It’s competition time!!! Win a copy of Dave’s new book

[leafy1greens]

I bought some tomato plants online last year, packed in a green plastic root trainer pack. It had a black plastic insert where the toms could be planted.Liked it, cleaned it, saved it. This year I found some old tomato seed, sprouted some on wet tissue, found it still viable. Repotted seeds into plastic rootrainer. Hopefully will get well rooted plants in a recycled container. Apart from compost cost, nearly free plants.

[Dave]

I can see already this is going to be tough to judge - it's not even been a couple of days! Good to see some photos coming through and it looks like Luxembourg got lucky having you move there Radu!

Ginpan ignore my earlier post - a few lines is fine. Good tip about the restaurant food barrels, they get a mention in the book too!

Mike - thanks for dealing with the virus questions and glad you like the book!

[dustydave]

I visit my local tescos to buy reduced organic veggies, then use the seeds from the fruit to plant. It works well because the seeds have not been treated and are also a lot cheaper than buying from seed suppliers I also planted some maize this year and got the maisze seed from a fishing shop (80% germinatio rate). I also have a very useful soil sieve that i got from Tescos

[PossibleBoris]

I'm an advocate of using the plastic pop bottles around the garden.

I use the silk ties from the Mrs' clothes - the loopy things to hang a dress onto hangers - as ties for plants. They're smooth on the surface of the plants, but strong enough to hold in place. Once no longer needed I put them away and re-use next time.

Paper recycling bags to plant potato's in.

Growing comfrey to use a fertiliser.....I'm all out now

[AngeB]

Spuds for life! 8x40p bags for life (£3.20), 26 seedpotatoes £2.49, compost £0 from community compost (though I did donate £1)
Fresh potato salad in summer = priceless!

[yvette]

My gardening tip to save money - when seed packet invites you to sew seed and then thin out, don't! Tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes cucumbers etc can all be planted individually from the start, in modules or yoghourt pots. You don't waste a single seed. Later, sell surplus plants and make a bit of cash too.
Yvette

[chuck_n_grace]

Chuck and Grace's Idea

Problem: We waste a lot of fairly clean water in the kitchen: e.g. rinsing veggies, dumping a pan of water used for boiling eggs, getting a drink of water at the sink...drinking some... and dumping out what we don't use, etc.

Solution (idea):
1. Most kitchens have a window facing the outdoors right above the sink. Place a container outside below the kitchen window.
2. Cut a small length of board as wide as the window, about 2" tall, 1" thick.
3. Drill a single 3/4" hole through the board.
4. Paint to match kitchen colors if desired.
5. Install the board into the window frame at the bottom, so the top portion can close. (we have those tiny security locks in each window, so the board height is low enough to install and lock).
6. Choose a plastic flexible long tipped 'funnel' and place into the hole. The length should stick out far enough to rest over the outside container. (another container and tubing will work just as well).
7. Pour water (no soap, grease, etc) into the funnel. It should pour into the outside container.

Tips:
1. Add a small screen mesh on the tip of the funnel to keep critters from coming in.
2. You can buy sink stoppers to sit in the funnel to stop air flow if needed.
3. You can add a second hole and funnel for dumping leftover coffee into another container for use on acidic plants.

For Fun:
1. Funnel dumps into a 'super soaker squirt gun'. When it's filled, go have some fun and shoot those bugs eating your veggies.

Regards,
Chuck

[Millymollymandy]

Chuck and Grace's Idea

Problem: We waste a lot of fairly clean water in the kitchen: e.g. rinsing veggies, dumping a pan of water used for boiling eggs, getting a drink of water at the sink...drinking some... and dumping out what we don't use, etc.

Solution (idea):
1. Most kitchens have a window facing the outdoors right above the sink. Place a container outside below the kitchen window.
2. Cut a small length of board as wide as the window, about 2" tall, 1" thick.
3. Drill a single 3/4" hole through the board.
4. Paint to match kitchen colors if desired.
5. Install the board into the window frame at the bottom, so the top portion can close. (we have those tiny security locks in each window, so the board height is low enough to install and lock).
6. Choose a plastic flexible long tipped 'funnel' and place into the hole. The length should stick out far enough to rest over the outside container. (another container and tubing will work just as well).
7. Pour water (no soap, grease, etc) into the funnel. It should pour into the outside container.

Tips:
1. Add a small screen mesh on the tip of the funnel to keep critters from coming in.
2. You can buy sink stoppers to sit in the funnel to stop air flow if needed.
3. You can add a second hole and funnel for dumping leftover coffee into another container for use on acidic plants.

For Fun:
1. Funnel dumps into a 'super soaker squirt gun'. When it's filled, go have some fun and shoot those bugs eating your veggies.

Regards,
Chuck

I can't figure this out - do you have a photo? At some point you have to drill through the window frame or wall to get your hose to outside don't you?

[Bellen]

Because I cannot have a compost pile due to HOA rules I make instant compost. All green kitchen garbage goes in the blender with kitchen waste water from cooking, rinsing, etc and gets blended. Usually this happens once a day. Then, simply dig a shallow trench in the raised beds, pour in the compost, cover and within 2 days it has disappeared.

I also throw in the blender tea bags and papers but not the string - it catches on the blades. I cut that up and add it when applied to the garden. I also throw the coffee grounds on the top of the garden.

Living in SW Florida where our 'dirt' is sand this compost has really improved our growing conditions.

[chuck_n_grace]

Millymollymandy,
You cut a board into a length that fits into the window frame. The window will not not close all the way (the board is in the way). The holes go into the board.

I'll try to get a sketch online. I might just build it soon to show a photo). I feel really bad now watching good water go down the drain.

Regards,
Chuck

[DeneciePie]

In our area we have an email list called "Freecycle" We built five large raised beds (too large really should have only gone 4 feet wide) all from recycled wood and got freecycled straw after Fall decorating season ended to mulch the paths! Amazing how many people bought straw bales and pumpkins for Halloween decor and had no use for straw afterwards! We also got metal gazebo frames after a big windstorm (also freecycle) that made the dandiest very sturdy trellises!
I also save as many seeds as are likely to be true to type so have little annual cost for seeds and grow my own starts for tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. With our late Spring this year my home grown ones were bigger and bushier than the ones in nurseries!
Cheap is the new Smart!

DeneciePie

[Millymollymandy]

Millymollymandy,
You cut a board into a length that fits into the window frame. The window will not not close all the way (the board is in the way). The holes go into the board.

I'll try to get a sketch online. I might just build it soon to show a photo). I feel really bad now watching good water go down the drain.

Regards,
Chuck

Sorry chuck I really don't get it! Are you saying you must leave your window open all the time then? Do your windows open inwards or outwards? Don't you have a security problem leaving a downstairs window open permanently?

[MKG]

I'll try, Chuck

MMM, imagine a plank of wood cut to the width of the window opening - and remember it's a sash window. The holes are drilled in the plank. So ... open window ... place plank across bottom of opening ... close window onto top of plank. Now you have a partly open sash window, but the gap at the bottom is filled by the plank.

At least I think it's a sash window???

EDIT : Just re-read it, and now I don't think it's a sash window. Errrrmm ... now I'm with MMM.

Mike

[Millymollymandy]

I hadn't thought of sash windows, but that still poses a security problem. We'll wait for Chuck's diagram.

Might just be easier to open windows and chuck bucket of water out.

Edit - he does mention locks, and I think he IS talking about sash windows. I thought they only existed in old houses in the UK! However very few people have them around the world. I have inward opening windows and a 2 foot deep window sill inside so much as I love the idea, it isn't possible to do.

[boboff]

If you just forget about the window.

If you imagine your opening window sits in a frame, be it wooden or PVC, just drill through this, stick a pipe through, filter the end in the bucket, funnel the end at the sink.

Or you could alternatively with little DIY skill open the window and pour it into the waiting receptical.