Time’s money when you’re in the banking business and these days, dedicated gardening time has to be crammed into a specially allocated slot in an already overflowing weekend agenda, shoe-horned somewhere between cleaning the shower and selling tickets for teenage son’s latest drama production.
Fortunately for time-starved gardeners, the convenience orientated society we live in has come up with the perfect solution – pre-grown veg and bedding plants. Those days of potting up seeds, fussing over a hot propagator and pricking out seedlings have long gone as only the unemployed or retired have time in copious amounts to do so. They are the time millionaires of today’s gardening world. Everyone else has to try and fit in that green fingered moment as and when they can.
Fortunately for time-starved gardeners, the convenience orientated society we live in has come up with the perfect solution – pre-grown veg and bedding plants. Those days of potting up seeds, fussing over a hot propagator and pricking out seedlings have long gone as only the unemployed or retired have time in copious amounts to do so. They are the time millionaires of today’s gardening world. Everyone else has to try and fit in that green fingered moment as and when they can.
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| Hey presto - a ready made veggie bed |
Thus in the space of a day, my fruit and veg emporium has been transformed from a derelict allotment into a thriving metropolis of growth thanks to a few trays of ready grown plants. When you weigh up the cost of good quality vegetable seeds, buying ready grown plants is often not that much more expensive and at least you are guaranteed germination. There’s also less wastage of seeds.
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| Celeriac - 'Brilliant' variety |
We bought our plants from a local Wyevale Garden Centre. Their 3 trays for £10 offer provides a good selection of vegetables to choose from. We’ve gone for a tray of celeriac (9 plants), 2 trays of carrots and a couple of tomato plants (£1.50 each). It’s always tempting to go for exotic specimens or vegetables that might be expensive to buy in the shops but unless you are able to replicate the right growing conditions, I find it’s better to stick to family favourites or those that you know are guaranteed to produce a good crop. Even carrots which are cheap to buy in the supermarket always taste fresher and better when grown in your own garden.
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| 12 plants for £3.30 - almost cheaper than seeds |
But it’s not all cheating as I’ve still sown mangetout, dwarf beans, beetroots and swedes all from seed so a good balance of pre-grown and home grown.
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| A good year for figs |
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| Dandelion clock |
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