How to save money in the garden
We may be just about escaping the worst ravages of the global recession but every magazine column you read these days - whether it's cooking, decorating or holidaying - seems to have a money-saving twist.
Gardening doesn't seem exempt from the austerity chic that is gripping the planet, but it is a little ironic because out of all life's little pleasures gardening has, and always will be, one of the least expensive but most healthy pastimes you can pursue.
As the move towards "slow food", where we are encouraged to grow and make our own, the secret lies in a return to the basics of gardening - taking pleasure in the process of growth and form your own magical haven off low cost, rather than seeking an instant product purchased outside of the ankle.
A lot of money saving tips, however, appear to have been invented by people with unlimited time on their hands. I recently read someone's advice to save money on buying bone meal was to cook and grind your own chicken skeletons.
So here are my best thrifty tips. Many gardeners will be doing these already as a matter of course but beginners might be happy to discover that most of the biggest money-savers are good for the planet, can save you time, and in adopting them you might just catch the gardening bug that bit quicker.
Plants
Most shrubs and trees will establish more quickly and grow away faster if you buy smaller specimens rather than splashing out on instant-effect monsters.
Perennials and bulbs rather than bedding plants are much better value because they last from one year to the next and can, in most cases be propagated by digging them up and chopping into pieces. If you do like the show of bedding plants it's much more satisfying to grow them yourself from seed.
The same is true of vegetables. Herbs like parsley, dill and coriander grow much better sown direct rather than being transplanted from pots. Tomatoes, beans, leeks and courgettes are child's play from seed too and it's criminal to buy carrots in a punnet when a packet sown yourself will produce 10 times the crop.
Slopes
Budding designers have a tendency to get overexcited about terracing and formalise slopes using expensive retaining walls and gabions. In nature you will notice that plants enjoy the natural drainage of a slope and have no preference to grow on the level.
How To Grow Leeks - News
Otherwise pick up a couple of pots of leek seedlings at the garden centre. Try to buy the tallest ones you can find. Separate the leeks by gently shaking and pulling the roots apart. Make sure they don't dry out while you are planting.
Herbs like parsley, dill and coriander grow much better sown direct rather than being transplanted from pots. Tomatoes, beans, leeks and courgettes are child's play from seed too and it's criminal to buy carrots in a punnet when a packet sown yourself
The swathe of planting included jasmine, verbena, verbascum, the wild garlic tulbaghia, round-headed leeks and the delightful little rose, Long John Silver, to name but a few. Something to take home, apart from a wealth of garlic knowledge and planting
Remember the fish we ate in Egypt for free, cucumbers, watermelons, leeks, onions and garlic?” (Numbers 11:4, 5). To a fed-up Moses' surprise, God tells him that the solution would come by choosing 70 men from the elders. I am not suggesting that this
Mulch celery with seaweed, brassicas with torn-up comfrey leaves and mound up leeks. Again make sure your soil is not soaking wet. * Seed potatoes can be sprouted in trays in preparation for early planting. Try doing this on a windowsill or in a cold
How To Grow Leeks, Growing Leeks
I’m growing a traditional, hardy and popular variety of leek called ‘ Musselburgh ‘.
Like many of my veggies, this is the first time I’ve grown this variety and they were planted out on the 1st May.
This is a little late but my bird netting wasn’t in place around the veg plot soon enough and I didn’t want to lose my precious produce!
Sowing LeeksYou should plant leeks into well drained soil and they prefer a sunny spot (or partly shaded).
They like plenty of compost /manure. Early on in the year I spent several days wheeling barrow loads of manure (from a friend’s farm) through my village to mix into my soil. It’ll pay dividends even though it was back-breaking work!
Leeks can follow on from early potatoes and peas, but I’ve not done this as my spuds are all in buckets and containers.
Growing LeeksThe seedlings should be planted 6x15 inches apart in 6 inch deep holes. I planted my leeks from seed so they’ll most likely take longer to harvest.
It’s best to pile up the earth round the young stems to support them (and in my windy garden it’s a must!).
Once picked, they don’t last very long. However, they will last almost into the Winter if you leave them in the ground, so there’s no rush. Simply pick them when you think they look big enough and you need some for your cooking!
How To Grow Leeks - Bookshelf
Midland florist and suburban horticulturist, a handbook for the amateur and florist
How to Grow Leeks for Exhibition. — I have been a reader of your valuable work from its commencement, and from it I have obtained good information, ...How to Grow Practically Everything
Leeks Grow leeks as part of a crop rotation because they will quickly succumb to diseases if replanted in the same spot year after year. ...The Vegetable Gardener's Container Bible, How to Grow a Bounty of Food in Pots, Tubs, and Other Containers
In addition to plenty of food and water, leeks need as much time as they can get to bask in the sun. PICK YOUR POT I like to grow leeks in a large ...Foods Jesus Ate and How to Grow Them
Dig in and plant leek seeds at a rate of 8 to 10 seeds per linear foot and cover them 1/2 inch deep with soil. If temperatures are high, cover seeds with ...Grow Vegetables
Where to plant Leeks are not particularly fussy, though they grow best in deep soil that has had lots of well-rotted compost or manure dug into ...Casual Info Directory
How to Grow Leeks - Vegetable Gardener
Abigail Wiscombe tells how to enjoy an ample supply of them from late summer through ... Once leeks start growing, hill them up every 2 weeks to get more of the white part. ...
How to Grow Leeks | eHow.com
How to Grow Leeks. Leeks are flavorful, nutritious and easier to digest than their onion cousins. They're also easy to grow, tolerant of cold weather ...
How to Grow Leeks
Also note they take nearly six months to grow, but are well worth the effort. Read my easy to follow guide on growing Leeks and then visit my web site for ...
How to Grow Leeks :: Harvest to Table
Leeks are often grown from transplants. Start leeks indoors and set them into the garden in early spring 4 to 6 weeks before the last average...
How To Grow Leeks
Leeks grow well in a cool climate, requiring a long growth period of 120 to 170 ... You should start Leeks indoors and plant them in the garden in early spring 4 to ...