A Members' Posts
List Layout
Photo List Layout
Cards Layout
Free:
Raspberry canes (Hatfield AL10)
Gifted
Rooted summer-fruiting raspberry canes. These were pulled today (Sunday) with roots attached because they were running into other fruit bushes nearby. You can see from the photo they have nice healthy fibrous roots. I'm storing them in a bucket of damp spent compost until collection. Thornless variety "Glen ample", which does well for me. I cut them back a little to help them survive being moved, but I left as many buds as I dare, which qualifies them as "long cane" plants - with any luck you will get fruit in the first year. Raspberries like moist fertile soil and at least some sun, but they can take a little bit of shade. There's a fair number of canes, so - within reason - I will share between several people if there is demand.
+1
+2
+1
+2
+1
+2
+1
+2
+1
+1
+2
+1
Free:
Mint - healthy young plants (Hatfield AL10)
Expired
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.
+1
21d
Free:
Basil plants (Hatfield AL10)
My last batch this year, these are the most common sweet basil, probably the best to try keeping alive as the year slips away. Basil doesn't like it as it gets cold and dark, you should bring these inside now we have chilly nights. Give them your brightest windowsill or conservatory.
21d
Free:
Forget-me-nots (Hatfield AL10)
Forget-me-nots: young plants dug straight from the ground. Not in flower now. Will overwinter and flower in April-May-June. I have to clear this bed to plant other things over winter. If not given away, I would need to compost the forget-me-not plants that are currently there. It is the perfect time of year to move plants because there is still warmth in the soil, but the autumn rains have begun. They should not notice being moved if you water them in well. There are small foxglove seedlings mixed in there too, and you can plant them together or weed them out. Foxgloves also transplant well now, and should flower next summer, but I find them less reliable, especially since these ones are on the small side. Forget-me-not are beautiful clear blue-flowered, easy going biennials, beloved of pollinating insects. Once you have them you should let them seed at least once, and then you will have them forever: they will seed around freely. They are not a problematic weed because they are very easy to pull up and have distinctive soft hairy leaved seedlings. I weed them out during the summer and start moving them to where I want them in autumn or spring. Very tolerant, of garden soil and aspect.
24d
Free:
Young basil plants (Hatfield AL10)
Withdrawn
My last batch this year, these are the most common sweet basil, probably the best to try keeping alive as the year slips away. Basil doesn't like it as it gets cold and dark, you should bring these inside soon, if not now, and give them maximum light. Collection by arrangement to give me a chance to pot them up individually. You will get individual small pots, not the whole set of plants in the photo.
37d
Free:
Foxgloves (Hatfield AL10)
Promised
Been working on my foxglove soil seedbank for years and maybe I finally have enough to give away this year. Get your orders in now. If there is interest I will pot up some young plants (see last picture) or possibly by arrangement, you can have a clump straight from the ground. These are the native biennial: young plants this year will establish over autumn/winter and should flower next sping, produce masses of seed and then, usually, die. Digitalis purpurea. Very good for wildlife - you will always find bumble bees disappearing up the trumpets. Strong upright stems need no support and can reach 8ft in ideal conditions. Not fussy about soil type (they're fine on my heavy clay) and cope with a bit of shade or sun. Once established they are fine in dry soil and will not need watering.
42d
Free:
Apples (Hatfield AL10)
Windfall dessert/eating apples. Seems like a great year for tree fruit and everybody has excess. These are windfalls, so they may be a bit bruised/pecked and may have grubs inside. But they are delicious and perfectly good to eat within a week or so. I am eating and giving them away as much as I can, but so many are left to rot. Windfall cooking apples may also be available - ask.
42d
Free:
Young lettuce plants (Hatfield AL10)
Promised
Variety "All the Year Round". Just potted up some excess seedlings into individual pots to give away. Probably I will split amongst people if there is demand. Quoting Kings Seeds: Lettuce "All The Year Round" is a superb variety for spring, summer and autumn sowing in succession. Its a traditional favourite butterhead. They produce medium sized vegetables with a good flavour and nice crisp texture. Lettuce is one of the staple ingredients in a crispy, fresh summer salad. So what could be better than growing your very own lettuce to add to your tasty salads.
44d
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.
50d
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.
59d
Free:
Summer savoury (herb plants) (Hatfield AL10)
Gifted
Some young summer savoury plants. I sowed seed in spring and as ever, I ended up with far too many plants. It's one of my favourite herbs - a good substitute for thyme, but (for me) much easier to grow and maybe even better flavour. Incredibly savoury and goes very well with other savoury things like meat and fish - I suppose the clue's in the name. Ideally wants the same sort of hot well drained conditions that woody Mediterannean herbs like thyme want, but for me survives much better when it doesn't get it (i.e. in miserable cold wet winters in my sticky clay). There is "summer savoury" and "winter savoury", and this is summer savoury which supposedly does not survive the winter, but I am confused because mine has lasted for years. You have been warned. At any rate, it these will definitely be fine for the rest of the year. Plant or keep in pots. As a bonus, it has masses of small pretty white flowers right now, which are very good for bees and other pollinators.
59d
Free:
Kalanchoe: succulent house plant (Hatfield AL10)
Expired
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.
100d
Free:
Tomatoes: Sungold, Black Beauty, + (Hatfield AL10)
Gifted
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.
100d
Free:
White & green small-leaved ivy (Hatfield AL10)
Expired
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.
104d
Free:
Tradescantia/purpleheart houseplant (Hatfield AL10)
Gifted
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.
104d
Free:
Used washing up drainer (Hatfield AL10)
Expired
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.
108d
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.
110d
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.
110d
Free:
Tomato plants "Sungold" (Hatfield AL10)
Expired
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.
113d
113d
Free:
Verbena bonariensis plants (Hatfield AL10)
Expired
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.
115d
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).
115d
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.
120d
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)
122d
Free:
Young basil plants (ordinary basil) (Hatfield AL10)
Expired
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.
129d
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.
130d
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.
130d
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.
135d
Free:
Lettuce seeds (Hatfield AL10)
Expired
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.)
135d
Free:
Spiral tree guard (Hatfield AL10)
Expired
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:
135d
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.
135d