Growing Your Own

I am the least green fingered person you'll ever meet and no, that doesn't make me proud. Himself sniggers knowingly 'I give it two weeks, a month max!' whenever someone gives me any kind of plant, and unfortunately and annoyingly, he's usually right.

 I don't know really know why I'm so rubbish at it either. Maybe it's my tendency to forget that the green growing thing needs water, and then when I DO remember, I tend to overcompensate,  a horticultural feast or famine, if you like. And despite a liberal sprinkling of Baby Bio from time to time (when I remember) sadly sooner, rather than later, it inevitably gives up the ghost.

So what do I do? Well, to be honest, I've no real yearning to be a 'proper' gardener-all that kneeling down and dirty finger nails just isn't my thing, but I would like to be able to manage a plant. I've five children, for goodness sake- how hard can it be? I adore fresh flowers even though I usually end up buying them myself (Yes, that was a dig...with a pun). I place them lovingly into warm sugar water right away, and for days I get great pleasure just looking at them. (Unless they're chrysanthemums- I HATE chrysanthemums.)

Anyway, a few weeks ago Himself and myself popped into Aldi on our way back from our romantic weekend away (ending on a high note obvs), where I came upon these 'grow your own herbs' sets.

(Side note- Aldi/ Lidl has everything. In the past year alone, we've procured fishing gear, scuba sets, wet suits, wine, heaters, fake crocs, and fillet steaks, all at very competitive prices..... Which seamlessly segues to the musical link at the end of the post.)

But back to the herbs- every time I watch dishy Jamie Oliver's '30 minute Meals', inevitably, he picks up his scissors, and while still casually chatting to the camera, glides over and expertly snips away at the luxuriant selection of herbs growing in gorgeous painted earthenware pots on the windowsill....  I don't mind telling you I get quite demented with envy every time. And even though I'd bet my new Boden handbag that he doesn't tend and water those herbs himself- it IS a pretend kitchen after all- it makes my meagre array of 'out of date' jars seem pathetically inadequate.


So when I saw these cheeky little sets in Aldi, I snapped them up, much to the hilarity of Himself. What I didn't realise at the time, was that they didn't actually come complete with soil (it's true- I really am that stupid), but once the mini bag of compost was purchased the other day,  the planting part was plain sailing.

Check out that labeling-Go Rory!

They're currently on the kitchen windowsill (Up Yours Jamie), even though the instructions DID say to put them in plastic bags, I haven't done it, and that's purely for aesthetic reasons. As in I don't really want an old Tesco bag covering my beautiful handiwork and Rory's impressive labeling....but on the other hand, I DO want them to actually grow, so any advice at all from you herbaceous gardeners out there would be mucho appreciated.






I shall leave you with this very funny little song about Lidl and Aldi....and, just for the record,  I'm certain that my Dad has bought EVERY SINGLE THING on that list. ( Retirees LOVE Aldi and Lidl- FACT).
Enjoy my lovelies, Emx