THE GOOD LIFE
Inspiration and advice for aspiring smallholders
Practical ideas and advice for would-be smallholders
How TO...GET CROPS FOR FREE The cost of stocking a vegetable patch with new plants can soon mount up, but it’s surprisingly easy to get them for free just by saving seeds from this year’s crop or by propagating cuttings. You don’t even need to have the plants in the first place – you can get them from a friend or neighbour’s garden (with permission, of course!). Cross-pollination means saved seeds can differ from the parent plant, but they may be better adapted to the microclimate of your garden – plus it’s exciting to see which variations may have occurred. STRAWBERRIES
Instead of conscientiously pinching off the offshoots, known as runners, that strawberry plants send out, allow a few of them to take root. Gardening books often talk about pinning them down in pots of compost, but there’s no need. Leave them attached to the mother plant and then, come early spring, dig them out to plant elsewhere or give away.
FRUIT BUSHES
Raspberries like nothing better than popping up new shoots all over a plot so, chances are, if you know someone with raspberry bushes or canes, they will be more than happy to dig out the offending plant and hand it over. Gooseberries are more restrained, but you’ll often find that any low branches start to take root in the soil – leave them to do this and you’ll have a new plant in early spring. When it comes to pruning blackcurrants and redcurrants, instead of composting the cuttings, simply make a narrow trench in the soil in a sheltered spot and lightly cover the stems (cut end down). You’ll be amazed how many have taken root when the growing season begins.