Are you keen on the idea of growing your own vegetables, but not really sure where to start? This vegetable gardening for beginners guide is a great first step on your grow your own journey! Growing your own fruit and veg is a brilliant way to become less reliant on shop-bought produce, and of course it's also a fantastic way to keep busy in the garden and get the kids involved too. Having said that, some fruit and vegetables are much easier ...
55 easy grow your own tips, ideas and resources for beginners
Are you keen on the idea of growing your own fruit and veg, but a bit daunted about how to do it? Whatever garden space you've got, there's potential to grow and enjoy fresh fruit and veg - and you don't have to be a gardening pro to do it! Easy grow your own tips and resources I've rounded up a bumper selection of easy grow your own ideas, tips and resources, suited to all sizes of gardens and perfect for getting started with growing your ...
Planting Calendar: what to plant month by month
Welcome to your one-stop planting calendar for what to plant each month! Click on the relevant link to see my top picks for what to plant each month, including flowers, fruit, vegetables and bulbs. Your one-stop planting calendar What to plant in January What to plant in February What to plant in March What to plant in April What to plant in May What to plant in June What to plant in July What to plant in ...
5 fun, low-cost family days out
Collaborative post The school holidays are almost upon us - are you ready?! I really look forward to having some much-needed downtime as a family at this time of year; everyone is usually pretty frazzled by the time we get to the end of term! But that doesn’t mean we’re going to sit around getting bored this summer; we’ve got a camping trip planned, and we’ll definitely be heading off on a few family days out. You probably know ...
What to plant now – January
If you’re anything like me, by January you’ll have had enough of being content with looking forward to sunnier days and will be longing to get outside and plant something. I dearly love the whole process of coaxing plants into life and it feels like an age since I last pushed a seed into some earth and willed it to grow. I think I have the gardening equivalent of itchy feet! To satisfy my cravings I’ve been looking at what will actually ...
9. The 10 minute gardener: quick gardening jobs for early Autumn
Welcome to the latest post in this series, looking at quick gardening jobs you can fit into a busy schedule. Now that autumn has arrived things feel like they’re slowing down in the garden; plants are starting to shut down, lots of crops are coming to an end, and leaves are starting to fall. This doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do this month though, there are lots of quick jobs you can make a start on to prepare your garden for ...
8. The 10 minute gardener: quick gardening jobs for late Summer
Welcome to the 10 minute gardener for late summer, looking at quick gardening jobs you can fit into a busy schedule. We’re at that stage of summer where all the hard work in the garden should be really paying off, in the form of healthy plants and lots of flowers to enjoy. I think this part of the year is actually quite lazy, with an emphasis on sitting back and enjoying the view, but there are still a few jobs that are worth ticking off the ...
Review: First Tunnels Mini Polytunnel
If you grow your own fruit and vegetables on any scale, you're probably familiar with trying to keep pests away from your precious crops. Caterpillars, birds, slugs and snails... there's a seemingly endless list of hungry garden visitors who will happily feast on your plants and crops given the chance. And while I actively encourage local wildlife to visit our garden and allotment, I do want to enjoy some produce myself too! Some crops are ...
Great gardening ideas with wilko
So, spring is finally underway and we’re all starting to enjoy more time in the garden. Are you planning any projects to spruce up your outdoor space? My list of garden jobs seems to be getting longer every day; I’ve got borders to tidy up, seeds to sow, a lawn to revive, a shed to paint, and a whole allotment to reclaim from the weeds. We're going to be busy! To help me tackle my to do list, I’ve been checking out the range of garden and ...
Tips for preserving your homegrown harvest
Whether you have an allotment, a small vegetable patch, or a couple of fruit trees in your conservatory, it's great to be able to preserve what you grow. Preserving what you grow means that you can enjoy nutritious food year-round, and keep your food bill under control. The problem is that it can be hard to find enough time to get everything done while the fruit and vegetables are still fresh enough to work with. All too often, everything ...