetables per day and per capita. That’s about 135 kilos per year. With 70 m² of vegetable garden and some fruit trees, the needs would be covered!

100 m²

Come on, let’s go bigger… 100 m² of garden per inhabitant and we would be practically self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables. Of course, that’s the theory. In practice, 30% of French people live in apartments and do not have access to land for a gardener. And for the 70% who have a house, the land may not be big enough and the owners do not care about the vegetable garden at all!This autonomous solution is therefore an illusion for the moment! It would take a lot of help, education, training, motivation… For each of us to become aware of the benefits of the vegetable garden.Of course, since confinement, sales have increased, but “vegetable” education still has a long way to go!Communication on the subject goes through social networks, through sellers and through promotions around the vegetable garden, but it takes a long time… We can even consider that it is a confidential subject! And yet, the WHO recommends 400 grams of fruit and vegetables per day and per person. We are late and future generations will further lower the average.

The varieties ?

A recent survey “Kantar study for FranceAgriMer and VALHOR” tells us which plants are most in demand in our garden points of sale and among producers.In the lead is the tomato with 37% of expenses (excluding potatoes). We better understand the price fight to offer the best placed tray or plant!For aromatics, basil comes first with 31% of all aromatic expenditure.Tomato and basil, it is therefore the winning double that thrills all vegetable garden lovers.These two plants are easy to grow and their image is positive. Just add a little mozzarella to have the winning trio of summer salad!If you are distributors and if you have decided to get into the vegetable section, it is advisable to choose the producer capable of supplying you with these two plants until August. Even when you return from vacation, well-developed and potted cherry tomato plants could undoubtedly find takers, just to enhance the end of the season!

Ready to use?

In our exclusive Promise of Flowers/Garden Consumer Guide 2024 survey (to be discovered in October 2023), we interviewed 2,000 garden enthusiasts. Almost 70% of them fell in love when asked about their motivation for buying a plant.What if the vegetable garden also took this direction?Savings, healthy consumption, pleasure of harvesting… We know that the vegetable garden has a bright future ahead of it and that it could well progress even further in the years to come. If we add to him the crush and the simplification of the work, perhaps he could still score many points.We are already seeing potted lettuces, pot beans for transplanting and tomatoes in full fruiting.We have often sought to sell at the lowest price, by offering seeds or micro-clods to facilitate access to vegetable garden cultivation. And if tomorrow, the very amateur gardener was looking for finished plants, ready to cook?The more the vegetable garden takes the “ready-to-eat” option, the more it will correspond to the desire of consumers.The trays of 12 and the packs of 25 have lead in the wing. The future lies in “ready-to-use” vegetable plants.With “adult” vegetable plants, ready to plant or harvest, sales can continue throughout the summer. Ready… to bet?

Roland Motte… Gardener!