Botanical blunderings on a budget - good life starts here.

EssexHebridean

If it helps any, when we had our holidays a few weeks back we covered somewhere about 2400 miles, and it cost us around £280 in diesel I reckon. But of course that IS diesel, and the vehicle concerned does do higher miles per gallon that your car does I think Pips. Certainly though the idea of taking the car over wheezing on fumes and filling up on the mainland, and then taking it back across again as full as a full thing is an excellent one - with the difference in prices it will make at least a bit of a dent in your costs for the first bit you're back as well.

Are you going to be doing a stock up to the Stripey Socks Shop again?! If so remember to start noting stuff now, then you will have time to research properly what it is worth carrying back and what it's not.

Triciaxx

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

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I would shuffle back into lurkdom, but I want to ask you something else!!!!!! :rotfl:


You mentioned about growing fruit at home. When we went off for a little sojourn to the coast last month, we came across a roadside stall and they were selling 'wonderberry' plants. They were only 50p, I had no idea what they were, but the label said, 'Wonderberry - produces sweet blackcurrant like fruits for cooking'. So I bought one. Googled it when I got home and found out its parentage :eek:

So, what I'm wondering is, IF I don't manage to kill off the plant, and IF it doesn't manage to kill off me shall I save you some seed? I'm not too sure if the plant is wind proof, but if I ever get seed off it, you'll of got an extension to your polytunnel by then, so could give it a whirl! :rotfl: The plant does resemble a blackcurrant to be fair - although I do think it looks more like an aubergine plant currently as it's quite small.

Not too sure that this has been a terribly useful post!!

Greying

The wonderberry (also known as the sunberry) is not frost hardy and needs similar conditions to tomatoes. I have grown it in years gone by but decided it was not really worth the effort. It was developed by Luther Burbank (bows to his memory) who also developed the Russet Burbank potato - I could go on but just did a wiki search so you can get more info than you really want. It is here.

Note to Pippi : it grows OK on windowsills. :rotfl::rotfl:

Pippilongstocking

Thank you guys

Greying very helpful! I'd calculated the petrol on £1.50 ltr and only getting 8 miles per litre - which is the price here DOH and what my car does on country roads - is it cheaper with you guys? Also I'd thought that I'd get the petrol from tesco - get CC points and indirectly get our magazine subbies for xmas. Thank you for that hadn't figured that one!

Oh yes please to some seeds - off to google that in a mo!

EH I was desperately hoping to do a stripey sock shop - good plano the list again - but money is tighter than a badgers whotsit - so I need to fathom that one.

At work today I've been given a tunnel to use for a project. If I was a bit bold and asked VERY nicely - maybe I could use a bit of space at work for my home/plant glut at the mo - and put off buying the tunnel cover for a month or two which would free the money for the socks shop. IYswim

Pippilongstocking

Triciaxx wrote: »

The wonderberry (also known as the sunberry) is not frost hardy and needs similar conditions to tomatoes. I have grown it in years gone by but decided it was not really worth the effort. It was developed by Luther Burbank (bows to his memory) who also developed the Russet Burbank potato - I could go on but just did a wiki search so you can get more info than you really want. It is here.

Note to Pippi : it grows OK on windowsills. :rotfl::rotfl:

Are you my secret botanical twin ????????????????????

and thank you about the OK on windowsill bit well remembered my tomatoes are taking over the house!

My cucumber about to be able to cut the first fruit yippee, not bad for a windowsill - while out there - everything is shredded to bits.

Greying_Pilgrim

Pippi - I can always check for you what price the supermarket petrol is here, but perhaps if someone is sort of 'on your route' and could give you the heads up for the general area that you'll be in, then that might be more useful, but I think we're talking at least 10p a litre cheaper. Probably worth exploring further anyway. Totally agree with the Tesco points angle - moneysaving on hols -yay!


Yay! to stop gap potential of the polytunnel at work too. I'm sure with your determination, and the collective creative thinking of 'Team Stripes' you'll have a hols and a polytunnel in perfect synchronisation!


Tricia - thanks for the detailed info regarding the wonderberry - I seem to remember not getting past the 'deadly nightshade' bit before wondering what I'd squandered 50p on! However, I must of read something more, because I was fascinated that a relatively small plant could produce fruit - and you're quite right, absolute windowsill potential! I will start treating the plant much better, it has thus far been thriving on neglect!


Greying

Lemon_Tree

you could always try and find out post codes of the rough area you're going to and then check out petroprices.com (i think that's the site - Martin mentions it)

Starnac my dad hasn't had a fit like that before but that's what the Dr said it was likely to be, we're certainly hopeful that it isn't the case it's not something he needs on top of everything else.

MrsMoo2U

unixgirluk wrote: »

Morning All, having a chuckle to myself (I've not lost it I promise) was singing in the car (some good songs on the radio) and got some very strange looks....... oh well

:j:j:j Good times in life are really free!

Lemon_Tree wrote: »

you could always try and find out post codes of the rough area you're going to and then check out petroprices.com (i think that's the site - Martin mentions it)
I was going to suggest this. Also I wondered if when Mr Stripes comes over could he bring a billy can of petrol?

Evening all.
Met the Queen and Prince Phillip, Prince Caharles and Camilla today. Very exciting. Talked about organic farming with Cahrles Pippi, I knew that you would be interested in that.

Watching Springwatch whilst in the hotel room. Feel very homesick as they are down the road from my home.
Antiques Roadshow are there on Thursday too.

Pippilongstocking

Thank you LT and Greying I don't use sites like that normally as theres no point here!

But, I can when I'm 'sooth' - only getting down as far as Nrth Lincs but for me thats about 600+ miles away Given up on a house sitter emailed around today but probably won't come to much (teach me for not being more organised) and will ask the boy across the field again.

I hope all is OK LT xx

Pippilongstocking

cherisong wrote: »

:j:j:j
Evening all.
Met the Queen and Prince Phillip, Prince Caharles and Camilla today. Very exciting. Talked about organic farming with Cahrles Pippi, I knew that you would be interested in that.

Watching Springwatch whilst in the hotel room. Feel very homesick as they are down the road from my home.
Antiques Roadshow are there on Thursday too.

Well cheri - I'm impressed he's a very good gardener.

Bah to feeling homesick (()) hope you're OK xx

MrsMoo2U

Thanks Pippi, I am home tomorrow so I will cope.
I agree a very good gardener. He was also fairly tanned, and such a lovely, lovely man. My group was part of the Princes Trust too so he was really pleased to meet them. Camilla was stunning by the way, simply stunning and a truly mischievous glint in her eye. They are definitely soul mates too it is in the very fibre of them as they walk along together.