Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend

themadvix

No beans here yet either Foxgloves. I've sown courgettes and squash but they've been in my unheated plastic (draughty) greenhouse since then and it's definitely been too cold for them to germinate. I may have to start again. In any case, it's definitely not too late! (My allotment friend offered me bean plants the other day - he's had an allotment for a year more than me, I thought he would have realised that they don't need starting yet).

foxgloves

@themadvix - I usually sow courgettes & squash mid-April & beans at the end of April so it isn't as if I'll be sowing a huge lot later this year. I can't usually plant them out until the end of May/beginning of June anyway, as it's usually too cold here & they just sulk.
You defo have time to re-sow if your seeds have rotted in the cold.
F

scandimore

I've just sown my courgette, squash and cucumber seeds last night and put them in my heated propagator. Praps a bit early but I left some seeds by in case of needing a re-do in a few weeks. Put my tomatoes in the greenhouse today for a bit of sunshine but will bring them in now. I like this bit of the year but it's always a bit hit and miss! Only peas and potatoes outside so far.

foxgloves

@scandimore - Courgettes & squashes will be fine as long as they don't go outside while temperatures are still too low. I usually start mine off in modules on greenhouse bench, but I think I will use my heated propagator this year as will be sowing them 3 weeks later than usual. As soon as the weather warms up, I think plants will catch up.
F

Makingabobor2

foxgloves said:

@makingabobor2 - Your veg plants will need hardening off first if they have so far only been indoors. This usually just involves standing them outside during the day & bringing them back under cover at night to get them used to the change in environment, otherwise it can be a bit of a shock to the system.
I haven't got any tomatoes outside yet. As for beans, courgettes & squash.....haven't even sown any yet! Decided to wait till we get back rather than have to worry about even more things stayin' alive!
F

I think my problem was that I was over eager. I am still quite a novice veggie gardener, only my 3rd year of doing it, and 1st year was a great success, but last year not so good.  I find growing everything from seed, too fiddly and as I don't have a green house (yet), I bought plants for courgettes, cues and tomatoes. Of course I saw them in the garden centre weeks ago on some super duper offer and bought them, not realising that they would get so big, before I was able to plant them out....still at least I have learnt from my mistakes....lol. 

Makingabobor2

But on a more positive note, I put some squash seeds in that I dried out from a,bought squash and they are sprouting ...very surprised at that....

foxgloves

@Makingabobor2 - You have quite a jungle there! That's what my greenhouse looks like! Yes, garden centres know people want to get cracking early & I often think they can be a bit naughty putting out tender veg & bedding plants so early. Often there'll be a sign next to teeny tiny bedding plant plugs saying 'Require protection until danger of frost has passed', but novice gardeners won't necessarily know that 'protection' means indoors or in a greenhouse - even an unheated greenhouse can still be too cold for tender stuff in March, as our weather is so variable.
It will be interesting to see what you get from the saved seeds. I was given some saved 'Guatemalan blue' squash seeds years ago from someone who used to post on here ages ago & I always save & dry some seeds each year to keep them going as they are lovely squash, like butternut inside, but a curious blue/greeny-grey on the outside & like massive rugby balls! With saved seed, you don't always get what you expect. If it was a specially bred hybrid variety of squash, you may well find that any fruits revert back to one of the parent plants, but this isn't always the case & I do enjoy the 'pot luck' element of saved seeds. They look nice sturdy little seedlings, so I look forward to seeing what you end up with!
F x

Makingabobor2

Thanks FG, I'll keep you up to date. I definitely want a greenhouse for next year. I knew these would have to go indoors, just didn't expect them to grow so quickly

foxgloves

Hello Diary Friends,
A massively busy day here at Foxgloves Manor. Things are just calming down now - Mr F is having half an hour of vanquishing aliens & I am thinking about a hair wash & painting my toenails. 
Anyway, the money saving bits have been:
*A very modest grocery shop at Waitbl00m which also included free latte, free food magazine & weekend paper & we were able to use a couple of money-off vouchers for items on our list.
*Watered all the veg, especially the young lettuces I planted out yesterday.
*Baked a crusty loaf, Cranks' country biscuits & an apple loaf cake.
*Mr F has had a go at all our boots with dubbin & plenty of elbow grease. Four pairs could do with replacing before too much longer but they are all looking much better now. Dubbin is such magic stuff. 
*Did a few minor budgetty bits.
*Did a few surveys.
*Emailed a complaint to a survey site as I do think it is a rip-off to collect an entire survey's worth of responses, then send a message saying 'It looks like you weren't a good match for this survey but we have given you 3 points'. If that is the case - & I do understand the concept of demographics - then they can make the decision much earlier in the process & not avail themselves of my opinions pretty much for free!
*Mr F took a small techy gizmo back to the shop today for an exchange as the 2 parts of the item did not fit together. Exchanged with no hassle as apparently the problem is known to them & several customers have been bringing them back...........which does rather beg the question of why, if they know this, they haven't checked current stocks & sent the not-fit-for-purpose ones back to the supplier. Ah well, he was pleased to have a replacement & was heading vaguely in that direction anyway.
Well, m'dears, that is the budget-helping bits for today. Off to have a lovely hair wash now, as shall soon be reaching the storybook witchy string stage. 
Still ridiculously cold. Grey all day with occasional added drizzle. I can't recall that we have seen the sun once. @Sun_Addict, who lives not that far from me as the crow flies, will be bloomin' glad she is off soaking up the sunshine! I have been through my packing pile (for much-anticipated big birthday UK holiday) & replaced a dress I wanted to take with a much warmer one, over which I can wear my big handknitted fisherman's gansey if required! Even Mr F is taking what he calls his 'big coat' (though you or I would just call it 'a coat') & 2 thick hoodies!
Shall be lighting the stove tonight, I think.
Love to all,
F x

Makingabobor2

It is ridiculously cold isn't it? I can't believe I resorted to putting the heat on about an hour ago. I also had a problem like that with a survey today, except mine got all the way through and I thought I was being paid and then it said, "sorry the survey is  closed"!  After I had answered every question as well. I did report it, but probably won't hear anything.