Growing your own 'becoming more popular'

17:07:20 13th July 2009

An increasing number of people are saving money and staying healthy by using their gardens, greenhouses and windowsills to cultivate food, it has been suggested.

Grow Your Own magazine editor Lucy Halsall noted there has been a "massive" rise in the popularity of horticulture of late.

Her comments come after the National Trust launched a scheme to encourage Brits who live in flats to make use of their window sills to cultivate fruit or herbs.

According to the body, there are around 600 acres of unused windowsills in the UK that could be utilised for growing under glass by those who do not have the space for a greenhouse.

Ms Halsall explained the activity can be good for you both physically and socially, as well as financially.

"It's quite a community activity as well - obviously not so much on the balcony - but allotments are ideal places to meet local people with a similar interest," she explained.

A Greater London Assembly study in 2006 found there were more than 4,300 people on allotment waiting lists in the capital.