Pots and potatoes

Finally getting round to posting the potato-growing instructions kindly sent through by my Dad. They are for planting in large polythene pots, like sturdy bin liners only more the size of of a side plate on the bottom and about 1ft high.

1. Select potatoes that you like to cook - place selection in egg box case, eyes up in warm, dark place for a while to get eyes to shoot before planting in pots.
2. Open up pot.
3. Put 2" compost in bottom, press into corners.
4. Place 2 potatoes in with "eyes" up.
5. Cover with 2" compost, press down.
6. Leave until shoots grow through compost - when shoots are 3" high add more compost to nearly cover shoots.
7. Repeat above until pot is full of compost.

Apparently this should lead to layers of potatoes throughout the tub!

I've currently got two types of potatoes in the cupboard. One lot are ready to plant as they've been there a week or so. The others I put in yesterday so will plant them later.

I'll probably be planting these out on Saturday.

Actually took the plunge today too and planted some seeds in my loo roll pots to start them in the propagator. Planted the following:

• Chilli Pepper 'Anaheim'
• Tomato 'Tumbler F1 Hybrid'
• Courgette 'Defender F1 Hybrid'
• Herb 'Mild n Meek' (looks like it'll be a bit like rocket)
• Basil 'Sweet Green'

Not very exciting to look at at present, just loo rolls and soil, so will upload a photo when something happens.

Composting: chic or unique?

Have just been researching the composting idea...

Options (when you only have a small concrete back yard) are basically the wormery idea. There's quite a snazzy indoor composter by Bokashi, which I found on Eco-worrier's blog, or there's this DIY one by One/Change: Indoor Compost Bin.

Am thinking the posh one might be best but may need to find a cheaper or second-hand one.

Tweet tweet....

Have just set up a Twitter account for the newly titled "Allittlement"!!

Click here to view my profile

Am so excited!! Really getting my head round this Web 2.0 business!

Just need to motivate myself to get outside (particularly now it's stopped raining and the sun's back out again!)

Planning and purchasing

Have sort of made a start in terms of planting. Well, 'planting' is a bit strong; 'planning' is more accurate. My Dad's off loaded some unsellable (if there is such a thing) packets of seeds - which would otherwise have been thrown out - so reuse/recycle in action there. My planning so far has consisted of spreading the packets out on the floor of the front room and putting them into random piles (for which there is a vague understanding of what each pile represents). Loosely it's what type of container they will require.


This was all in preparation for a bit of retail therapy (which is completely going against the reuse/recycle ethos - oops!). I did manage to do it fairly economically though. Got two hanging baskets, a hanging basket crook (so as not to drill holes in 100 year old walls) and 6 medium sized pots; all for £4 in the Pound Shop. Then got two largeish, deep, square tubs for £3.99 each (reduced from £6.99) from a hardware shop. Also got liners for hanging baskets and a little trowel (also reduced to £2.99). Also got some 6ft canes as I'm thinking the first thing I'll plant is runner beans - possibly with some sweetpeas in with them. Will use the hanging baskets for tumbling tomatoes and possibly salad leaves in the other.

Desperate to find a good junk shop/car boot sale opportunity soon. Oh, and find someone with a car who's willing to traipse round with me!

Have fallen in love with some purple gardening clogs.... Might have to put in a 'birthday present request' at some point.

I keep going back to the idea of a little greenhouse. Have seen a little 4-tier, polythene thing for £20. Still in the back of my mind though is that there'll be some car-boot equivalent lurking somewhere which would do the job. Tactic might be to manage without and maybe invest in something like that next year.

Unfortunately my productive start to the day has wained as the clouds have come over and it's threatening rain. Purchases are safely in the 'shed' and seed packets still all over the floor. Might draw up a bit of a schedule for planting. I know, I think I said that in the last post, but haven't got round to it yet!

Teabags and eggshells

Haven't been out much lately due to illness, wet weather and actually being a bit scared to start planting anything as I've not yet sorted out where I'll put them when they start to grow!

Seriously need to get to grips with the types of containers I'll be planting things into. I think I need to turn scavenger this weekend and seek out some suitable items which could be used as planters. My inspiration is being drawn from the metal sign I found outside and I'm hoping to develop a kind of 'shabby chic' look. The trouble is, that's quite a popular look so tin baths and such like are going for about £30! Might need to be a bit more inventive than that.

I also need to draw up a bit of a planting schedule so that I know what to plant out when. Get a rota underway so I avoid the situation where I'm suddenly having to use up 75 courgettes.


A couple of things I am doing in preparation, though they are hardly back-breaking tasks, is save used teabags and eggshells. Apparently tealeaves can be sprinkled onto the soil for extra nutrients. The eggshells can be broken up and scattered around the edges of pots to deter slugs. Genius!


I have been putting the rainy days to good use however and have turned my hand to making gifts for the string of children's birthday's which have come up over the last few weeks. Baking aprons which I coupled with mini baking utensils to make quite cute gifts. Am thinking this might be another area to develop. Got the pattern from a favourite blog of mine by Randi called "I have to say....": Apron Tutorial