The ups, the downs and the insides out of growing your own in 2026!

Farway

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81882877#Comment_81882877

It depends on the seeds TBH, some, like melons, tomatoes need more warmth than than say cabbages or marigolds

But generally if you are starting indoors, like a window sill, all should be fine. Your biggest enemy at this time of year is low light levels giving thin, drawn out straggly plants

If you cover with clear plastic bags that will keep draughts off, remove once growing a bit or you risk mould / damping off.

Have a look on YouTube as well

Makingabobor2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81883018#Comment_81883018

Thanks for that. So is it ok to move around the house as the sun moves? We only get sun in back windows for a bit in the morning at this time of year, then in front afternoon. Would my SAD lamp help with light levels?

Kantankrus_Mare

Well I've sown my first seeds of the season. Found some cayenne chilli pepper seeds in my stash and they are sitting in an unheated propagator on my table in the front window. This is normally the place that catches the most sun and warmth in the house but we all know the sun hasnt been seen much of late.

Was so excited to see one had actually germinated yesterday! No sign of any more but i will carry on and hope.

We live in a street with a school at the end of the road and I was intrigued to see some teachers with a lot of young children moving slowly down the street knocking on each door as they went. They eventually knocked on my door and gave me a coffee cup with a hyacinth planted in it.

The label said:

We have planted you this cup of kindness,

To give to you today,

All it needs is water and sunlight, to make it through the day.

Kind hearts are the garden,

Kind thoughts are the roots.

Kind thoughts are the flowers,

Kind deeds are the fruits.

The children in Year 1 have planted you a hyacinth, we hope this makes you smile!

What a lovely gesture and really made my day!!

Tattypud

Would love to join in the group please.

We get the keys to our first allotment in March - its going to need some work doing on it so not much is going to get planted this year but we have a few fruit bushes to move onto it which we've had growing in pots in the garden for a couple of years.

I've already had a chat with a few people who have allotments and it sounds like a group of them participate in swapping seeds and produce so hopefully there will be quite a variety of things we can trade throughout the year.

rtandon27

Aww - what a sweet story of your year 1's KM - I need a door to door hyacinth drop on my road! - such a sweet thing to do with the littles! We've had drawn xmas cards from our local pre-school but never a potted blub & poem.

Silvertabby

Heated propagators will be hauled into service this weekend for chillies, tomatoes and a couple of ornamentals that are slow starters. Including Maurandya 'Magic Dragon' climbing snapdragon (Plant World Seeds). I've grown this before, and it takes a long time to germinate, but then it's off faster than a Russian Vine !

The rest of my hardier annuals - sunflowers, marigolds (I'm a fan of Strawberry Blonde) cosmos, nasturtium, etc will be sown in my cold greenhouse from March onwards.

ancientmum

Happy Saturday everyone. I'm ashamed to say that I haven't sown anything yet but I sorted out my seed packets from last year and noted what I need to buy. So far visits to the allotment have consisted of filling up the dalek with kitchen compost, and checking on the gariic plants.

I've got family staying for a couple of days at half term, but after that I aim to get cracking planting seeds to (hopefully) germinate in the spare bedroom. I also need to prune the blackcurrant bushes and fig tree, so hoping for warmer, dryer weather.

Farway

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81883054#Comment_81883054

Be fine to move around the house, but main thing for germination is the ambient temperature, generally anything over 65F will do

Don't know about SAD lights, plants respond to specific colour ranges, for instance some growers use violet lighting, but it is specialised and using any old lamp may be a waste of time & money. Needs a bit of DYIR here, but could get more expensive than just buying plants in

Makingabobor2

Does anyone subscribe to the Gardeners World magazine? Keeps popping up on my FB time line and can't decide if it would be worth it or not.

KajiKita

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81888750#Comment_81888750

It depends a bit on how confident a gardener you are. In terms of content it’s no worse or better than any others in terms of advising you about skills and seasonal jobs. I find all gardening magazines much of a muchness these days … 🤷‍♀️ Mr KK got me a subscription to Gr0w your own - that’s not bad and comes with a fair dollop of free seeds.

KK