Low cost startup tools and plants etc

fay66

I went to B&M Bargains today and picked up some good deals.
Ive just started out,.
1 Garden Fork £3.99
1 Hoe £2.99
Plastic pots from £1.49 to £1.99
Compost 79p small bag and £1,99 large thought id try two makes.
Grow bags 99p
Raspberry, blueberry, gooseberry, black currant and black berry all £1.49 each
Chitted potatoes £1,69 for 10
Plastic green house quite big £19,99 walk in except there is now a tiny rip so will have to tape thats the down side
Seed pots x 5 £1.00 for seedlings
Miracle grow organic £2,99
bone mulch for ground £1,99
Thought was quite good
Also from freecycle got some really good seeds today, wondering if there will be a seed swap on here sooner or later? Planted dwarf beans, cherry toms in seed pots, and carrots,, Got onions in cotainers and garlic there were about £1.69 in b&m a pack
Going to put potatoes in empty compost bag read up on a link in here on allotments, so wont need to pay for potato grow bags
just wouldnt mind some tomato plants and strawberry for the hanging baskets.
Im well pleased
Going to dig a patch in the garden next for lettuce

olly300

Asking for a seed swap has been done to death.

It's not allowed use other sites like this: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/seed-swap/ , use freecycle or find a local one.

Linda32

I bet you are pleased, they all look good, enjoy :T

fay66

yes i am thanks olly i did look at 3 links on here and were all miles away down cornwall . im in the midlands

fay66

thanks a good seed swap site. thought id write the tools down because they are such good prices i even got some fence slots for my patio area for £2.49 each cane so the bark doesnt keep going on to the path from my loving labrador...
thanks for all the tips . .the easy to grow veg is invaluable

olly300

fay66 wrote: »

yes i am thanks olly i did look at 3 links on here and were all miles away down cornwall . im in the midlands

Then you are going to have to offer and ask on growyourown and use the post.

lesley1960

I think you need more then one blueberry for pollination?

Lotus-eater

Cheap tools are often a false economy, if it costs you £5 and lasts 2 years, yet another one costs you £20 and lasts 20 years, you can see which is the better value.
Not only that, but the better tools are generally better and easier on your body, to use.
I still get caught out now and again and get overwhelmed into buying rubbish and without doubt, I regret it every time.

Buy the basics, but buy good ones. As you find you need other tools, ask for them for presents and build your tool set up slowly. You will also find you change the way you think about tools and change what you think you need.

Of course if you are in doubt that you are going to continue gardening, then maybe the cheap ones aren't that bad to get you started and see if you like it.
But the first time you have a tool bend, break or make your life a misery because it just doesn't work as it should do, you will regret buying a cheap one.

melanie22_2

I came here to write exactly what Lotus eater wrote. I got a gardening tool set from argos. 5 pieces for £25. The spade broke on day one and the fork broke on day two. I then went and spent £12 on a 10 year guarantee fork and thats still going. Nuff said me thinks

Hey good luck though. Its painful spending a lot of money on tools when you can get much cheaper ones which look the same.

fay66

Honest been digging all day x except the greenhouse the plastic split already

ixwood

For people that mostly do "light" work with tools and just dig the odd hole for planting, cheap tools aren't so bad. I'd expect even a cheap spade or fork to last me many years.

For heavier use, a cheap alternative to the more expensive new ones, is 2nd hand. I find it's the older the better. They really did make things better. Tip shops, sorry, I mean recycling centre shops are full of good quality robust tools.

Alternatively, review the way you garden and change the way you do things to remove/reduce the hard work.