Grow your own at home or on the allotment
The greenhouse gives you tomatoes, cucumbers and salad leaves. A few hens add your own eggs, a water butt or two catches free rainwater for the watering can, and raised beds give you more room to grow outside. Each topic has a guide and a short list of picks from Amazon.co.uk. We have not tested these ourselves.
Water butts
Plants prefer rainwater to hard tap water, and it costs you nothing. A 210 litre water butt on a stand fills from a downpipe through a diverter kit. A greenhouse roof catches rain too, and you can add gutters and a second butt next to it. On a stand the tap sits high enough to fit a watering can under it.
Chicken coops
A coop has three jobs: stay dry, keep foxes out and clean out quickly. Many cheap wooden coops are sized for fewer hens than the box claims, so plan for two or three birds in a small coop. In England and Wales you must register your birds with the government within a month of getting them, even if you keep only a few hens.
Raised beds
A raised bed warms up earlier in spring, drains better on heavy clay and saves your back. Metal beds last longer than untreated timber and go together with a few bolts. A depth of 30 cm suits salad and herbs. For carrots, parsnips and potatoes, go for 45 cm or more.
Prices and ratings from Amazon.co.uk when we checked. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.