As well as trying to grow our own veg, we’re also determined not to spend a fortune either. If you get suckered into buying everything Garden Centres tell you you’re going need, then you can quickly negate one of the major benefits of growing your own… The Cost Saving! My late Grand Father, John Henry Hill was a superb gardener and a devoted follower of the self sufficient lifestyle. He rarely spent his money of fancy items for the garden, and would always consider every purchase carefully before parting with his cash. So now it’s our turn.

1. Recycle Fruit & Veg Packaging. Tomatoes, Strawberries and even ready meals from the supermarket come in plastic trays. This are just the right size for sowing a few lettuces in to get them started. You can’t put too many seeds in these so get one going every 2 weeks for a continuous crop throughout the summer and long into the winter. Proprietary seed trays can cost up to £15 for 5! These are free!
   

   Ready Meal & Strawberry Trays Used To Grow Lettuce

2. Use Old Bean Tins For Your Runner Beans. We end up with loads of these. Whilst we normally recycle them anyway we thought we’d recycle them again and use them to get our runner beans going.
   

   Using Old Bean Tins To Grow Runner Beans

3. Seed & Plant Swaps. Many local allotment groups hold regular seed and plant swaps. You can either contribute by giving away some of your plants, or make a monetary donation in exchange for a few expertly grown local specimens.
4. Make Your Own Plant Markers. Collect Lollipop sticks when your kids have an ice lolly, or make your own by cutting up old margarine tubs etc. Write on them with a fine tipped permanent market and they’re as good as any you buy. These take seconds to make and cost nothing at all.
   

   Homemade Plant Markers

5. Compost Compost Compost. OK, you might not be able to produce your own top quality seed compost, but home composting is a great way to make use of kitchen scraps and gardening waste. Add the manure from your chickens if you have them, or grab a few handfuls of nettles and drop them in every so often, and you’ll have a very potent, good quality compost to use in your pots and as a soil improver in just a few months.