It's all talk about carbon footprint this and organic that these days. With an allotment being the hottest thing to have since a Prada handbag, becoming your very own small-holder or micro-farmer is cooler than a swim in the Shannon at Christmas.

It's hard to believe that space or land in Ireland would ever have become so precious. For the first time since the post-war years, sales of seeds and plants that produce edible yields have outsold those that are purely decorative.

Fresh tomatoes and herbs. Picture: Valerie O'Connor.

Growing your own food is fun, easy, satisfying and cheap. Nothing beats the satisfaction of nipping out to the back garden to pick some fresh tomatoes or peas. Even snipping your own herbs from pots on your window sill can make you feel good about yourself.

If you live in the city, chances are you have no more than a balcony or a tiny yard at the back of your terraced house. Don't let this put you off, lots of things that you can grow to eat can be grown in pots or grow bags.

What's growing?

Since moving to Limerick city centre myself, I was determined to grow as much as possible in my modest yard at the back of my old house.

Planting of seeds is generally recommended to start after St.Patrick's Day as that's when most frost is cleared and it's safe to get started.

Birds love to steal seeds from pots, as I discovered when a flock of pigeons descended onto my freshly sown pots and made off with all my salad seeds.

It's a good idea to start seeds off under glass or on a window sill in those little propagators you can buy in hardware stores for a few Euro. Currently hogging the window sill are tiny tomato plants, runner beans and peas.

The yard has a huge parsley plant, mint, rosemary, thyme and a tub of spring onions on the go. My next plan is to grow strawberries in an old metal bin that has some holes drilled in it.

I also have a bit of a roof that I can step out onto, perfect for a potato patch to be grown in a Styrofoam box.

Where do I get seeds?

You can buy seeds and compost from any supermarket or hardware store. However, if you are keen to be a micro-gardener with a difference then you can get organic seeds and heritage varieties of plants that are hard to come by.

Seedsavers are a non-profit organization in Scariff, Co.Clare and were set up in 1994 to help in the conservation of heritage varieties of plants. The are many endangered species of plants in Ireland and we now import 90% of our fruit and vegetables.

Given that we have a perfect climate for growing so many things, it gives us all the more reason to grow out own.

Taste the wild rocket from the ground growing at Seedsavers HQ, the difference is immense. No chemicals or air miles means growing your own gives you the freshest tastiest food possible.

Peas are so sweet and juicy, you can eat them like sweets. I bought a two-year-old apple tree from Kevin Dudley at Seedsavers, one suitable for growing in a large pot in a yard, and it won't need other trees for it to fruit. You won't get that level of advice or information in a supermarket. Kevin recommends buying blueberry bushes and other small fruit trees for easy results for first time planters.