A Members' Posts

Free: Kalanchoe: succulent house plant (Hatfield AL10) This is a white flowered variety of Kalanchoe. May be a named variety, but I assume something like this in flower: / It's an easy going succulent that likes hot sun and copes very well with neglect: as with all succulents its thick fleshy leaves and stem store water in case of hard times. You could put it outside for a summer holiday in your garden and it will love this hot summer we seem to be having, but you'd need to take it in for the winter or it would be killed by the cold weather. Most people keep them inside all year round. These are propagated from cuttings from a plant I grew from a tiny cutting given to me last year by another kind freecycler. So these are 3rd generation descendents.

16d

Free: Tomatoes: Sungold, Black Beauty, + (Hatfield AL10) Promised Several varieties of strongly growing plants taken from side shoots rooted in water: - Sungold - Black Beauty - Amir Tiger - (maybe) Gardener's Delight Variety "Sungold" is my absolute favourite - produces orange/yellow cherry tomato fruits freely and is really really sweet. Always very reliable for me outside (no greenhouse or polytunnel) and never fails to give me a good crop. Black Beauty is a larger "heritage" tomato which the internet says goes really black. (Some "black" varieties are really just a muddy purplish brown, but I have high hopes for this one - never grown it before.) You can see it starting to colour up in the photo, but mine are not ripe yet, so it should go a better colour than that. Amir Tiger is a stripy variety. No photo. Gardener's Delight is a very well known typical red-fruited cherry tomatoe with a pretty good flavour and easy to grow. These are from side shoots from established plants, which I rooted in water about a month ago and potted up once the made roots - and since they've established in their pots. More plants available than those in the photo, so don't be shy, but not necessarily enough of each variety to satisfy everybody, so if you have a particular interest tell me and I'll try to satisfy everybody. It's said that cuttings fruit much quicker than plants from seeds - about the same time as their parent plant - so these should be absolutely fine [it is too late to start from seed, so don't bother]. Some of them already have flowers. They should grow away fast if you keep them in a sunny place, water and pot them into bigger pots as they grow. Tomatoes are not really troubled by any pests (slugs, squirrels, birds, aphids). They love a nice hot summer like we seem to have this year.

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16d

Free: White & green small-leaved ivy (Hatfield AL10) This is a small-leaved variegated white & green variety of ivy. Presumably a named variety, but the original plant was given to me some years ago and I've used it as part of winter pot displays. Dug up the clump a few days ago and found it split into several separate plants already rooted (ivy is very easy to propagate). Not my most appealing photo I suppose, but this variety is more interesting than the wild green one - being a bit white it will shine out in shady places which is where it would normally be grown. Also not as vigorous as the wild version, so it won't take over your house and shouldn't be too invasive in flower beds. Probably grow it up a shady fence, or trailing down the edge of a pot display (which is how I've been using it). Extremely tough and very tolerant of drought, ivy is virtually impossible to kill (accidentally*) once it's rooted in the ground - won't need watering in the hottest of summers. *doesn't have deep roots, so not actually that hard to dig out in my experience if you do want to get rid or keep it under control.

20d

Free: Tradescantia/purpleheart houseplant (Hatfield AL10) One for the inside gardeners. Tradescantia has other names including "purple hearts" (probably because of the pretty purple back to the leaves) and "wandering dude" because it grows on long trailing stems. They are perennial houseplants, very easy to grow and root very easily from cuttings. They have interesting variegated leaves, almost sparkly in the sun and contrasting purple backs. I think they cope quite well with relatively low light and for me they don't get any pests. Theses individual plants are from stems rooted in compost earlier this spring. People grow them as houseplants. You could probably put them outside in the summer, but they would definitely not survive the winter, so you would take them back inside in autumn. Or just keep them inside all year round. I also have a few copies of a cute tiny-leaved version, which if anything is even easier to propagate. Similar pretty backs to the leaves. (Not as many to spare and no photo, sorry.) I may limit to one (each) per person if there is demand, but honestly you don't need more than one - if you want more, just chop off a bit and put it in a jar of water.

20d

Free: Used washing up drainer (Hatfield AL10) Works fine and undamanged, but would need a clean as you can see in the photo - I put it off for years and eventually bought a new one. Will have to landfill this unless someone claims it.

24d

Free: Young basil plants (ordinary basil) (Hatfield AL10) Gifted More spare basil plants after potting up some young plants - they are now growing faster than I can eat them - by now much bigger than in the picture. This is ordinary "sweet" basil like you get in supermarkets. But don't believe basil has to be tortured like supermarkets do - cramming millions of plants into one tiny pot. A single one will make a large bushy plant (easily 1ft x 1ft) if you keep potting it into a bigger pot as it grows. You can also root the shoots in water to make more plants yourself. Basil likes strong sunlight and warmth, so probably keep inside in a bright kitchen window or conservatory. They're very happy outside in pots in summer, but in my experience get immediately eaten by slugs if I plant them in the ground, so probably don't do that! These are only just potted up in fresh compost in individual pots, so you can just water them (and eat them) for a while. In some weeks they will outgrow their small pots and then you should pot them on. You can keep them going all summer, but they are tender annual so don't expect them to live forever. I will divide my spare plants to satisfy demand.

26d

Free: Verbena bonariensis (Hatfield AL10) Gifted More of these ever-popular young plants, mostly potted as little clumps of 2 or 3 in smallish pots. Highly recommended, these been my most popular giveaway on here in the past. Good in containers and quick to grow, these plants will establish quickly and flower for you this summer. Leave the flower heads next autumn and they will seed for you too if you're lucky. Verbena bonariensis is a beautiful hardy perennial with purple flowers on tall wiry stems over a long flowering season. Comes back from the base stronger every year and will self seed around if it's happy. Flowers beloved of bees and butterflies. Watch goldfinches try to balance on the seed heads next winter. It wants sharp drainage and full sun to be truly happy, but I have sticky clay and a fair amount of shade and it does fine.

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26d

Free: Tomato plants "Sungold" (Hatfield AL10) Withdrawn Variety "Sungold" - my absolute favourite - produces orange/yellow cherry tomato fruits freely and is really really sweet. Always very reliable for me outside (no greenhouse or polytunnel) and never fails to give me a good crop. These are from side shoots from established plants, which I rooted in water about a month ago and potted up once the made roots - and since they've established in their pots. (More plants available than those in the photo, so don't be shy.) There will be a few of other varieties later, but those aren't ready to go yet. It's said that cuttings fruit much quicker than plants from seeds - about the same time as their parent plant - so these should be absolutely fine [it is too late to start from seed, so don't bother]. Some of them already have flowers. They should grow away fast if you keep them in a sunny place, water and pot them into bigger pots as they grow. Tomatoes are not really troubled by any pests (slugs, squirrels, birds, aphids). They love a nice hot summer like we seem to have this year, but Sungold will not let you down even if we have rain from now on.

29d

Free: Mint - healthy young plants (Hatfield AL10) Withdrawn Very easy to grow and good for teas/cooking or just to smell the leaves as you brush past. Mint does go flowers - and is good for bees then. If you prefer to keep it for yourself, or whenever it goes a bit ratty, cut it right back for a new flush of fresh bright green leaves. These are established plants split from some bits of root I accidentally dug up in the early spring and potted on after they re-rooted. Unfussy but prefers damp soil - it will delight in nasty sticky clay. Mint can be invasive in the ground, so take care if you plant it out with other plants. Very happy in pots as long as you can keep it damp and maybe feed or repot from time to time.

29d

Free: Verbena bonariensis plants (Hatfield AL10) Withdrawn Next round of these ever-popular young plants, mostly potted as little clumps of 2 or 3 in smallish pots. Highly recommended, these been my most popular giveaway on here in the past. Primarily I'm offering plants already potted up, but tell me if you think you can handle young plants straight from the ground - more may be available that way by arrangement. Good in containers and quick to grow, these baby plants will establish quickly and flower for you this summer. Leave the flower heads next autumn and they will seed for you too if you're lucky. Verbena bonariensis is a beautiful hardy perennial with purple flowers on tall wiry stems over a long flowering season. Comes back from the base stronger every year and will self seed around if it's happy. Flowers beloved of bees and butterflies. Watch goldfinches try to balance on the seed heads next winter. It wants sharp drainage and full sun to be truly happy, but I have sticky clay and a fair amount of shade and it does fine.

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31d

Free: Lemon balm (melissa) plants (Hatfield AL10) Gifted Lemon balm (melissa officinalis). It's easy to grow - a bit like mint - and it spreads slowly, but won't take over the world like mint can. The leaves smell beautifully lemony and can be made into tea etc. I think the smell is even better than mint, maybe because it has nostalgic memories for me. Flowers are kinda boring but the pollinators like them. You can cut it to the ground a few times a year and it will give you a fresh flush of leaves. Fully hardy in the UK - dies down to the ground each winter, but comes back reliably every spring. I may have just 2 pots, so probably will split one per person (but I'll check in case I have more ready).

31d

Free: Sweetcorn plants ready to plant (Hatfield AL10) Gifted 8 sweetcorn plants in 4 pots. Perfect time for planting (carefully separate the pairs). Sweetcorn needs to be planted in a block because it is wind pollinated. I think 8 plants is just about the minimum you can get away with for pollination, so I won't split between people. Minimum spacing is 30cm in all directions, ideally 40cm so you need a space about 4ft square. These are a named early variety (I can try to dig out the details if you like, but I may have lost the label). The summer is shaping up to be good for growing sweetcorn - which loves sun. You will just have to plant them and keep them watered.

36d

Free: Crocosmia bare root plants (Hatfield AL10) Gifted Brought to me spontaneously by a friendly freecycler I'd love to plant them but I don't have time to deal with them. They are out of the soil and want to be back in soil as soon as possible, though growing from bulbs* I'm sure they will survive. You will want to plant them and water them or put them in pots and water them straight away. Crocosmia I assume "Lucifer", which is a really beautiful tall perennial mid summer flowering bulb*. (The photos are of it in flower in my garden in a previous year.) Completely hardy in the UK - comes back and bulks up each year. Will spread slowly under the ground but doesn't seed or spread far, so quite well behaved. Eye-burning bright red-orange flowers elegantly arranges on wiry stems. If you can keep them upright leave the seed heads standing for winter interest. Wants full sun and damp soil (clay is fine, but maybe it would prefer better drainage though it definitely wants moisture in the summer). Ideally collection on Saturday. (*botanists will complain it is technically a corm not a bulb I think)

38d

Free: Young basil plants (ordinary basil) (Hatfield AL10) Withdrawn I have more spare basil plants after potting up some young plants - they are now growing faster than I can eat them. This is ordinary "sweet" basil like you get in supermarkets. But don't believe basil has to be tortured like supermarkets do - cramming millions of plants into one tiny pot. A single one will make a large bushy plant (easily 1ft x 1ft) if you keep potting it into a bigger pot as it grows. You can also root the shoots in water to make more plants yourself. Basil likes strong sunlight and warmth, so probably keep inside in a bright kitchen window or conservatory. They're very happy outside in pots in summer, but in my experience get immediately eaten by slugs if I plant them in the ground, so probably don't do that! These are only just potted up in fresh compost in individual pots, so you can just water them (and eat them) for a while. In some weeks they will outgrow their small pots and then you should pot them on. You can keep them going all summer, but they are tender annual so don't expect them to live forever. I will divide my spare plants to satisfy demand.

45d

Free: Contorted willow (Hatfield AL10) Gifted These are cuttings taken last autumn, rooted, potted up individually and now growing away strongly. Contorted willow or twisted willow is an easy-to-grow hardy deciduous tree. It is grown for its interesting twisted branches which are brightly coloured (yellow-green or reddish orange) in winter. You can let it grow into a small tree, or cut it back hard every spring (pollarding, coppicing or stooling) to encourage even more vigorous young branches. It is a tree, so it will be big, but not massive like an ordinary weeping willow. It doesn't really flower, but it seems to attract its fair share of wildlife. It seems to be pretty unfussy when it comes to soil conditions and sun, but it's good to grow it somewhere the low winter sun will light up its branches.

46d

Free: Red leaved basil (Hatfield AL10) Gifted I think variety "Red Rubin". Of course the leaves aren't red, as such - more purple/maroon as you can see in the photo. But whatever the colour, they look great on the plate and taste good too. I have some spares after potting up some young plants - which are now growing faster than I can eat them. These are only just potted up in fresh compost in individual pots, so you can just water them (and eat them) for a while. In some months they will outgrow their pots and then you should pot them on. You can keep them going all summer, but basil is a tender annual so don't expect them to live forever. Don't believe basil has to be tortured like supermarkets do - cramming millions of plants into one tiny pot. A single one will make a large bushy plant (easily 1ft x 1ft) if you keep potting it into a bigger pot as it grows. You can also root the shoots in water to make more plants yourself. Basil likes strong sunlight and warmth, so probably keep inside in a bright kitchen window or conservatory. They're very happy outside in pots in summer, but in my experience get immediately eaten by slugs if I plant them in the ground, so probably don't do that! That said, this is the year for that if you fancy it. I will divide my spare plants to satisfy demand. I also have ordinary sweet basil coming soon (EDIT: now some potted up and ready to give - will post separately soon), and possibly some backup Thai basil "Siam Queen", so talk to me if you're interested in those.

46d

Free: Rocket seeds (Hatfield AL10) Gifted Named varieties: "Tricia" unopened "Astra" unopened "Runway" opened and I used it for years, so I'm less sure of germination of these - but I think rocket seeds last a long time.

51d

Free: Lettuce seeds (Hatfield AL10) Withdrawn Both these are unopened and should germinate fine: "Salad bowl" - which is a curly cut-and-come again type "Lobjoits Green Cos" - which is a hearting cos/romaine variety [duh!] Will also throw in the two opened packs if you like. I believe they both germinated for me this spring, but I've moved on to other packets. (Which reminds me I think I have a few spare lettuce plants I probably won't bother to list - "salad bowl" - as if you're interested.)

51d

Free: Spiral tree guard (Hatfield AL10) Withdrawn This came off a street tree that blew down in December. People planting trees in the landscape use these to protect them from rabbits which like to strip off the bark. So far there aren't any rabbits in my garden, so I have no use of it. Like these:

51d

Free: Tomato plants (sungold+) (Hatfield AL10) Gifted Some excess young tomato plants to give away. These are ready for you to plant into their final positions (grow bag, the ground, large pots). Mostly "Sungold" which I say is the best tomato you can grow for eating raw. Sweet orange cherry sized fruits, usually the first to crop from the varieties I grow. Also some "Gardener's Delight", which is a slightly larger red fruited variety also recommended. Apparently from the picture at least one "Lady Fingers", which I have not grown before. Heritage variety with long red fruit. Probably I have others if you ask nicely. All are tall/cordon/indeterminate varieties: conventionally grown up a support, removing the side shoots. You do need to bother with a support, you don't really need to bother removing the side shoots, especially if you have your tomatoes in a really sunny open space with enough support to let them sprawl a bit.

51d

Free: Young lettuce plants (Hatfield AL10) Gifted This is a cut-and-come-again variety "salad bowl". I usually snip individual leaves from the outside rather than cut down the whole thing but either way works. 4 plants. If we haven't discussed numbers, you may get 4 or just 2 if I'm trying to satisfy two people. Tell me if you need all 4. You'll get a better crop if you can plant in the ground or pot into larger pots, but you can just leave them as they are and it will be ok.

51d

Free: Verbena bonariensis (purpletop) (Hatfield AL10) Gifted Young plants mostly potted as little clumps of 2 or 3 in small pots. Highly recommended, these been my most popular giveaway on here in the past. The majority will have to end up on the compost heap, but how many can we save to enjoy their flowers? I expect most people will prefer potted up plants, but if you can handle a chunk of seedlings straight from the ground, say so - you may get more that way. Tell me if you're hoping for a particular number. Good in containers and quick to grow, these baby plants will establish quickly and flower for you this summer. Leave the flower heads next autumn and they will seed for you too if you're lucky. Verbena bonariensis is a beautiful hardy perennial with purple flowers on tall wiry stems over a long flowering season. Comes back from the base stronger every year and will self seed around if it's happy. Flowers beloved of bees and butterflies. Watch goldfinches try to balance on the seed heads next winter. It wants sharp drainage and full sun to be truly happy, but I have sticky clay and a fair amount of shade and it does fine.

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51d

Free: Verbena bonariensis (Hatfield AL10) Withdrawn Get your orders in! These are still too small right now, but I have essentially unlimited seedlings of this ever-popular plant at this time of year, and soon they will be big enough to pot on individually for giving away. Highly recommended, these been my most popular giveaway on here in the past. The majority will have to end up on the compost heap, but how many can we save to enjoy their flowers? I expect most people will want to wait for potted up plants, but if you can handle a chunk of seedlings straight from the ground, say so. Good in containers and quick to grow, these baby plants will establish quickly and flower for you this summer. Leave the flower heads next autumn and they will seed for you too if you're lucky. Verbena bonariensis is a beautiful hardy perennial with purple flowers on tall wiry stems over a long flowering season. Comes back from the base stronger every year and will self seed around if it's happy. Flowers beloved of bees and butterflies. Watch goldfinches try to balance on the seed heads next winter. It wants sharp drainage and full sun to be truly happy, but I have sticky clay and a fair amount of shade and it does fine.

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56d

Free: Kale plants (cavolo nero) (Hatfield AL10) Gifted "Black Magic" is a variety of cavolo nero, or black Tuscan kale. I have about three spares left after I planted out a row and potted on some plants. By now they're a bit more mature than in the picture. Kale is a fairly strong growing plant and produces a lot of tasty leaves throughout the year if you can keep it happy. Main problems are pigeons and caterpillars at certain times of year. It will grow all through the summer and autumn, stand through the winter, start growing again in spring and then run to flower. It's fully frost hardy in the UK. You can eat the flower heads like purple sprouting broccoli and any you don't will open to masses of cheery yellow flowers loved by bees. Typically people cook the mature leaves - they are tasty and don't collapse down to nothing like spinach does. You can soften them or crisp them up if you fry them. I ate one of the seedlings that wasn't healthy enough to pot up so I can tell you the young leaves and stems are tasty raw too. If you believe in superfoods, then you may know kale is usually on the list of superfoods. Certainly it's very good for you - it's high in vitamins, iron and antioxidants. (Just like all leafy greens.)

57d

Free: Rainbow chard seed "Bright Lights" (Hatfield AL10) Withdrawn Unopened, in-date (recent magazine freebie). Chard is probably the easiest to grow of the many "use-like-spinach" substitutes. Contrasting colours make it look very pretty on the veg plot and can even be grown as an ornamental. Superficially can look like rhubarb with its giant leaves and thick fleshy stems, but unlike rhubarb, all parts of the plant are edible raw or cooked and chard is very good for you. Compared to spinach, it's quicker and stronger growing and relatively less attacked by pigeons, slugs and snails (which hopefully are less of a problem this year anyway). Produces leaves for a much much longer time than spinach. Often comes through a winter to produce a crop the next spring. Doesn't have that gritty texture of spinach. Closely related to beetroot, so does have that beetroot taste which you may love or hate. In fact it will produce huge thick fleshy roots which are theoretically edible as beetroot, but are probably way too tough to do that.

57d

Free: Flower seeds (Hatfield AL10) Gifted Eschscholzia "Orange King" Cornflower "Blue Ball" Ox-eye daisies All unopened and in-date. Wildlife friendly and also very pretty.

57d

Free: Thai basil plants (Hatfield AL10) Gifted I have run out of ordinary sweet basil from an earlier post (coming soon) but have more Thai basil - variety "Siam Queen". I have some spares after potting up some young plants - which are now growing faster than I can eat them. This is not ordinary "sweet" basil like you get in supermarkets. These are only just potted up in fresh compost in individual pots, so you can just water them (and eat them) for a while. In some weeks they will outgrow their small pots and then you should pot them on. You can keep them going all summer, but they are tender annual so don't expect them to live forever. Some of the plants are starting to flower. Unlike ordinary basil which has boring white insignificant flowers, thai basil has pink flowers on purplish stems and the leaves near the flowers go purplish too. It's quite ornamental - but best to cut back from time to time to keep the young leaves coming. Don't believe basil has to be tortured like supermarkets do - cramming millions of plants into one tiny pot. A single one will make a large bushy plant (easily 1ft x 1ft) if you keep potting it into a bigger pot as it grows. You can also root the shoots in water to make more plants yourself. Basil likes strong sunlight and warmth, so probably keep inside in a bright kitchen window or conservatory. They're very happy outside in pots in summer, but in my experience get immediately eaten by slugs if I plant them in the ground, so probably don't do that! That said, this is the year for that if you fancy it. I will divide my spare plants to satisfy demand. I also have ordinary sweet basil and a red leaved one coming soon, so talk to me if you're interested in those. At the time of posting they're not potted up individually: I will do that in due course.

57d

Free: Young Thai basil plants (Hatfield AL10) Gifted Now I have run out of sweet basil from an earlier post (at least for now) but have more Thai basil - variety "Siam Queen". I have some spares after potting up some young plants - which are now growing faster than I can eat them. These are only just potted up in fresh compost in individual pots, so you can just water them (and eat them) for a while. In some weeks they will outgrow their small pots and then you should pot them on. You can keep them going all summer, but they are tender annual so don't expect them to live forever. This is not ordinary "sweet" basil like you get in supermarkets. Don't believe basil has to be tortured like supermarkets do - cramming millions of plants into one tiny pot. A single one will make a large bushy plant (easily 1ft x 1ft) if you keep potting it into a bigger pot as it grows. You can also root the shoots in water to make more plants yourself. Basil likes strong sunlight and warmth, so probably keep inside in a bright kitchen window or conservatory. They're very happy outside in pots in summer, but in my experience get immediately eaten by slugs if I plant them in the ground, so probably don't do that! I will divide my spare plants to satisfy demand. I also have ordinary sweet basil, Cinnamon Basil and a red leaved one, so talk to me if you're interested in those. At the time of posting they're not potted up individually: I will do that soon.

66d

Free: Bluebells in the green (Hatfield AL10) Gifted Bluebells - they are beautiful but they also come up in silly places and I'm constantly digging them out. "In the green" - plant now and forget about them for flowering next spring - best if you keep them under damp soil/compose meanwhile. (Actually bluebells are incredibly tough so they'll be fine if you mistreat them.) Photo is from May 2021. Happy in wet sticky clay in partial shade but should be fine on almost any soil and ok in full sun.

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68d

Free: Young basil plants (Hatfield AL10) Gifted I have some spare basil plants after potting up some young plants - which are now growing faster than I can eat them. This is ordinary "sweet" basil like you get in supermarkets. But don't believe basil has to be tortured like supermarkets do - cramming millions of plants into one tiny pot. A single one will make a large bushy plant (easily 1ft x 1ft) if you keep potting it into a bigger pot as it grows. You can also root the shoots in water to make more plants yourself. Basil likes strong sunlight and warmth, so probably keep inside in a bright kitchen window or conservatory. They're very happy outside in pots in summer, but in my experience get immediately eaten by slugs if I plant them in the ground, so probably don't do that! These are only just potted up in fresh compost in individual pots, so you can just water them (and eat them) for a while. In some weeks they will outgrow their small pots and then you should pot them on. You can keep them going all summer, but they are tender annual so don't expect them to live forever. I will divide my spare plants to satisfy demand. I also have Thai Basil, Cinnamon Basil and a red leaved one, so talk to me if you're interested in those. At the time of posting they're not potted up individually, though I probably will soon.

68d