Six tips to save on soaring food bills by growing your own fruit and veg

2022-05-22 00:07:56 By : Ms. Laney Lee

GROWING fruit and veg is all the rage as families try to save on soaring grocery bills.

But not everyone has the time, space and cash to get started. Jack Sutcliffe, from Yorkshire-based firm Power Sheds, shares his tips . . . 

ROOT CAUSE: Regrow veg such as onions, garlic, leeks and shallots.

Also do it with cabbage, beetroot leaves (so long as root ends are still attached), fennel bulbs, carrots, turnips and radish tops.

Simply prop them up in a shallow dish of water with the root sections submerged at the bottom and leave on a sunlit window sill, changing the water every two days. When fresh roots begin to grow, plant them in soil with their new green shoots in the air.

POTATO MIGHT: Drill holes in the base of an old bin and fill half full with compost.

Plant one or two dried chunks of sprouted potatoes, no more.

Point the sprout upwards. When green shoots emerge, cover with a bit more compost and keep doing that until the bin is full.

With regular watering, your potatoes will be ready in ten to 20 weeks.

POT LUCK: Old containers such as cardboard boxes, mugs or even some disused guttering make cheap pots.

FANPLASTIC: Grow plants indoors to keep them warm, but if you have no space, use a greenhouse. Don’t have one? Ebay sells small versions for £14.50 each. Or make your own by using sticks to prop up bubble wrap or plastic sheets over your plants, tucking the edges underneath the pots.

SLUG’S LIFE: Ward off pesky slugs by sprinkling crushed, clean and dry eggshells or salt around your plants, to save on buying pellets.

SOW GOOD: Seeds are cheaper to grow than seedlings and packs at Wilko are good value — parsnip seeds are 25p. But packs often contain more than you need, so swap with fellow growers to add variety to your patch. See Facebook for local swap groups. Also, store seeds in a cool, dry place.

BE ready for all weathers with Tog 24’s Keld softshell hooded jacket for £39, down from £85, at Debenhams.com.

GREGGS’ “bake from frozen cookies” are new at Iceland, in packs of six for £3.

That’s 30p cheaper per cookie than a Greggs bakery. Available in milk and triple choc flavours.

SAINSBURY’S is offering £10 back when you sign up to TopCashback and spend more than £40 in an online shop.

See topcashback.co.uk/sainsburys-promotions. But hurry – the offer ends today.

HABITAT’s zebra head planter will add an exotic touch to your garden for £16 from Argos.

But check out Wilko’s dupe for half the price.

CLOTHES website Vinted has been named the best for buying secondhand.

Consumer watchdog Which? gave it five stars for easy searching of items, contacting the seller and making an offer, following a survey of users.

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