Winter sowing advice. Wanting to get a head start for a productive garden next year.

Jjah

Fab tips, twopenny!  Cheers muchly
Great find on the seed sale too!  
I am hoping that my local Wilkos will have some early seed potatoes in this week as they already have the seed packets out.

By the way, I thought of you earlier!  I was reading a blog which mentioned food hedges ('fedges').  It's basically bushes that bear edible fruit used as a perimeter so that you harvest from within but foraging wildlife can also benefit from the exterior.

I couldn't remember how you sectioned off the badger run but it was like a really nice idea

MovingForwards

Thanks Twopenny, purple sprouting are part of my seed collection!

Jjah, I used normal shop spuds, chitting 7 in total and growing them in the £1 supermarket bags; I've kept the small ones which I grew, for next year. A few random spud plants popped up in the garden and they provided me with baking spuds.

I'm doing what I've wanted to do for years, take that step into self-sufficiency.

Farway

MovingForwards said:

Thanks Twopenny, purple sprouting are part of my seed collection!

A second for PSB, I used to grow it years back on my allotment, way before it was an epicure posh cheffy veg

Needs a very long growing season so if you've not grown it before bear in mind it will occupy a space from summer way into next spring

Jjah

MovingForwards 

Jjah, I used normal shop spuds, chitting 7 in total and growing them in the £1 supermarket bags; I've kept the small ones which I grew, for next year. 

Cheers! I've now popped some of the 14p spuds that were in my salad drawer in the window just in case.  They have little tiny eyes on them so they may chit.  If not, it's hardly been an expensive loss

The step into self sufficiency is very empowering.  It is regaining some control again.  

silverwhistle

MovingForwards said:

We have a proper compost bin and I'm tempted to buy two more, then I stand a chance of having enough each year.

Noo! :-) When I got my allotment last year the first thing I built was a two bay compost bin from free pallets with a bit of tarp over the top for warmth and shelter, which the slow worms appreciate for the shade in summer. I've since been passed on a free dalek, which I intend to move around from year to year after lifting it off and spreading the contents. Home to a mouse nest at the moment but at least they keep it aerated. One of those hot composters would be great (and expensive) but overall it is an area where you can save on costs.

Black_Cat2

A free dalek sw?  I don't think the Doctor Who special has aired yet... if you have one does that mean they were defeated? *spoiler alert* lol 😜

MovingForwards

I live in an area pallets are not freely available, they also don't fit in my small car.
My OH got the compost bin, set up the builders sack compost bin and the leaf builders sack bin.

I'm on the waiting list for an allotment, which is a few minutes walk away from my home; hopefully within the next 10 years I will secure one.

Jjah

Pallets don't got in my car either MF sadly.  I could do with fair few later in the year.

Good news for those wanting early seed potatoes!  Home bargains have a good selection for 99p per 8 seeds