Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

GreyQueen · 8 February 2015 at 10:21AM

I have a 300 sq meter allotment, with derelict plots all around it, and the best way I've found of dealing with slugs is Cold Steel - I kill them on sight with a sharp downward blow of the spade or chop them in half with the grass clippers, whichever implement is to hand.

My personal highest kills were the Summer of '13 when I was totalling upwards of 100 per visit, sometimes about 300. It's never been so bad again. Slugs can live for 6 years, and eat twice their bodyweight in 24 hours, so each one you take out of play is a big gain. Show no mercy, I have slugs on my allotment which are twice the size of some of my toads and frogs, it's be like us trying to eat a sofa to expect them to cope.

Years ago, I went into a c.s. and they had about 6 plastic crates full of seeds, flowers, veg and herbs, at 10p each. All were date-expired, some by only months, some by 1-2 years. The manager explained to me that they'd been donated by a garden centre who'd accidentally let them go OOD. I started picking my way through them and she decided that the whole lot could be shot into 2 bin liners and that I could have them all for £1.

I shared this incredible good fortune widely, but still have some of them left. I have to say that most seeds will germinate well past their sow by date. But to be licensed for sale, a certain % have to germinate within it. And only carrots are exempted from this because they're such dodgy germinators anyway. It's been some time since I read about it, but I think for most seeds, germination should be circa 80% but carrots are allowed to underperform circa 60% as no one can get them to do much better.

Commercial companies obviously have to be careful to comply with the legislation and of their reputations, but we private citizens can experiment. I'd never bin a seed packet without trying it first and have achieved much-admired summer flowerbeds by the following technique; open lots of OOD flower seeds packets and empty into jamjar. Sprinkle contents over cultivated soil, rake in lightly. Ignore. A few weeks later there will be a glorious flowerbed much admired by passers-by.

So, if you have OOD seeds, I would suggest you gave them a go and only buy fresh ones if they didn't come up, or barely came up. Big seeds like beans and peas can kick around in sheds and still come up, I have self-saved ones. In 2014 I sowed runner beans in pots from a paper bag which told me I'd harvested them in 2011. Each and every one of them grew!

Prinzessilein · 8 February 2015 at 10:45AM

Morning!

Oh I am just SO jealous of the allotments!

We often had long gardens as a child - smaller front lawn was for flowers (and hardly a day went by without someone stopping and praising Mum's work on the flowerbeds......and I have fond memories of a time when I had been rather ill for months on end...I was sleeping downstairs at this point and Mum planted snowdrops outside the window so I could see them from my bed first thing! - I always loved snowdrops!)

The back garden was bigger....one place we had room for a small patio and then the veg plot behind it...Mum grew an extensive herb garden (for cooking and medicinal use) and also tomatoes. Stepdad took care of the main veg plot....onions were his pride and joy but he grew other stuff too including potatoes.

I always dreamed that I would work until I was about 50 then take early retirement and have a big garden/allotment...and have room for a couple of goats!...I really fancied being a goat-herdess! (I read far too much Heidi as a child!!!)...and had plans of making a little extra cash by selling goats milk, joghurt and cheese.

And here I am.....past 50....and in sheltered accommodation without even a kitchen windowsill for pots of herbs!!!! (But I DO make my own joghurt and cheese!)

vhalla1478 · 8 February 2015 at 11:25AM

What a lovely post, Prinzessilein, and what good memories you must have. The point is, you are doing the things you can do, and I applaud you. There are plenty of able-bodied people out there who do nothing but complain about their 'fate'. Well done you.

I'm very impressed with everyone's gardening skills - I'm afraid I'm a bit tentative, but now I've got a start, and great tips from everyone here, I'll give the field a go this year; just as long as you don't mind if I ask loads of questions once I get going.

Here's a really nice soup

Celery Soup

Knob of butter, small head of celery, leaves included, roughly chopped, large potato peeled and chopped, litre of stock or 500ml stock, 500ml milk, salt and pepper, freshly grated nutmeg.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and gently stew the vegetables in it until well coated. Add the stock, bring to the boil, cover the pan and cook for 45 minutes or until the celery is soft. Either whizz it or sieve it. Return the soup to the pan, add the milk now if you're using it, stir well and heat through. Taste and season as needed and add a little grated nutmeg.

Have a good day, All.

Viv x

fuddle · 8 February 2015 at 11:35AM

Celeriac soup is made pretty much the same way except we add cream :cool:

I often get the stinging feeling that I could do more in growing my own although I do try (have blueberries, raspberries and strawberries in our garden) but we would like an allotment really.

Terribly I buy my herbs (and freeze them) but you have pricked my conscience this morning. I think a herb garden pot is needed in my garden. I just need a container large enough to house one. Will wrack my brains.

vhalla1478 · 8 February 2015 at 11:41AM

So do I, fuddle, but after yesterday's treacle toffee, I didn't want to be the cause of anyone having a heart attack!

GreyQueen · 8 February 2015 at 11:59AM

Fuddle, bless your heart, you are a wife and mum of two and have a paid job, why they heck would you want to beat yourself up for not doing 'more' ?! You already do more than most, my lovely.

There are seasons in everyone's life, there may be a season in yours for gardening on a larger scale. Or there may not be, but life isn't a test. Heck, if it was there'd be proper life coaches, tests, exams and certificates. You wouldn't just land on the planet naked and screaming and being left to get on with it with only your family and a few hours in school each day. :rotfl:

Plants don't give a monkey's what you plant them in, so long as it's deep enough for their roots and there is drainage. I've seen things growing in the darnedest of places, sugar beet in a gutter two stories above ground, buddleias growing out of walls, life will always find a way. You can plant herbs in redudant washing up bowls and buckets, will some holes poked into the bottom for drainage. Or food cans, plastic milk bottles, old baskets, they won't care.

fuddle · 8 February 2015 at 12:20PM

Some one recently planted in milk containers, threaded a pole through the handle and voila, a vertical garden. I can't remember who now. It's an idea though. We do hav a trellis that hides the bins. I was going to grow an evergreen climber up there but as I type I'm having a rethink :rotfl:

Except I doubt the trellis will be strong enough as it's only supported by the fence on the right and 2x1 in the ground on the left. Hmmm :cool:

djjunk · 8 February 2015 at 12:35PM

Hello everyone,

Thanks for starting this thread and thanks for all your interesting contributions.

Here are some that I have been making, the past few weeks:
- Do not throw your old t-shirts, the ones you like with a nice funky design:
(no sewing involved)
http://www.mommypotamus.com/no-sew-t-shirt-tote-bag-tutorial/

the one I made I sew by hand and it took very little time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnRjkdLfxEQ

- Reusing milk bottles as storage:
http://ecogreenlove.com/2013/09/19/reusing-big-plastic-watermilk-bottles-jugs/

- Finally, my favourite. I am a keen cyclist and this will interest anyone who cycles. It is really easy to make:

http://heartymagazine.com/features/fashion-spread/bicycle-seat-cover-diy-hearty

Have a lovely Sunday.

janb5 · 8 February 2015 at 12:49PM

Hi Cheerfulness 4- what are you knitting on your circular needles- growing fast( as are the seeds!)

Hard_Up_Hester · 8 February 2015 at 1:22PM

So I was given this thing, I thought at first it was a table runner but it's too thick, it's also too big unless it's for a banqueting table. I think it's to go across the end of a bed, but I'm not certain.
It's padded, with alternate pieces of plain/quilted and a sort of dusty purple/pink, it's silky & slippery & a real bu66er to sew, I'm really selling this to you all aren't I.
Anyway after looking at it for a while & showing it to one of the DGD's we decided it would make a nice evening bag, actually it would make about 40 nice evening bags.
But we settled for making just one but with a matching purse, it turned out very well, DGD's delighted with it which is the most important thing. Oh and it was free, which is my favourite price, I was also given a set of kingsized cream silky bed-ware, I'm still trying to decide what to do with it!
I use poly cotton sheets, duvet covers & pillowcases, this is shams & ruffles & satin & lace & flounces, not my thing to sleep in, but hopefully I can think of a use for it.
Hester

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Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

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