I can be lost for hours in amongst my compost and pots and if I don't answer the phone I am probably in here:
Freegle is a great, great place to start (or Freecycle if that is what you have locally) to find items for your garden...
Like my gorgeous greenhouse which was put up at the weekend!
So I thought I would do my 10 ten tips for anyone new to the hobby!
#1. Don't buy more seed than you need! It is really easy to get over enthusiastic and buy tons of seed - work out what space you have and what you REALLY want to grow.
Find a friend that enjoys it too and split packets etc
#2. Go to your local dump! If it has a 'sale' area or a 'too good to throw' spot and check regularly to see what gardening items are left - so far this year I have got:
Fork, spade, adjustable rake, loads of tools, Tumbler composter, 3 china pots 30 plastic pots, fairy ornament, 2 metal hanging baskets
Total cost £3.50!
#3 Car Boot sales are an awesome source of plants, pots, tools and well anything you can think of!
It saves you loads of money when setting up and you get plants at a fraction of the cost of a nursery/garden centre!
#4 Make your own compost. You can make compost in all manner of containers from bags to buckets to large bins and wooden structures. I have 2 wormeries, 3 composters and a huge bag (the sort you fill instead of a skip) all cost me nothing to set up and the compost is AMAZING!
#5. WEED - I cannot stress this enough! Every weed you pull out is one less later in the season and is worth the effort. Do not just rotovate it all in, spend the prep time and dig it out and then dig it over again!
#6. Get your children growing! Even if you don't have a garden - Ev and I didn't until he was 5, we planted a lemon pip together when he was 2 and grew it in our flat kitchen, planted a few potatoes in a tub... he LOVED it and even though he just about acknowledges me going on about my veg now, hopefully one day he might try it again (he certainly eats more veg because of growing it when he was little) you could even just do cress on some kitchen roll!
#7. Mulch! I use all my Autumn leaves for mulch which helps to hold moisture and keeps weeds away. Make sure you investigate what trees you have and the best way to use them.
#8. Grow veg that cost a lot to buy. I worked out I saved an absolute fortune last summer just from the few varieties I grew. I love peppers, french beans and corn on the cob!
#9. Join a local gardening group or even an online forum. You will find a wealth of tips and knowledge and can swap/help each other no end! Which leads me on to my top tip....
#10. Seek out and make friends with the oldest gardener you can find - seriously hang out at your local allotment and TALK to them, they love passing on their tips and will willingly offer up any help they can!
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