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The ups, the downs and the insides out of growing your own in 2026!
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I have my chilli and tomato seeds (plus a few ornamentals that seem to need a long time to germinate) in heated propagators in the conservatory. All seem to have germinated, but are some way from being potted on.
The propagators have clear lids, and the (eventual) potted on plants will go on the spare bedroom window sills until it's warm enough to put them into my (unheated) greenhouse.
The clear lids and the signs on the spare bedroom doors (Do not let the cat in !) are essential in a house with cats!
4 -
I'll have a look at the garden notebook tonight to see when we sowed things like chillies last year. We've just got standard seed trays with clear lids, but the stuff that needs a warm start will start out on the front room windowsill with cork mats underneath - that usually works quite well. Once they're through they'll move to the slightly less bright living room sill before then heading to the mini greenhouse (once we get it constructed!)
I need to review and establish what seeds we need as well.
🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her3 -
I hope you will chip in here with opinions and updates @bantamlady - several with a fair few years experience and several recent gardeners, but we are always interested in updates, views and challenges from others.
After at least four weeks of prevarication I bought another heated propagator and at last, planted tomato and chilli seeds. It is plugged in my greenhouse (which has yet to be cleaned out) slow progress is being made!
Mr Sl popped the shallot sets in adjacent to the garlic, in what was the asparagus bed until we hoicked it all out last autumn
Save £12k in 2026 #2 I have banked £9004.48 so far, against a £10k target The 2026 Save £12k in 2026 thread is here
OS Grocery Challenge in 2026 I am sticking with a £3000 annual budget for 2026 - currently £1111.79 and most of my May purchasing made
I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the grow your own in 2026 discussion thread
My keep within our budget diary is here3 -
I need to get seed compost and start some seeds going inside while I get on with cleaning the greenhouse!
3 -
I checked the garden book last night and it appears that this weekend last year was when we sowed peas - so we will most likely get those underway this weekend - the plan is for them to go in the long strip bed alongside the lawn - it IS where they were last year which I know is less ideal, but it suits them well and they'll fit nicely around the garlic that is also in there. Sadly all the cabbages that were also taking up space there have been nibbled by slugs and snails and aren't going to do anything much now.
I'll need to buy the first few bags of compost at some stage - plus we also need more of the wool pellets for slug deterring, and I want to add some vermiculite to the compost for seeds this year too so I'll see where is best for that too.
The other thing we're keeping an eye open for is more of the metal frames that Aldi had last year. We bought 4 of them then, and they've proved really useful as substitute trellis so the plan is to get a few more. MrEH did check what they had on Tuesday when he went in, but we'll have another look over the weekend.
🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her1 -
I'm probably going to sound combatative in print [genuine question though] but is there a reason you buy seed compost and not just use whatever you have to hand?
I've never used it, I have always used multi purpose or dirt from the garden or whatever I have on hand, I've not had anything specifically not grow in any of it.
Is there anything you would grow that you would absolutely not start off in anything else?
Non me fac calcitrare tuum culi1 -
I think the idea with specific seed compost is that it's finer, with better drainage and so gives your seeds the best start. I usually opt for standard as well but this year I'm planning on experimenting with augmenting it a bit…which brings me on to the question:
The compressed coir blocks that you rehydrate - anyone got any experience of using that, and if so, what's your viewpoint?
🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her2 -
I don't have any commercial compost at the moment, and I'm not planning on getting any yet. Seed compost comes in smaller bags so is easier to deal with in the house, plus doesn't require sieving so means I can get things done quickly on my work breaks. Any left over will be mixed with whatever commercial compost I get to mix with my homemade stuff when stuff goes into big pots in the greenhouse.
2 -
I'm using up some left over spent mushroom compost, just need to pick out the lumps first, but it seems to be working well. I did not get on with coir at all, found it tricky to get the watering right.
"It’s all about balance, do you see? Balance is the trick. Keep the balance and—” She stopped. “You’ve ridden on a seesaw? One end goes up, one end goes down. But the bit in the middle, right in the middle, that stays where it is. Upness and downness go right through it. Don’t matter how high or low the ends go, it keeps the balance.”3 -
seeds ordered - and astonishingly I didn’t go completely off piste!
two varieties of tomato - Minibel and Roma San Marzano - both on my shopping listCucumber Burpless Tasty - a favourite and also on the shopping list
Sweet pepper Purple Bell- bit of an impulse buy but I was looking for an additional sweet pepper to grow.
French bean Purple Queen - definitely an impulse buy, mainly because they will look fab alongside the favourite yellow dwarf beans!
Squash Tromboncino - been intending to grow these for the last few years
Black Cumin - saw it, had to try it!
Garlic chives - something else I had in mind that it would be good to have.
🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her3
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