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Do you need a heat mat to germinate seeds? No! Try this cheap and easy alternative instead
As gardeners we are always being told ‘you need a heat mat’ but you really don’t with this cheap and effective method! Heat mats and heated greenhouses are a fantastic addition to a gardener’s tool kit but they are pricey. The problem is, seeds have a better chance of germinating if there is heat underneath…
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Plants – the perfect pick-me-up
There is a lot to be said for the power of a plant. Isn’t it great how a little colour in the garden can help bring some well-needed cheer? I was a little late in the day taking these photos but I am delighted at the colours beginning to ‘spring’ up in the garden (see…
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Multi-sowing seeds – make more out of your space for less
As the seed sowing frenzy continues with many of us, I wanted to show you a method which helps you to make more out of whatever space you have and saves you time and money: multi-sowing. This is a technique I have picked up from Charles Dowding who has a great Youtube channel and website…
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Dealing with the mundane
There are times when keeping a home just feels plain old monotonous – and there is no getting round it. Day after day, week after week, it can be all too easy to feel like you are going in circles, chasing your tail, heading back to square one and starting it all over again. And…
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Tackling February gardening jobs and trying a new compost
I finally managed to get the line of fruit trees tidied up in the back yard today – whooppeeee! Even though the rain started, I kept at it and finished the weeding, edging, putting down new compost and sticking in a few bulbs which I found in a bucket (they were already sprouting and needed…
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The Comfort of Solitude
I sit outside on cool dry grass, just me, on my own. I have the sun and the gentle breeze. I sigh contentedly – enjoy the quiet – enjoy the calm. A loud buzz lets me know of a bee’s approach. I watch him bounce from flower to flower. Does he see me, I wonder?…
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Gardening Progress at Last!
The Motivation Fairy made a welcome return this weekend, despite the weather, which saw all sorts of things being thrown round the back garden like a scene from the Wizard of Oz. Getting ‘that bit’ at the front of the garden tidied has been on my list of jobs for a while and now I…
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7 Reasons to love Winter!
1 – Winter is the perfect excuse for all things cosy – curling up on the sofa with a good book, cosy blanket, fluffy slippers, fleece pyjamas; all better with a hot chocolate. 2 – The dramatic light – be it in the morning or later in the day, there’s always going to be something…
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Crafting for the garden birds again!
I had a lot to do the other day, so naturally, I looked for the biggest distraction I could find instead of doing the work that was waiting for me. Making a bird feeder seemed the obvious choice instead of washing the dishes, emptying the hoover or doing the ironing. We have noticed the starlings…
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Bird Cakes
Despite the title, I’m talking about making cakes for birds, not cakes made out of birds! Our garden has been very busy lately as the temperature starts to plummet – the temperature for the previous post about the allotment was around 4 C (39.2 F) – and the birds are becoming quite demanding! So, I…
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Happy Compost
Worms Worms Worms = Happy Compost! I thought I would share with you what I found when I lifted the lid off one of my compost bins at the allotment at the weekend. I had taken the bucket I keep in the kitchen for peelings, cardboard, scraps etc. When it gets full I take it…
Coming from my slice of life to help you find more joy in yours
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