Latest news with #SimonAkeroyd
Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Gardeners urged to keep old milk cartons as seeds start sprouting fast
TikToker and gardening expert Simon Akeroyd shares the most budget-friendly and effective way to grow herbs by using empty cartons of milk - and it also helps the environment. Gardeners have been urged to repurpose old milk cartons instead of tossing them into the recycling. After finishing a milk carton or a bottle, a normal thing to do is to put it with the rest of the recycling. However, it can actually be a good helper on gardening tasks, as it can boost seeds and make them sprout much faster. According to Wales Recycles, the UK uses approximately 60,000 tonnes of milk cartons every year. It has also been revealed that 29.5% are actually recycled, with 70.5% ending up in landfills or incinerated. Now, instead of throwing away your empty bottle of milk, you might want to keep a hold of them for your future planting tasks. Not only will gardeners save some money, but they will also contribute towards combating climate change. Using an empty bottle of milk, TikTok user and gardening enthusiast Simon Akeroyd shared the quickest way to grow herbs - and it works like wonders. In the one-minute video, he shows a step-by-step demonstration. He begins by making holes in the base of a milk carton, cuts around three sides of the bottle and fills it with peat-free compost. Later on, he grabs some herbs seeds - in this case, parsley - and places them over the moist compost. Finally, he puts it on a sunny windowsill and waters them every few days. Simon compared the milk bottles to be like 'warm mini greenhouses'. Showing the final results, after two weeks, a beautiful and well-grown parsley is formed by just using an old milk carton. With a current following of 802.7k on TikTok and 12.5k likes, his videos focus on budget-friendly gardening tasks, encouraging everyone to grow their own produce. Not only has he become quite popular on social media, but he has also written more than 30 gardening books, Just by using some creativity, not only will gardeners create beautiful blooms for their outdoor spaces, but they will also be contributing to the environment by finding a second purpose to products at home. Although it might take some time to see the final results, there's no better feeling than seeing your efforts having positive results. And if you're a beginning gardener, don't worry - these tasks are very simple and don't require much expertise.
Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Gardeners urged to slice open UK supermarket kiwis but issued crucial warning
A gardening expert and best-selling author has shared a comprehensive guide to growing kiwis in your own back garden, all you'll need is a store-bought kiwi to start A gardening expert has shared a guide on how to grow kiwis in your own yard with a single store-bought kiwi. In a TikTok video, the expert shares step-by-step instructions on how to plant and grow your new fruit-bearing plant. The TikTok video comes from the account, simonakeroydgardener, which has over 800,000 followers and regularly shares gardening tips and tricks. The account is run by the gardening expert and author, Simon Akeroyd, whose latest book 'Grow Your Groceries: 40 Hacks for Growing Plants from Your Weekly Shop' is a Sunday Times and Irish Times bestseller. In the caption for the TikTok video, Akeroyd advises: ' Kiwis (in some countries they are called kiwi fruit) are climbing plants, so you will need a structure for them to grow up.' He also says there's another key component that is necessary for your kiwis to throve and that is a pollinator. Akeroyd writes that 'both male and female plants need to be grown if you want to produce fruit'. Thus, he advises that you trying growing a few seedlings to increase your chances of a successful crop. But Akeroyd confirms that kiwis are 'easy to grow' and you can do so by starting with a few kiwis purchases from the supermarket. But, anyone hoping to see fruit crops this summer may be disappointed - as the flowers can take years to produce fruit. Step 1: 'Cut a kiwi in half to reveal their seeds' Kiwi seeds are black in colour, rounded and edible. Step 2: 'Remove some of the seeds' As shown in the video, this can be done using the tip of a knife. Simply dig out a few of the seeds and place them on a dry paper towel. Step 3: 'Leave to dry for a few days' Drying seeds before planting them can increase the rate of germination. Step 4: 'Sprinkle the seeds over compost' As shown in the video, you can start off with a small pot for the initial stages. Step 5: 'Take a freezer bag and place it over the [planted] seeds' This acts as a mini- greenhouse, trapping humidity and speeding up the germination process. Step 6: 'Leave on a windowsill' Make sure your seeds get plenty of sunlight. According to Akeroyd, you should be able to see baby kiwi plants grow in a matter of a few weeks. Step 7: 'Prick out when they produce true leaves and [re-pot] to increase their size' Carefully, remove the full leaves - including stem - from your plant and put them in a larger pot. According to Akeroyd, you do need to wait a while before they produce fruit. He warned: 'It can take a few years for [the planted leaves] to produce fruit, but in the meantime they make beautiful ornamental climbing plants with large, attractive foliage.'
Daily Mirror
10-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Households urged to plant £1.48 fruit and watch it grow in the soil
Best-seller author and gardening expert, Simon Akeroyd, is now advising his followers to start planting their own produce, such as blueberries, with an easy tutorial. Gardeners are being encouraged to grow their own blueberries at home in order to save some money. Now with the warmer weather and longer sunlight, it's the best time to do some gardening tasks! Groceries are getting more and more expensive, especially on essentials like fresh fruits and vegetables. As a result, gardening experts are urging people to take another approach by planting their own produce home. Whilst promoting his book 'Grow Your Groceries', a Sunday Times and Irish Times bestseller, gardening expert Simon Akeroyd, shared a step-by-step video tutorial on how to make the most of blueberries, helping to cut down on some costs in the process. His book also focuses on another tips for growing food in small gardens, making it perfect for ideal beginners looking to make the most of their outdoor spaces. During the 50-second clip, he demonstrates how to grow blueberries at home using simple and everyday materials. In a straightforward method, Steven demonstrates that it's possible to grow beautiful blueberries, using a small container and some patience. In the video, which has played over 840k times and received 29.2k likes, he said: 'Place [the blueberries] in a freezer for a few weeks to stratify (chill) the seeds. Defrost, and then squeeze the berries, and remove the tiny seeds inside the berries.' The gardener also encouraged viewers to be patient, as blueberries can take some time to grow properly and mature, but the results show that's well worth the wait. Not only homegrown produce tastes more delicious, but the final results give a good sense of achievement and satisfaction. Simon said to leave seeds to dry overnight and then fill a container with ericaceous (acidic) compost, sprinkling the seeds over the surface. 'Leave on a sunny windowsill and soon baby blueberry seedlings will appear,' he concluded. Simon has become quite popular on social media by sharing how to make the most of your garden spaces. With a current following of 801.5k on TikTok and 12.5m likes, the gardener has also written over 30 gardening books. His videos also focus on budget-friendly gardening hacks, encouraging experienced and non-experienced gardeners to grow their own food. By following these simple steps, you can ensure that a beautiful plant will bloom, providing you with unlimited blueberries. Although it might take some time to see the final results, the best things take time to come - with blueberries being one of them.
Daily Mirror
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gardeners urged to plant £1 supermarket herb and watch it multiply in soil
There's not point in buying something when you can get it for free, and gardener Simon Akeroyd has explained how to get a lifetime supply of herbs with one easy trick Wouldn't it be incredible to buy something just once and then never have to buy it again. That's what one gardener says we can be doing in just a few very simple steps, with a quid at the supermarket guaranteed to keep you fed for years if you follow his easy tip. TikTok star Simon Akeroyd knows everything there is to know about gardening, having been head gardener for the Royal Horticultural Society and National Trust, while also writing 30 books on the subject. Thankfully, while Simon himself is a pro, he's simplified his lessons into short clips that anyone can follow - meaning you don't have to be green-fingered to get a healthy, blooming garden. In one of his videos for summer gardening ideas, the social media star focuses on basil, which can easily add loads more flavour and nutrients to anything from pesto to smoothies, or even fish and chicken curries. You can pick up a pot of living basil from most supermarkets, with it currently only £1.08 to order from Asda online and not reaching any more than £2 at the other big name shops. These pots don't tend to live long - but Simon has shown us how to keep them going forever. In his video, he shows that you just need to take some scissors and cut one of the fresher pieces low on the stem. Next, pluck off the lower leaves, and place it in a small pot of water. Soon the stem will start growing its own roots, at which point you can remove it from the water and plant it in soil in its own pot. This is now a plant of its own, and you can shove it on a windowsill to grow. This could go on indefinitely, as you'll be able to take a clipping from that one when it grows to make even more new plants. Simon - who has shared countless tips for making new, free food out of scraps - also clarified some more information in the comment section. One person asked why you couldn't just split the stems up and keep the original root system, with Simon explaining: 'They are usually weak plants as supermarkets grow lots all crammed into one pot. So yes you can divide but much better to take cuttings.' Another wanted to go a step further and just dunk the whole pot from the supermarket packaging into the garden, but Simon clarified: 'You can, but it is an annual so will not live long. Taking a cutting is like starting again with a new plant.' The thrifty gardener doesn't waste a thing, and also shared what he does with the rest of the supermarket pot if he only wants to take a couple of clippings from it. 'I use it for cooking and compost when it has finished and gone over. After having taken cuttings,' he stated. And, alongside being able to use the basil in cooking, it serves another purpose beyond looking pretty. According to House Beautiful, keeping basil plants in the home is a very good deterrent against spiders. The arachnids are said to hate the strong smell of the herb and will stay away from it - whereas to us, it's a lovely scent to flood the house.
The Sun
26-04-2025
- General
- The Sun
Gardening expert's 99p Aldi hack will give you home-grown tomatoes all summer
Veronica Lorraine, Gardening Editor and Associate Head of Features Published: Invalid Date, THERE'S nothing like biting into a homegrown tomato - and if it's your first time growing your own you won't believe how different they taste from bland supermarket versions. Here in the UK all they need is a warm, sheltered corner and a bit of love and attention. 4 4 4 4 Traditionally you sow the seeds inside from February - or buy plugs to bring on in the greenhouse from now. But as with so much of gardening nowadays - the rule book has been thoroughly torn up - with all sorts of new and exciting varieties and techniques to get your tomato taste buds going. GROW FROM SHOP BOUGHT TOMATOES Gardening author Simon Akeroyd says in his Grow Your Groceries book: Cut a few tomato slices about 3mm thick Fill a container with Peat Free compost to about 3cm deep - you can use plastic grape containers - just make sure there's holes in the bottom. Place the tomato slices on the compost and cover with about 2cm with more compost Place on a warm sunny windowsill and water regularly When the tomato plants have formed true leaves transplant into individual pots Plant outside once the risk of frost has gone Grow Your Groceries by Simon Akeroyd is published by DK, out now. STORAGE TOMATOES Heirloom seed company She Grows Veg have introduced Storage Tomatoes to the market - which last for up to six months ONCE you've picked them! Founder Lucy Hutchings told me: 'They lack the gene that allows conventional tomatoes to self ripen quickly, which means once picked they take months to reach full ripeness - becoming sweeter and sweeter - so you can actually be eating fresh homegrown tomatoes on Christmas day and beyond in the UK.' PICK & JOY TOMATOES One for the urban/small space gardener - these are bred to go on your windowsill and will keep refruiting the more you pick. They're also nice and compact so you don't need much room. Available from Dobbies at £16.99 - worth their money for a whole summer of tomatoes. TOMATO 'FRAISE' Glossy, deep red strawberry shaped tomatoes - with an unbeatable shelf life - with sellers Suttons Seeds claiming they're 'tough against cracking and fruit drop for a more reliable yield.' From £2.99 a packet. REISETOMATE As recommended by Mitch McCulloch in his book The Seed Hunter - these look like a 'fused together bunch of grapes. I'm a gardening enthusiast – plant your tomatoes in late spring with a key companion, you'll deter pests from attacking He says: 'It was bred for trekking across the Andes - its' bobbly structure allowing segments to be torn off and the rest popped back into a bag without leaking juice.' Seeds are currently available on Amazon for £3.77. CORDON TOMATO 'GOURMANSUN' Yellow, big and beautiful, these spectacular Oxhart tomatoes produce large heart-shaped fruit, with golden orange skins streaked with red when they're ripe. Plugs available from Marshalls Garden froim £6.29 for three in May. TOMATO INDIGO ROSE 'The Black Tomato' These ' superfoods ' are loaded with antioxidants like blueberries, and specially bred for extra nutrition. They're also highly disease-resistant. Plugs from Thompson and Morgan from £9.99 HANGING BASKETS A great way of growing tomatoes without taking up much space is to buy a selection that can grow in hanging baskets. Not only are they a space-saver - but they also look great. Just make sure you keep them well watered as hanging baskets dry out quickly. YouGarden have a 'Tumbling Tom' tomato mix which produces hundreds of small, juicy yellow and red tomatoes all summer long. TOP TOMATO CARE TIPS MULCH - make sure you put a layer of mulch around tomato plants - to stop them drying out. SNIP Remove side shoots of cordon tomatoes regularly - so they're putting their energy into growing tomatoes instead of leaves. Bush tomatoes can be left. FEED Keep a regular feeding regime with tomato based feed (which can also be used all around the garden) WATER Tomato plants are thirsty and dry out quickly - keep a regular watering regime and if you're going away, get a neighbour to pop in and carry on. SUPPORT Tomatoes need a lot of support - you can build a cage support with bamboo canes and string HARVEST pick ripe tomatoes regularly to encourage more fruit PROTECT Tomatoes don't like wind so keep them in a sheltered spot
