@Santa's little helper In the UK you can buy/rent a small patch of land to grow your own products. I literally have one just across the road from me, I will take a pic next time I pass and let you see how its done.
@Chancer @Santa's little helper : I live in a two bedroom Condominium, with a all glassed in heated and A/C in my one hundred fifty SF
"Viranda" where, I have sixteen plants, and small trees, & Cactus growing. I live on the 2nd floor of a five story stucco and brick bldg. The
total heated SF of my condo unit is one thousand seven hundred fifty feet. in a five story condo with a garage to park my one car.
I have maintained, all of the plants since my Divorce, back in the year 2007. (I used to have a house sitter), when, I would "house sit" for my
only sister out in the SW USA for months at a time, but, no longer travel much any more, including visiting my sister in New Mexico.
Example I have now six RT tickets to anywhere in the USA, except Hawaii or Alaska, but all my "buddy passes have expired". (long before
the Covid 19 world crisis started, for the USA around Feb/March of 2020).
I tend to love tropical plants, which can be temper mental in my 4 season climate zone. Some of my plants include this:
@Binky,
Majesty Palm (Ravenea rivularis) from Madagascar. (The largest tree I have in my home). (Very temper mental) needs year round
sunshine. I move this "heavy one" out to my small outdoor balcony, to get the natural sunshine, from April to October, Ideal temp for this
one, is sixty two F, to eighty F, but this palm tree, needs a lot of water, (to thrive) and the minimum temp the Majesty Palm can safely withstand
the cold is no lower than thirty five degrees F, or 2 degrees C. In the past I have had to replace this one the most, due to its nature needing
lots of sunshine and moisture, especially in my winter, Avg temp in Jan where I live (now) is about fifty two high F, & 32 F as a low temp.
Summer temp , on average reach in July/Aug about 89 degrees F, with a low of around the upper sixties F. (But cold waves and heat waves
can cause the temp to vary as much as 10 degrees F plus or minus). It can be imo a expensive hobby, due to my electric bill can get quite
high, in the winter months, where, I have in addition to a Lennox heat pump/AC/ and Air Handler, Plus a separate heater, about six feet long in
my Viranda all enclosed with a lot of glass, for the sunshine,, plus the target specific nutrients, and in some cases, some expensive water,
Sometimes I have to buy per gallon expensive electrolyte water Alkaline 10 PH, or, just Deer Park water, pure natural spring water, due to a
certain type of fungus, that, in my past, has affected the appearance of my Cactus. Other times, I use my refrigerator (Whirlpool) with a
Filter, that, reduces, the following elements from city tap water. Psychology studies has proven live plants (around you) indoors or outdoors,
are good for one's health and well being. (sort of like a pet), etc. Please excuse my English grammar (spelling) as my Lenovo Laptop,
word (corrector) is not working, due to a on and off, "keylogger" problem. Damn, I purchased 3 new Laptops in the past, 18 months, & all of
the three are Windows 10 series, IMHO, Lenovo is NOT the quality, of the IBM products, I was trained to use, many years ago.
A. Lead & Mercury (this is the Whirlpool Refrigerator water filter, that removes the following elements from my city tap water).
B. Chlorine Taste & Odor
C. Particulates
D. Benzene & Toxaphene
I also have five Cactus, from, Bolivia SA, Sago Palm ((altura varia) , and more "Cold Tolerant" Cacti & Succulents from New Mexico, & Southern
Arizona, & Mexico, & one Pony Tail Palm, (Beaucarnea guatemalenis). Many were grown in Dade County FL (Greater Miami FL) but were shipped
to my local Home Depot or Lowes Hardware stores, on the EC of the USA. Some of my indoor plants are as much now as fifteen years old or
older. My 2 Anthurum, sp? (with the bright shiny red leaves, are the most sensitive to maintain. (water and light). (They are usually in my part of
the world, come from Costa Rica, but, also, grow naturally in many of the islands of Hawaii. These are also extremely sensitive. Most require
twice a week watering, others, can last for nearly a month, or months (Cactus) especially when dormant, (my winter months).
My tallest Cacti, is almost 8 feet high, as, I have 12 foot ceilings. My oldest tropical plants are now approaching the tall ceilings, & may have to
cut them down & replace the oldest tropical plants in my home. I use them both as a hobby, and to clean the air in my home. Even tho I have
3 different Honeywell, or 3M or Intertech Air Purifiers. (I often use for "white noise" at night, so I can sleep better. Plus, it keeps some of the
household dust down. I also changed my heat pump* (furnace unit) with a top of the line, 3M Elite Allergen Extra "2400 Microparticle filter",
every 90 days. (it claims to remove 12 different allergens, from Dust, Dust Mites, Pollen, Bacteria, etc etc . It is a 20" x 20" x 1" electrostatic
filter. (a big difference from a non rated household filter). Heat pump & air handler was replaced Oct 2021 for US $7,000.00 ! (all manufactured
by Lennox). (Very labor intensive, requires at least 4 muscular males, to use a condo elevator, then on top of the five story condo, I live in).
plus a licensed Electrician, & licensed Contractor. (with a excellent reputation for yearly service). Plus removal/disposal of my worn out unit.
With Cacti, any of them "do not touch them" they will sting, and hurt, & it is not easy to pull a cacti needle out of ones body. LOL. I learned the
hard way, by backpacking in the high desert, around the Sandia Mtns, very close to where, the TV & movies series was shot in Albuquerque NM.
(Breaking Bad). about 10 years ago. I was dodging a few joggers with a Doberman, and walked, or ran right into a high desert Cacti. Ouch !
Once, I had a Mexican Cacti, sent to me by Fed Ex from a PHX AZ grower. But, most come from South Florida, at my local hardware stores,
and/or a few supermarkets. (locally) in my Spring and Summer. (many tropical plants are grown, from Costa Farms in Miami FL USA).
I still miss the outdoor Royal & Coconut Palms, from South Florida, & the equally tall huge Date Palms & the huge Saguaro Cactus from
Phoenix, Arizona, where I have lived, in each city, (MIA or PHX) for about 8 to 10 years each. (from my 20's to my 40's). & the 2 season
climate in both cities. (Spring or Summer, no real winters). The summer humidity in Florida, and the high heat (up to 113 degrees F in
PHX, (summers) drove me away, along with my employers needs. But the winters in both urban locations were great in the winter/spring months.
Just my 2 cents worth.