Ginsters has held a planting day at Hay Farm, Cornwall alongside head farmer Jeremy Oatey to sow onion and potato plants for pastry fans participating in the Ginsters ‘Sow Your Own Slice’ service, which was launched earlier this year to help get Brits involved in the field-to-fork journey of the Ginsters range.

Once grown, and after receiving updates along the way via ‘veg cam’, the vegetables will be harvested and then handmade into delicious Cheese & Onion, Peppered Steak, or Chicken & Mushroom slices, before arriving to customers in a personalised pack with their name on it – a few famous faces are even amongst those eagerly waiting for their slice.

The launch of the service comes at a time when interest in British veg is at an all-time high, with Ginsters supplier Oatey claiming he has experienced a 15% uplift in interest following the recent global shortages.

Earlier this year, research from Ginsters found that nearly half of Brits (47%) admit to having poor or patchy knowledge of how the veg they eat is grown. A fifth (20%) have never seen a vegetable grow at all, with 79% saying they have never personally grown a vegetable from seed to harvest, and one in ten (11%) having only ever seen their grandparents with green fingers.

But when asked about their lack of knowledge, over half (58%) of Brits confess that they wish they knew more about where the food they eat comes from and how produce is grown, and four in five (80%) feel as a society we need to take a keener interest in the ingredients used in the food we eat.

JEREMY’S 5 TOP TIPS ON GROWING TOMATOES AT HOME

· Perfect for indoors: Tomatoes need lots of warmth, so they’re great for growing indoors as, they can be grown either from seeds or from a plant. If growing from seeds, pop the seed in 7.5cm pots of moist peat free compost, top with a thin layer of vermiculite (available at most plant shops or even some supermarkets), then water and cover with cling film. Stand the pot on a warm, bright windowsill or in a propagator. Once germinated – and with their second ‘true leaves’ – they can be moved to a kitchen windowsill, conservatory, or greenhouse.

· Timing is important: The best time to sow tomato seeds is from February to April, however tomato plants can be planted later in May or June. Once your tomatoes have grown, they can be harvested any time when they’re ready – usually from July up until October.

· Preheat your soil: And no, we don’t mean to pop it in the oven! It may sound strange, but tomatoes like a warm bed to lie in, so make sure that your soil is at least at comfortable room temperature when you plant. This is especially important if you bring your soil in from outside.

· Got any used coffee grounds? No need to throw them away; instead mix some in with your soil when planting your tomatoes! Coffee grounds contain nitrogen as well as phosphorus and potassium which aid growth.

· Tomatoes are a thirsty bunch: Watering is key for tomato plants – as a rule, try to make sure fruiting plants receive 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week and keep an eye on them when its warmer as they may need even more. If your plants start to look wilted for most of the day, give them a drink.

· Bonus tip: Those who may not fancy growing tomatoes at home or are perhaps looking to grow something a bit different don’t need to miss out! There are loads of other veggies that can grow very well at home – the best and easiest veg to grow at home include spring onions, radishes and a variety of herbs. You can even grow potatoes at home – just make sure you have a big enough pot!