[SnooziSuzi]

I've just done my shopping online as I do every week and I have to say I'm ashamed of myself...

For months I haven't had to buy anything fresh from them (the packers probably thought we'd got scurvy by now!) but this week I have had to buy in veggies  :| In my defense though, I've only been doing this malarky since March this year, so maybe that's not so bad!  

I'm off to better plan my beds for next year to make sure I've planted enough!

[muntjac]

try this ... between now and  spring buy the seeds and all the other stuff you need to plant on the plot .... you do not need to spend a fortune on fancy stuff .then add up each week how much you spend on vegetables alone .this only includes things that are in season at the time , buy english stuff only ... now when you come to harvest your produce you will stop buying these things in .. but going on the prices you paid now save that money in a tin till the next time you have to resort to buying in things ..... i promise you will be amased at how much it adds up i did it one year .i included all the stuff i grow  eggs meat the works and i managed to send my kids on hols together for a week    to spain

[SnooziSuzi]

:shock:

I may just do that Munty!  Thanks for the tip!

[muntjac]

i am going to do a " gardening on a budget " topic in the next few weeks to cover the things needed to start an allotment producing in the cheapest way possible so keep an eye open.. yes it does mean im a skinflint lolo

[SnooziSuzi]

LOL!  With everything you've achieved you'll be the new John Seymore!!

[muntjac]

nah .. i dont want paying to write about summat i like doing lol  

[gobs]

I've just done my shopping online as I do every week and I have to say I'm ashamed of myself...

For months I haven't had to buy anything fresh from them (the packers probably thought we'd got scurvy by now!) but this week I have had to buy in veggies  :| In my defense though, I've only been doing this malarky since March this year, so maybe that's not so bad!  

I'm off to better plan my beds for next year to make sure I've planted enough!

Oh the story of my embaressing shopping baskets: youghurt, wine.  

[sweet nasturtium]

Hello snoozisuzi,   I've been doing the same thing - it's my first year too and one of my ambitions is to make the plot pay for itself (and more).  Before I started I worked out how much I was spending on veg but now compare it to the organic veg box that my friends buy (£10 a shot).  That's £520 a year!

I think it's a good way to do it because it's a challenge to really make the most of what you've got.  It's easy to start a new hobby and pour money into it but the incentive isn't there.  Or the money.  

I started a topic "what's your allotment budget" - where I tried to find out how others do it.

[sweet nasturtium]

But ain't it sad when you have to finally start buying stuff again!  I'm now starting to look at my carrots in terms of portions left.  I'll definitely do more next year too.

[DD.]

Storage is the problem, especially with frozen stuff.

Froze 50 sweetcorn cobs yesterday that's a fair bit of space. But it equates to only about 1 cob a week between 4 of us! I know I could have stripped them to save space, but there's nothing like the melted butter running down your chin & shirt!

[Sally A]

I'm dreading having to buy tomatoes again, I've been picking since early July and I've still got loads of green ones of good size. especially after reading the thread on the "ripened" on vine toms.

I find with GYO you eat funny combinations of veg, normally risottoed, roasted or with pasta.

I've had to buy parsnips and carrots for todays stew :cry:   Next year I will get spuds and root veg in.

BL**DY 'ELL, JUST SEEN THE PARSNIPS COST ME 97P FOR 500G

[mushroom]

I've had to buy parsnips and carrots for todays stew :cry:   Next year I will get spuds and root veg in.

Next year I'm going to get my spacings right. I ran out of room with me onions!!!!!  :oops:

[sweet nasturtium]

Sally A - I'm hoping next year to prepare myself well and be self-sufficient in pasta sauce.  Am I being optimistic?  Any idea what I would need?

[Sally A]

........think I ought to go and do some digging now really, looking at my basket of seeds for next year compared to "ready" ground.

Still unsure what to do with the free packet of Kohl Rabi from T&M.

Was thinking of the money I've saved by never putting K.R. in my basket.

[Sally A]

nasturtium - I'd go for italian tomatoes and pray blight doesn't get us next year, garlic, sweet peppers, chilli in some to give it a kick, and i normally chop a courgette in too, you can also pop in any of the straggly sweetcorn that forms on the tillers of the plant rather than the true cob.

I tend to go for something of every colour.

Ooh, nearly forgot shredded basil.