By Dianebulley
Northamptonshire,
United Kingdom 
Good idea to visit your garden centre this time of year for a meal. Plants that have been standing outside all winter are thoroughly hardened off.
I found 5 trays of 'Hispi' Cabbage Plants, bought one with 10 good strong plants for £2.99. (Better than heated polytunnel grown spindly pale green ones at £3.99 in April.)
Herb plants, strong growth, ready to grow when the spring sunshine comes. (I am having 3 foot high fresh Herbs on my balcony this year. Same as t/v chefs have to fetch in handfuls of fresh herbs for their quiches.)
A large selection of new seeds in the Budget Priced racks
at 89p. I bought Tomatoes to sow now indoors. Better than paying £2 each for spindly plants that are not hardened off in May, and expecting them to recover.
Remember this year to feel each packet. Paying £2.99 and finding the packet empty when you get home is not garden friendly, methinks. (Its the machinery, I know.)
8 Jan, 2016
Answers
Thankyou for sharing your ideas Diane. I often need other people to show me how to get strong plants and save money too.
8 Jan, 2016
That is the great joy of GOY. Remember to get a box
of Fish, Blood and Bone, and a bag of Horticultural Sand
to revitalise your old compost. Plants need food, same as we do.
9 Jan, 2016
I don't like to advertise for them but Wyevale garden centres have a huge sale. 50, 70 and 80% off tons of stuff. I bought a clematis Prince George which should have big white flowers, reduced by 70% from £12 odd to £3.
9 Jan, 2016
Further to Diane's suggestions concerning packets of seed. Always keep the original packet; try to open, leaving the date and number of seed's details undamaged and if you find that the germination is poor or non-existent, then don't be afraid to send the empty packet back to the company that produced them. I have found that they will be only to happy to replace them. After all they don't cost pennies any more!
10 Jan, 2016
Thank you Cammomile and Jimmy for the good advice.
I am going back to the GC today as have decided to get
more large green plastic tubs for my balcony to grow fresh Herbs a la James Martin et al - they have them growing 3ft
high just behind their kitchens ! When cooking they grab
handfuls of whichever one they are using, not a pinch of the dried stuff in jars, as we do.
11 Jan, 2016
some good points there Diane. I often find some real bargains especially herbaceous perennials that just need splitting or re-potting before planting out. I increase a lot of my plants this way.
so true about the seeds. happy new year by the way. :o)
8 Jan, 2016