2024 Frugal Living Challenge

Katiehound

You need to wash leeks thoroughly (even shop bought ones!) Just cut through vertically, fan out and wash under a running tap. You probably only need to slice to about halfway down- it should be obvious from mud etc.

I think you need to concentrate on bog standard herbs because they are far more likely to be tougher & used to UK climate. Things like parsley, sage, coriander, thyme, & rosemary should grow easily outside.  If it more of a tropical plant it will need warmer, sunnier conditions (or a heated greenhouse) so personally I wouldn't waste the money. I can't even keep basil alive- just buy a pot in the supermarket now & again.
If your house is cold I wonder if wrapping the remaining plants with some bubble wrap would work? Most plants like good light so you might try a north or east facing window.

i think you need to concentrate on a couple of projects rather than spreading yourself thinly!

You can bulk out meals with pulses, eggs, cheese- you don't need massive amounts of meat. Sounds like you are catering for a fussy eater!! have a look at Jamie's £1 meals

Cas

Hello Glittering_M 

I understand where your partner’s coming from as that was my horror growing up since my Dad grew all the basics we needed. Caterpillars or baby slugs on my plate were too a common sight for my liking! Part of the reason I started growing my own potatoes was we seemed to have too many supermarket ones that started sprouting quickly or were black inside and only last night I cut open a supermarket potato only to find it was damaged inside. You could always try growing them and serving them as mash so that you know there’s nothing untoward in them. 

I’m not much of a gardener so I’m hoping to learn from my green fingered Dad this year. Tender plants are no use in my hands and keeping basil alive on the windowsill is the best I can managed!  Supermarket bought coriander is an absolute no no, it barely stays alive long enough for me to chuck it in my curries!  I also need a fruit cage too and I think we could DIY it ourselves using the back of the potting shed, some posts and netting. 

I made my own salve last year using plantain which grows everywhere along one of the old farm tracks nearby, macerated it in some olive oil and then added in strained oil into some melted beeswax and cocoa butter before poring it into jars.  There’s lots of easy recipes online. 

From someone that’s been there then don’t spread yourself too thin. If it’s something that you’re interested in or something that you must do then concentrate on those. My mantra when things got tough was “not my circus not my monkeys” as I was fed up getting dragged into everyone else’s dramas although I’m sympathetic and helpful where it warrants it.  Being outdoors was also my salvation. I love wandering the countryside near our house with the dog or pottering around in the garden, I find it very therapeutic.  You’re right about making a list as I find doing that keeps me focused on what I need to do.  And people on this particular thread are very friendly and supportive!

Glittering_M

Thanks @Cas and @Katiehound (not sure if the tagging is working).

Sorry, should have mentioned, Rosemary, Thyme, lavender, sage, lemon balm and various mints are all growing well here outdoors. I got African basil as it's perennial and meant to pollinator friendly but less helpful when it is dead... I've had mixed success with coriander both from seed and from dividing shop bought ones.

Strangely the Kaffir lime plant is happy enough indoors. This is it's second year I think and it lives indoors all year bar occasionally going out in summer. My rationale was the other tender plants would probably want similar conditions so they'd do ok, but no. It isn't a big one. The plants are already partially wrapped and in windows that are north and south facing respectively which is all we have. May try and move them all to North facing.I wonder if a grow light would help with the remaining ones. 

Will have a look at Jamie's £1 meals, thank you. My partner isn't fussy really, I think he make him sound worse than he is, he just likes meat and having the veg peeled. Whereas I like the skin, e.g on potatoes as my understanding is that is where a lot of nutrition is. 

When I get a moment, I'm going to make myself a list of things that I do and identify which ones give me some benefit and what my limits are. I can do this for things like working out plants too! 

Mummy2cheekymonkeys

I dont know if this will be of any use to anyone but my husband does a lot of gardening and as we have young children and no green house, when he wants to start of seedlings he plants them up in the seed trays and then pops them in the car during the day. It works very well as a makeshift greenhouse. Just keep an eye on them incase the weather turns too warm as you dont want to cook them. He normally brings them back in the house overnight. He's done it for a few years now and it works really well.

suzeesu2000

Mummy2cheekymonkeys said:

I dont know if this will be of any use to anyone but my husband does a lot of gardening and as we have young children and no green house, when he wants to start of seedlings he plants them up in the seed trays and then pops them in the car during the day. It works very well as a makeshift greenhouse. Just keep an eye on them incase the weather turns too warm as you dont want to cook them. He normally brings them back in the house overnight. He's done it for a few years now and it works really well.

What a brilliant idea. I don’t have a car but if I did I would do that. 

I’ve got grow lights for the first time this year as my kitchen - the only place I can start my seeds - isn’t very bright. I’m hoping the improved lights will improve the germination and growth. We shall see.

Bluegreen143

Grow lights may be ok for a short time for starting seeds. But in terms of gardening for frugalality, you will spend more on electricity using them to nurture tender plants over their lifespans than you’ll make back by growing the food (not to mention the cost of buying them). 

If you’re growing for the experience and for having your own organic produce you may not mind if you don’t save money overall but I know money is very tight for many and electricity bills already difficult to afford so I thought it was worth pointing out. 

fionaandphil

@Glittering_M I find that tomatoes don't grow well outside here in Lancashire.  I had some extras last year and planted them in the sunny and protected garden but they only produced about 5 tomatoes.  The ones in the greenhouse were producing 5 times that each and every day, with the result that we are still using them now!  I made some into pasta sauce and froze them flat and the rest I put in the dehydrator and then into jars with oil.  Somehow it makes the winter seem brighter with the thought that these came from our sunny times!

I have some little grow trays with a plastic top that I start my seeds off in and put it on windowsill in the kitchen which is light but not sunny.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I would wait until early March as it is warming up then and they seem to germinate better then.  If you haven't got any of these, start off using old yoghurt or fruit tubs and make yourself some.  When I have lots to sow I use the clear trays the fruit comes in as a cover and this keeps them from getting too cold.

I've also heard that we are going to have problems with potatoes this year.  I did plant some sprouted ones before Christmas but they have disappeared - they may regrow in spring?!

otb666

I also have a hubby who likes peeled vegetables and meat. He uses muslefood once a month and batches meat up in freezer.  Then does his own food in airfryer although he is retired and newly diagnosed with Diabetes I am happy to let him sort his own food now.  I do my own soups and salads and this works well for us.  

Glittering_M

I have considered leaving him to it but the problem is , I get jealous and I feel like he is having nice things and I'm not. When I'm only not having meat because I don't feel great if I eat a lot and cost. 

Wraithlady

Can I add chives to the list of 'herbs that can cope with the British climate' - I have one which I rescued from the RFQS section of a supermarket, being half-dead and terminally pot-bound to the extent I couldn't actually split it in two completely.

As it was only 50p, I planted it outside in a large terracotta pot, gave it a good water and expected it to die.

That was 4 years ago - it dies back in winter, but come Spring it gets going again. It probably needs dividing again now, but given it's hard start in life I have had more than my money's worth out of it.