Changing Things Up To Live and Grow My Food In The City

My food garden in Johannesburg years ago

This year is bringing lots of changes; one of the big ones being my plan to move back to Johannesburg. I didn't see the big move coming, but now that it's here, I'm excited about it.

Basically, the move was forced on me: in August last year I fell sick with what I thought was bad case of flu, but it turned out to be a major lung infection. My doctor began an aggressive six-month treatment that includes antibiotics and steroids. Unfortunately, my body fought back and the side-effects were massive, including some kidney damage.

I won't give too many details here, but I ended up stuck in bed, needing the assistance of family and a care-giver. It took me months to recover, and even now I'm not 100% yet. The consequence of this is, of course, that I could barely take care of myself, never mind a garden.

And it hit my confidence in my ability to live in a rural area. I realised that our property is too big and needs too much work and energy to care for and use effectively; something that I was no longer sure I was capable of doing. I felt that I needed a smaller space, which I could easily take care of myself even when I grow much older and feeble. I also wanted to be closer to my younger sister and my writing business clients in the event things went pear-shaped in the future. So I'm moving back to Johannesburg. As I type this post, I'm staying with my sister as I rebuild my strength and work to reclaim my lifestyle.

This move was a hard decision to make and I feel like I ran away. My younger sister has no shame about that. "It's time to get out of Dodge," she insists. I also know I made a good decision for me and my future, and will adjust my food growing initiatives to suit my new life. I had a lush, productive garden long before I moved to Phokeng to take care of Mma, and I know Johannesburg will provide me with the opportunity to do so again.

Missing My City Garden

Some days I miss my little garden in the city (Johannesburg).

The bushes I planted have now since matured, making it look more lush than this

My tenant also happens to be a very close friend and somehow, I've managed to infect her with the gardening bug since she moved in.

Start Small

You don't have to be a passionate gardener who wants to grow all your family's fresh consumption to grow your own food.

You can start small,  growing a salad or herb patch, or maybe even include a soup garden.

Or you could grow one or two fruit trees, as did my friend Lynn, who has little interest in growing the bulk of her food and loves to buy her vegetables from Fruit & Veg City and The Food Lover's Market.

Still, she was very proud of her very first lemon.