Garden Bits & Bobs

Lists. Don't we just love 'em? Here's mine for my year ahead in the garden, and no doubt it shall grow as I go on:

wooden garden sieve - Hibbitt of Oswestry have been making wooden sieves the traditional way in their family for the past two generations. I have ordered a ½ inch mesh, which is the finest in their coarse range, and good for sifting out bulbs and larger pebbles from soil. They do a potting sieve too, but  I shall have to save for my greenhouse before I spend any more on accessories for it.

draper 1 tonne waste bag - a better option than bin liners that tear easily, this should help store all my sifted soil before it returns to the beds.

string line 25m jute rope - to guarantee straight lines when planting - particularly useful if, like me, you tend to do so under the influence of rosé... vintage ones pop up on ebay from time to time.

hand dibber - ideal for making holes for large seeds and bulbs, or for plugging plants. I purchased mine from Clifton Nurseries.

stewart bio pots - thank goodness these are biodegradable. Perfect for the plants I am due to transplant. Mine, of course, will be black, and again, I shall be getting them from Clifton Nurseries.

Nether Wallop paper potter - economic and eco-friendly, this simple device turns old newspaper into pots for seedlings that can be transplanted straight into the garden. The large potter is on sale here.