When the pandemic struck five years ago, it led many of us in new directions. For Gerald Stratford, a 77-year-old vegetable enthusiast from the Cotswolds, that direction was social media – and it turned him into an unlikely online sensation.
From 96 to 9,000 Followers in a Flash
Stratford, a former sports club caretaker, was encouraged by a friend to share snippets about his homegrown produce online. Within six months, a post about his potato harvest went viral. “The phone started pinging, pinging, pinging, and it wouldn't stop,” he recalls. “In a panic, I phoned my nephew – he came back a few minutes later and said, 'Gerald, you've gone viral with your spuds.' I'd gone from 96 followers to 9,000. It was so quick, and it's been a juggernaut ride since.”
Now, the great-grandfather boasts more than 714,000 followers across social media platforms. He has appeared on television, including stints on Gardeners' World, and has been featured in British Vogue. High-end fashion houses Gucci and Alexander McQueen have enlisted him for campaigns. His TikTok bio sums him up perfectly: “heavy into big veg”.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Passionate about encouraging young people to grow their own food, Stratford has teamed up with meal-kit company HelloFresh to launch The Curious Kitchen, a free immersive family experience running until August 30 at the Natural History Museum in London. The initiative aims to ignite children's curiosity about the journey from seed to plate.
“It's no good pointing a finger at a blackboard in a school, saying 'This is how you do it'. A youngster needs action. Just having a go is worth 1,000 reference books,” Stratford says. He suggests raised beds that children can walk around are perfect for young novices, along with the following easy-to-grow crops.
Radish: Quick and Rewarding
“It is so quick to grow. From sowing the seed to harvest takes about a month. It's no good giving a child an onion seed in November and telling him or her it's going to be ready for harvest next August. That is just too long, it's a lifetime away.” Spicy radishes might be too hot for young palates, but milder varieties like 'Cherry Belle' or deep purple 'Bacchus' are ideal.
Potato: Bucket Gardening
“Just get a standard-sized bucket, put some holes in the bottom for drainage and fill it up with compost. Put one seed potato in that compost and within 90 days you could have enough potatoes to feed mum and dad and you and your sister for a couple of days.” Stratford recommends the blight-resistant second-early variety 'Nicola' and advises covering crops with horticultural fleece if frost is forecast. Youngsters can even plant seed potatoes now for a Christmas harvest.
Tomato: Low-Maintenance Varieties
Some might consider tomatoes challenging for beginners, but Stratford insists: “There are varieties now where you can plant the tomato, and you don't have to bother with pinching out side-shoots and looking after it. Just feed it and let it grow. You can sow seeds, but if you go to a garden centre in March, April or May and buy a tomato plant, the hard work of germinating the seed is done for them.” He suggests 'Black Opal' and the ever-popular 'Sungold', and recommends buying ready-germinated plants to simplify the process for children.
Cucumber: Perfect for Lunchboxes
“Buy them from garden centres as small plants. One I grow is 'Mini Munch', which is fabulous for packed lunches for children because it can be picked, washed and can go into the lunchbox.” Plant cucumbers at roughly the same time as tomatoes; they will climb a frame, spread across the ground, or trail over a raised bed.
Carrot: Seed by Seed
“I'm a firm believer in planting individual seeds because so many people make a drill and sprinkle a packet of seeds along it – and there are just too many seeds. You'll get lots of foliage and no bottom. If you plant 12 carrot seeds in a bucket, it will give you 12 good carrots.” Stratford recommends fast-growing 'Early Nantes' or the quirky round variety 'Paris Market'.
With these simple tips, Stratford hopes to inspire a new generation of gardeners, proving that growing your own food can be fun, accessible, and rewarding – no matter your age.
