[rowlandwells]

for those of you who where watching gardeners world last Friday you obviously seen Monty suggesting you make a seed bed to save plastic? for me brassicas seed was  always raised in a seed bed and you pulled your plants from the bed for replanting that's how it was done round here so nothing new there then


the reason i started growing brassicas in moduels or paper pots was when you planted them out they never wilted like the pulled plants and started growing stright away so i really don't see how one would save plasic as i reuse my moduels and if i grow brassicas in paper pots then the paper has gone  in a very short time ?

[Christine]

Monty obviously doesn't have my soil. Seeds in trays (reusable) then into pots (reusable) the into soil. The extra compost is just soil improver. I see no plastic waste as my plastics have done the years since I took up plot holding. And those that break are recycled at the tip where they have uses for hard plastics. So - what waste?

[mumofstig]

Monty likes to be 'on-trend' to get the 'likes' from his fans and everyone is noisily anti-plastic on social media at the moment
He doesn't often dig (because his gardeners do it for him) *chuckle*
If only we could all make that much of our own compost or afford to have different mulches delivered by the lorry load, as he does - in fact, like all the 'celebrity' gardeners do...
He's against plastic pots, but then he can afford to use a multitude of beautiful Terracotta pots instead
Longmeadow may be a garden to aspire to, but - all in all, I don't feel Monty's advice reflects how most ordinary people grow flowers and veg within a fairly tight budget.
IMO We need really another Geoff Hamilton to bring back commonsense gardening.

[Plot 1 Problems]

Couldn't have said it any better myself MoS!

[New shoot]

I'm in the same boat as you Christine.  Seeds in my soil just disappear and anything that does grow needs high security barriers to keep the pigeons and muntjac deer off.  Decent size plants that are netted are a much better bet, plus there are only two of us so I don't need huge rows of cabbage.

I use plastic pots for as long as I can and then they go in the recycling if possible (our council doesn't like black plastic).

Monty does my head in with his luxury gardening that most could never afford and so I don't watch.  You are right though Rowland, it is old hat advice and most of us have found better ways that don't cost the earth (literally and in pounds and pennies) 

[mumofstig]

Perhaps we need to go back to sowing in wooden seed trays? I'm old enough to remember those 

[New shoot]

Perhaps we need to go back to sowing in wooden seed trays? I'm old enough to remember those 

Ooooohhhh very trendy, but start saving up now.  I've seen them in posh garden centres and on-line, but they are wickedly expensive   

[JayG]

Although plastics are far from being a renewable product, the main impact for the environment is what happens after they have been used - recycling is obviously 'a good thing' although it's ironic how many plastic recycling bins get overturned and spill their contents when it's windy...

Won't get drawn into an argument about whether digging clay and firing terracotta pots is more environmentally friendly than making plastic ones (because I don't know the answer), but I've been using the same collection of plastic pots (both bought loose and which originally came with plants in) for 20 years - supermarket food trays are used as seed trays, and plastic milk bottles filled with water as weights for netting and enviromesh etc.
When they start to disintegrate they are then recycled when possible (the UK needs to catch up with some of its facilities, especially now that China is refusing to accept our plastic waste.)

I like Monty - his heart is in the right place but his Gardeners' World programme isn't as far as I'm concerned, for the same reasons MoS, New Shoot and others have already mentioned.

[Goosegirl]

I agree with you all especially regarding Geoff Hamilton (my hero) because he didn't faff around or spend lots of money on trendy things; he just used what he thought most people had somewhere around or could buy quite cheaply that would do as well if not better. Remember his cold frame? I saw a small one in a garden centre the other day for over £200 which had some sort of flimsy metal frame and the panels were made of that thin ribbed polycarbonate, all of which would disintegrate in a short time.

[mumofstig]

Perhaps we need to go back to sowing in wooden seed trays? I'm old enough to remember those 

Ooooohhhh very trendy, but start saving up now.  I've seen them in posh garden centres and on-line, but they are wickedly expensive 

My Dad used to make them from any old bits of wood he could find - so his deffo didn't look posh 

[rowlandwells]

I have to say I really enjoyed reading your replies especially the fish boxes which we still have a few in the potting shed but seldom use as for Monty he's a nice enough guy I believe he's shackled by other's above him

and yes I have to agree if we could dig up Geoff he would still be the same trying all ways to save us money together with many gardening ideas

once again thanks all for your humorous replies well worth reading again 

[theothermarg]

Beechgrove is the one for me, down to earth common sense I've  found with not too much garden design stuff
 On a Sunday morning down south as they start later but sowing later is still good.

I record and FF when Monty shows us once again how to plant a pot grown plant.
I reuse plastic and start things off in the greenhouse as I have too many rodents around for pulses and like to grow brassicas on because flea beetles love tender seedling, all this and clay soil !!

[oldgrunge]

Monty likes to be 'on-trend' to get the 'likes' from his fans and everyone is noisily anti-plastic on social media at the moment
He doesn't often dig (because his gardeners do it for him) *chuckle*
If only we could all make that much of our own compost or afford to have different mulches delivered by the lorry load, as he does - in fact, like all the 'celebrity' gardeners do...
He's against plastic pots, but then he can afford to use a multitude of beautiful Terracotta pots instead
Longmeadow may be a garden to aspire to, but - all in all, I don't feel Monty's advice reflects how most ordinary people grow flowers and veg within a fairly tight budget.
IMO We need really another Geoff Hamilton to bring back commonsense gardening.

My Dad was saying that 30 years ago!

[snowdrops]

Oh, I must be the only one on hear that like Monty. Garden programs possibly get a new audience every year so I understand why they seem to repeat showing the same type of advice. And yes I’m sure he does have a gardener or two but with that size garden & his busy career it’s a given.
I really liked Geoff Hamilton & agree he was very down to earth but if you’ve been to his garden Barnsdale you would see he did spend a lot of money on it & he must have had help to keep it as immaculate as it was.
Beechgrove I agree is a great programme & very informative.

[Growster...]

TV has become far too 'pc' for us, so we never ever watch live stuff these days.

The real answer is to get some decent books, like the Hessayon series, and of course a few others, written by dedicated gardeners, sit back, chat amongst yourselves, consider your options, and never be intimidated by the mediocrity of others on the blasted tv box.

Works for us anyway...