seeds & seed saving Archives - Page 2 of 2

Learn why it’s important to save seeds, what type of seeds to save and where to source them.

Easy Guide to Growing Perfect Peas

With pretty flowers, crisp green pods, climbing tendrils and delicate leaves, peas are an attractive and delicious addition to any kitchen garden.

Best of all, every part of a pea plant is edible!

Peas are little powerhouses! They may be low in calories, but peas are packed with a surprising number of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. Peas are also high in micro-nutrients, vitamins, fibre, protein and minerals that provide us with a wide range of health benefits.

Peas are annual vegetables. Best eaten raw and straight off the plant before their natural sugars turn to starch and lose their sweet flavour.

Peas are easy to grow, so are an ideal first crop for children and beginner gardeners.

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Anne Gibson2020-04-27T10:44:14+10:00Categories: Grow Your Own Food, How to Grow, Vegetables & Herbs|Tags: grow your own food, how to grow, seeds & seed saving, Tepee, vegetable & herb gardens|19 Comments

Save money by learning some simple skills, developing neighbourly connections and working with nature for an abundant garden.

If you’re serious about saving money in your garden and still want beauty and abundance without it costing the earth, there are some clever ways you can grow your garden for free.

Frugal gardening is about ‘thinking outside the square’ – with some basic skills and knowledge there’s no need to spend a cent at the nursery to grow your edible or ornamental garden!

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Anne Gibson2018-04-19T14:31:40+10:00Categories: Frugal Gardening, How to Grow, Tips & Tricks|Tags: Frugal gardening, how to grow, Plants for free, Propagating, seeds & seed saving|2 Comments

Thrifty Ways to Buy, Sow & Plant

These are a few tips from my personal experiences to help you get the most out of plants you grow and cost you less.

Be Prepared: Prepare your garden bed or pot before choosing the seeds, seedlings or plants that suit your climate zone. Check the amount of space you have available before planting. Some plants need more ‘personal space’ than others so avoid buying more than you need or have the space to grow. There’s nothing worse than coming home with an armful of seedling punnets and watching them become ‘dried arrangements’ by the front door because you weren’t ready to plant them! I’ve learned my lesson by composting too many ‘mistakes’!

Shallots are the lead actor in this edible micro garden - I prepare my potting mix first before rotating the food crops I grow in this productive small space.

Consider the space you have to work with: I chose shallow rooted edibles like tatsoi, parsley, baby spinach, marigolds and skinny chives and spring onions which could all share this pot comfortably!

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Anne Gibson2018-04-19T14:48:20+10:00Categories: Frugal Gardening, Tips & Tricks|Tags: Frugal gardening, planting, seedlings, seeds & seed saving, tips & tricks|1 Comment

“A true gardener is someone who looks at a seed and sees a plant.”

Indian Summer watermelons with loads of seeds for saving

Watermelons are a mine of seeds that can be saved and replanted

Many gardeners often start with planting seedlings or potted plants rather than with seeds but as a seed saver, I’d like to share some important reasons why we should all grow at least some of our home grown food from seed.

5 Reasons Why You Should Grow Your Food From Seed

1. Save money! Seeds represent great value for money so investing in even one seed packet will reap huge rewards if you choose the right kind of seeds, but learning to save your own seed means you don’t need to continue to buy it.

If you find a packet of seeds has more than you need, swapping seeds with others is another way you can grow your garden for free or very low cost. (more…)

Anne Gibson2019-04-03T17:54:28+10:00Categories: Grow Your Own Food|Tags: grow your own food, seeds & seed saving, vegetable & herb gardens|3 Comments

Saving and Sourcing Open-Pollinated Seeds

Are you sowing seeds in your garden? Want to know where to source certified organic, heirloom and open-pollinated seeds? Dig in to learn more about the different types of seeds and where to source them.

Where to source non-gmo, organic, heirloom and open-pollinated seeds.

Grow your food from safe seeds

These seeds will produce plants that are ‘true-to-type.’ This just means the plants grown from these seeds will have the same characteristics as the parent. More importantly, you will be able to save seed from the plants you grow.

Save edible seeds with important characteristics

Seed Saving Terminology – What does it all mean?

To get a better picture of the terminology and what type of seed to source, here’s a brief definition of some of these terms: (more…)

Anne Gibson2020-05-13T10:44:25+10:00Categories: Grow Your Own Food, Vegetables & Herbs|Tags: grow your own food, seeds & seed saving, vegetable & herb gardens|9 Comments

Previous 12

Easy Guide to Growing Perfect Peas

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How to Grow More Plants for Less

Planting Tips to Save You Time & Money

Thrifty Ways to Buy, Sow & Plant

Growing Your Own Food from Seed

Saving and Sourcing Open-Pollinated Seeds

Seed Saving Terminology – What does it all mean?