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The ups, the downs and the insides out of growing your own in 2026!
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Bad news there KM, but I think you have been "spoiled" over the years.
Every allotment I've had has had a hosepipe ban, none were allowed, at all, not even to top up a water tank / butt, so lugging a can of water was just one of those things that had to be done.
When an eel bites your bum, that's a Moray3 -
Yeah….I know Ive been lucky in the twenty years I have been down there and not every allotment plot supplies any water at all.
Been there all afternoon pottering and acquired a couple more water buts off an empty, not in use allotment. I like to call it recycling. 😉
Make £10 a Day Feb .....£75.... March... £65......April...£90.....May £20.....June £35.......July £605 -
I cleared out some space in the veg patch yesterday to get ready for transplanting the lettuce, and potted a couple more tomato plants on. Found a few potatoes chitting in a bucket in the garage so I planted those, too. The potatoes I threw onto the compost heap a while back have grown quite well, too.
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We have had hale here today so I have moved the seeds indoors to a windowsill for a few days. I am hoping the nicer weather will arrive for Easter but it is distinctly chilly out there today.
Interest beater challenge £365 for 2026 £180.01/£365
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We've had a big drop in temperature today too although I think it's mostly the chilly wind rather than the general temperature. There was no frost this morning, whereas earlier in the week we've had quite a lot of frost but it's felt warmer overall - go figure!
Sunflowers are now in the office - no heating out there but it serves them right for having started going leggy on the front room windowsill. Chillis, peppers and aubergines are poking through - and I think there was a physalis or two peeking through as well - those are a curiosity provided by Mum so we'll see how they go!
Weekend sowing was another batch of peppers (a purple sweet one) and plenty of sweet peas - we've had limited success with those over the last few years but I'm determined we'll get on better with them this year.
I've got my tomatoes on the list for next weekend - having remembered that we pushed everything back last year because of when we were going on holiday, and in fact stuff needs sowing rather earlier than the garden diary suggested! I think we've got 5 different varieties of toms for this year - with the "new to me" variety for the year being Masotka (?sp) - another cherry one. That said, I may give Moneymaker a rest for this year - I've got Roma and Alicante for salad versions. I may need to get some more sturdy seed trays too - the flimsy ones have done several years but are all now on their last legs!
The other job for the weekend is some proper planning I think - working out what will grow best, where! (And what we can then grow in among it!)
🎉 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 -
The weather has started to brighten up. What is everyone planting? I tried to propergate some early sprouts but I was met with a lot of failure. Strawberries didn't work, only a few Gem lettuce, cherry tomatoes and a few artichokes came up. I might need to buy a greenhouse, however im really pressed for space. Anyone got any ideas of greenhouse alternatives that are not those green tower shelf things you can buy?
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We also had some hale and temperature drop here in hertfordshire, but sun is shining today and Ms C has tidied the garden shed so ready to start.
Hi @cardtexpert , what kind of space do you have? Will the greenhouse be for propagating only or growing too?
I have some salad leaves ready to be sown in long planters at home. The greenhouse is ready for some more early sowing of radishes and baby leaves.
I need to fill up some raised beds with compost, but need to wait for payday next week.
Also going to try sowing herbs in pots for kitchen windowsill, something i am very bad at, but hey, another year another try!
It's good for the soul to walk with your soles on the soil.2 -
That's a decent shout actually - I cold get some indoor basil going to get us ahead of the curve on that, couldn't it.
We realised that we also have two packs of cress seeds which may as well get sown - that is another easy win! More jobs for 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/her2 -
I got one of those greenhouse/cold frame things. About 4' tall and has 2 shelves and a sliding door and the roof opens. Only had it a while, so no idea how I will get on with it, but seems good so far. Its like polycarbonate. Comes flat packed.
Making the debt go down and savings go up
LBM 2015 - debt £57K / Now £26,544....its going down
Mortgage Free December 9th 2024! 18mths ahead of schedule.Challenges
EF £750/3000
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Studies/surveys May...£245.56
Decluttering items 1400/2025. 306/2026
Books read 23 in 2025. 2026- 13 (target is 52)
Jigsaws done 20 in 2025. 3 this year.
My debt free diary...https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6396218/we-will-get-this-debt-d£own-the-savings-up2 -
Rhino do an upright 2 X 4 patio greenhouse. Looks lovely, and is a mini version of their full sized greenhouses. But it isn't cheap (£1.5K).
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