Vegetables you can grow at home during the tomato shortage and how to look after them

You may have heard there has been a tomato shortage in British supermarkets lately. A combination of bad weather abroad and the cost of living crisis has left shoppers struggling to get their hands on the popular food, with many taking to social media to share images of empty shelves in shops.

The shortage has sparked a variety of conversations - one of which is, 'why don't people just grow their own?'

We had a look into it, and it turns out there are plenty of benefits to growing your veg. While they may take some time to grow (with fruit typically taking significantly longer), the rewards are worth it in the end.

READ MORE: Fresh hope for shoppers as expert confirms when the tomato shortage is expected to end at supermarkets like Aldi and Morrisons

Firstly, there is a massive environmental benefit to growing your own vegetables, especially if you're looking for ways to tackle your carbon foot print. The carbon emissions are essentially nothing as no transportation is required. You're growing the food on your own property, washing it yourself and eating when its ready.

Second, it is financially better to grow your own produce. You can grow organic vegetables for a fraction of the price they’re sold in supermarkets, and while you may face initial costs such as buying pots or soil, overtime you will see a massive reduction in your food shop bill.

Not only is it a fun hobby with great rewards at the end, growing your own apparently tastes much better than buying from the shop. Homegrown vegetables with nurtured soil taste a lot better than those produced by unnatural growing mediums.

It's also more nutritious for you as food picked and imported to supermarkets begins to lose moisture and nutrients over time.

So what