One man has harvested so many vegetables in his tiny urban patio during the lockdown that he hasn’t had to go to the supermarket in eight months.
Tattoo artist Alessandro Vitale, 29, moved to the UK from Italy six years ago and has spent the past few years growing mint, chili peppers, and herbs on his bedroom and kitchen windowsills. Last year, he and his girlfriend moved into a flat in north London’s Walthamstow, where he was blessed with friendly neighbors and a shared outdoor patio area. Vitale was determined to make the most of the new outdoor space.
He immediately got to work transforming half of the 8x5m patio area into a growing haven – installed planters, set up used water bottles on a wall trellis for his herbs, and built a greenhouse to grow vegetables, such as broad beans, peppers, and spring onions.
Vitale explained:
When I moved into this property with my girlfriend, I was so excited to have actual outdoor space and made the most of it straight away. I use any vertical space available indoors or outdoors to use old water bottles to grow plants. I work full-time 45 hours a week, but as soon as I’m home, I spend a couple of hours tending to the garden.
In Vitale’s first harvest this year, he produced 30 different kinds of vegetables, including carrots, cabbage, fennel, leeks, broccoli, cauliflower, and garlic. He managed to harvest an impressive 35kg of tomatoes from only six plants and 10 kilograms of 17 different chili types. “I really did have a good season. I actually managed to harvest celery for the first time ever,” said Vitale.
Vitale added:
It was a bit of a trial and error, but by the end, I had so much I was actually giving stuff away for free to my friends and neighbors. I put a sign outside my house saying they were free to take. It seemed like a nice surprise for them as I get different types of seeds from the internet, so it’s probably produce they have never used before.
Vitale also grows twelve different mint types, including banana, strawberry, and pineapple, to make Kombucha – a healthy fermented tea.
Vitale recalled:
When I was a kid, I used to help my grandpa out in the garden. I remember he would import chili seeds from all over the world, and he would have tons of plants. I couldn’t even go near when they were being harvested as I would have tears coming down my face. Since then, this love of nature and gardening grew, and it’s just something I’ve always enjoyed as a hobby.
Vitale’s crops are 100% organic. He uses homegrown Aloe Vera to make fertilizer and foraged wild nettle from a nearby park for pest control. “For me, it’s really important to be organic. I made my own organic pest control,” he said.
He has produced so many veggies from the garden in his patio that he hasn’t bought a single vegetable or fruit from the local market since lockdown began in March.
Vitale uses his Italian grandmother’s secret recipes to create delicious pasta sauces with tomatoes and veggies to see him through the winter. “My favorite thing to make with is jam and sauces from the chillis,” he added.
Vitale explained:
My main goal is to help people create as many green spaces as possible because soil can absorb carbon from the air and reduce carbon emissions. Urban backyards and green areas help reduce carbon emission levels in cities, which makes the air cleaner and healthier for its residents. It’s also a great boost for mental health and happiness.
He runs his own YouTube channel SpicyMoustache, where he shares helpful tips for indoor or outdoor gardening and encourages others to create green spaces in their home. Check out two of his videos below.
