One Pot Pledge

A nationwide campaign launched by Garden Organic is calling on experienced gardeners to support gardening novices to grow an edible crop in a pot for the first time in 2010. The campaign, the One Pot Pledge, aims to encourage 30,000 more people in the UK to grow food for the first time and will use simple steps and clear advice to encourage and enthuse them.

Despite the surge in interest in ‘grow your own’ many newcomers, although keen to have a go, still don’t know where to start when it comes to food growing. Many are put off because they think they don’t have space to garden, or because they don’t have the time or knowledge. By encouraging people to start small with just one pot, the One Pot Pledge campaign aims to combat this, promising to make growing easy and successful.

Community groups or individuals keen to be part of the campaign can sign up by visiting www.onepotpledge.org.

Campaign organisers hope experienced gardeners will play a vital role in the campaign by recruiting and supporting pledge takers and by acting as ‘gardening gurus’ to provide advice and support to friends and family during the growing season.

Gardening Guru and BBC Gardeners' World presenter Alys Fowler said: "Eating food that you’ve grown yourself is one of life’s great pleasures and one that everyone should have the chance to enjoy. With the One Pot Pledge campaign we want to inspire and support people to try something new and experience the joy of growing their own food from seed to harvest."