Feeling Frugal

Towards the end of February I wrote about the Sweet Pea seeds I found when clearing out my Dad’s flat. The packet had been opened, was displaying signs of water damage and the expiry date was 2016. I optimistically planted the seeds but nothing happened. Monty Don says they should germinate within a week! A fortnight ago I very nearly turned the seed tray over to something else, but a little voice said “just give them a bit longer“. I was so excited last weekend when I found a lone seedling had appeared! Since then another has started to emerge. The challenge now will be to stop any beasties eating my precious crop!

Talking of Sweet Peas, Victoria and Albert have a new addition to the family – a young rescue cat – she is called Sweet Pea. The other day Victoria and I were conversing through the natter-hatch – what a blessing it has been since lock-down! She was telling me about Sweet Pea’s less favourable habits such as shredding the lounge carpet and running about on their bed all night. I was a little disconcerted when later in the day I received a WhatsApp from her “I am just in garden stringing up sweet pea S 🙀”. I have seen Sweet Pea sitting in the window since then and she does move, so I think we can rest easy.

Some weeks ago Victoria told me that she grows carnations by taking cuttings from the cut flowers Albert buys her from the supermarket. Next thing I knew she presented me with a handful and told me to pop them in a glass of water. Within days I could see roots appearing and I now have a number of plants growing in my conservatory – I’m not supposed to use it as a greenhouse but I haven’t got one so hey ho!

At the end of last summer I was feeling particularly Scrooge-like and decided to carry out an experiment. I begrudge spending money on geraniums every year only to see them killed off by the frost. Did I mention I don’t have a heated greenhouse? Anyway I Googled and found a method of overwintering geraniums by hanging them upside down in a paper bag. I carefully prepared the 5 plants which had flowered gloriously in my outdoor pots over the summer. I made sure they had a quality home to hang out in and left them to it.

Last week I brought them out of the darkness, gave them a spruce up and potted all but one that hadn’t taken well to the experience.

Look at this only a week later!

And finally, my Mum and Dad’s Christmas trees are now side by side in smart matching pots – they look very happy together.