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seed sowing. My sowing list includes greenhouse tomatoes, chillies and sweet peppers, plus a few half-hardy bedding varieties – all plants that benefit from early sowing and a long growing season.My plan for the week involves something of a spring clean

Growing vegetables from seed can make a limited budget go a long way. Some crops, such as maincrop potatoes and onions are fairly cheap to buy in shops, so growing your own might not save you a lot of money. But runner bean, cherry tomato

in the kettle after making my first brew of the day to melt them. The bracing cold also helps to wake me up! (Note to self: add thermal pyjamas to my Christmas list).6. Complete seed order before ChristmasMy neat pile of 2013 seed catalogues is sitting next

regularly, particularly during the summer, make sure it’s easy to get to and as near to the house as possible. Whether your visits are for daily watering, opening and shutting doors and vents, or just nipping in to pick a few tomatoes for your lunch, you

matting sheet, or use old carpet or old cotton sheets to prevent weeds – cut holes to plant through. This is useful for crops of sweetcorn, outdoor tomatoes, courgettes, pumpkins and squashes.Tips on saving effortUse mulchesSow rows of seeds straight

such as runner beans over arches, on trellis or fences. Use tubs on balconies and paved areas for tomatoes, courgettes or peppers. Grow herbs in hanging baskets, and salad leaves and herbs in troughs. The biggest jobs when growing this way are watering and liquid