Grow your own potatoes in a bag... you don't need a huge garden

There is nothing like fresh vegetables from the garden unlike those you buy from the supermarket which are supposed to be fresh, but have been stored in chilled warehouses sometimes for weeks

You don't need a huge garden or allotment to grow some nice fresh vegetables.  You can grow them in containers, boxes, raised beds or even bags...

I grow potatoes in bags.  But first of all you have to "chit" them which allows the potatoes to sprout to assist them in growing and rooting in the containers.

Put them in old egg cartons, or egg trays one in each segment and leave on a light sunny window until they sprout and it is warm enough to plant them outside.

I buy garden waste sacks - the sturdy ones and these will be perfect to grow them in.

You will not get a huge supply but even a couple of weeks of your own freshly grown potatoes... you will surely notice the difference.

Once they are ready to sow in a few weeks' time I will update you with what to do next. 

Sunday lunch at home and a fab chocolate pudding

Sunday Roast Lunch Beef, Yorkshire pudding and all the trimmings at home today followed by a quick but fabulous chocolate pot pudding

So easy to make and tastes wonderful

6oz dark chocolate good quality
3 large eggs separated
Capful of Cointreau or other liqueur
Double or whipping cream to serve
Fresh raspberries to decorate

Melt some good quality plain chocolate I used Lindt or Green and Black's plain 70% dark chocolate, in a bowl over hot water but don't let the chocolate get overheated... just about melting point as when you add the eggs  you will scramble them and it will split.  Add 3 egg yolks and beat.

Whisk the egg whites to a soft peak stiffness and then fold into the chocolate egg mixture and then put into individual containers and chill for a couple of hours.

I then drizzled some Cointreau over the top then a little double cream and decorated with a raspberry and served with additional raspberries on the side, as it is a very rich. 

Dye to refresh.... or change colour scheme

Tumble Twist rugs dyed to refresh

I bought a couple of Tumble Twist cotton bath mats years ago and have two old Lloyd Loom ottomans.  The mats make a perfect cover for them. 

Over the years with change of colour scheme and  house moves they have been dyed different colours many a time.... I have recently just redyed them to refresh the colour. One box of Dylon dye and the washing machine and they look like new again..

Planting leaf cuttings, growing seeds and using old milk and juice cartons makes it cheap and easy.

A friend came to visit and she didn't have a garden at her old home but is now the proud owner of one at her new one.  We went out for the day and bought several things to start her on her project of growing some vegetables and fruit in containers.  This will make it easy for her to tend and is less hard work than digging up the plot.

We bought some beautiful large plastic plant pots,seed potatoes and seeds.

I have grown things in pots for years, runner beans, peas, potatoes, courgettes, carrots, strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, etc. as my back is not up to digging a vegetable plot so it is easy gardening.

You can grow things in virtually any container, old sink, plant pots, wine boxes....

Also,if you are taking cuttings you can use old juice cartons with the side cut out and the top lid left on. Fill with compost and it is perfect to growing cuttings or seeds on a window sill.

I have propagated African violets for years, taking a leaf cutting and popping it into the seed tray or container and wait... it might take a few months but soon you will have new plantlets which you can repot into their individual pots - new plants for free. You can also use old Marmite jars with water.Cover with a piece of foil as a lid and poke a hole in and pop in the leaf. It will root in the water. you can put several leaves into one jar. About six say. You will see the new leaflets growing under the water after a few months and you can take them out carefully and pot them up in compost in pots.  

African violet leaf cuttings

Another great use for milk cartons (plastic) is to cut the top off and use the base as a container for cuttings and seeds and also cutting up the remaining plastic piece into plant labels.

Plastic milk carton cut in  half makes a great container

and plant labels