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THERE are not many things in your life you can get free - but there is an easy way to get your hands on a lifetime supply worth of fruit and veggies without spending a penny.
Lifelong gardener Nancy Birtwhistle showed how to top up your fruit and veg drawer - for free - and it works even when you don't have any outdoor space.
According to the Hull-born baker who won the fifth series of The Great British Bake Off in 2014, thrifty Brits should make the most out of their pots, which can be placed both on the balcony and the window sill.
Chatting with Dermot O'Leary and Rochelle Humes, the savvy gardener shared top tips to growing your own allotment from the comfort of your own home.
Are you a fan of mushy peas and like to have them with a cheeky fish and chips? What if you could grow them into nutritious pea shoots that go well with a tasty stir-fry?
For this, Nancy revealed to This Morning viewers, you will need some dried marrowfat peas, old strawberry containers from the supermarket, as well as some compost.
Once you have filled the plastic containers with compost, you can sow the peas, before burying them in more compost on top and giving the seeds a spritz of water.
When ready, cover with another container on top - this will act like a mini greenhouse, providing the ideal environment for the greens.
According to the money-smart baking whizz who said you'll notice some growth in as little as five days, a bag of this green will set you back an average £2.
When you're ready to harvest, she instructed, you should cut ''just above the leaf joint'' and the plant will continue to grow.
''Once they peep through, you can take the propagator lid off and transfer them to a cooler room - otherwise they'll get really long stalks.''
This time of the year when you go to the spud box, you may notice that the potatoes are becoming a little soft and they're covered in little shoot.
If you have an empty egg box where you can keep the British favourite upright, make sure the shoots of the seed potatoes ''are facing the light''.
''These don't want to be kept any longer in a dark place. They want to be in a light, cool, frost-free room.
''In about six weeks, these little shoots will be about 3/4in long, dark green and ready to be popped in a pot.''
Gardening experts over at have revealed the garden laws you need to be aware of not breaking.
While some of these laws could land you with a fine of up to £20,000 in extreme cases, a friendly chat with your neighbours can usually resolve any issues.
Tree removal and pruning: If you have a tree in your garden you want to get rid of you better think twice and do your research.
The gardening experts reveal: “If one neighbour wishes to remove or heavily prune a tree that the other neighbour values, disputes can arise over the impact on the view, shade, or privacy. "
While it might cause a row, if it is in your property boundary it is ultimately your choice, unless it has a Tree Protection Order on it.
“But, some trees may be protected by a Tree Protection Order which makes it an offence to uproot, top or destroy them, the experts warn.
The maximum fine for breaking this law is £20,000, so make sure you double check if it does have a TPO.
You can find out by contacting your local council for a map that shows this information. Alternatively, you can ask to speak with your local tree officer.
Property boundaries and fences: One of the main causes of neighbours falling out is through arguing over property boundaries and fencing.
To avoid this situation, the gardening pros recommend checking the deeds of your property to determine the correct boundaries
“Most of the time, it’s easy to determine who owns the fence as the fence posts will usually be on the owners side," they add.
“Additionally, the height of fences or hedges can cause disputes between neighbours if one party feels the height has exceeded the two metre guidance.
"Hedges and fences should be no more than two metres high, and you could be asked by the council to take them down if a neighbour complains about the height.
"Luckily, standard fence sizes are less than two metres tall so you shouldn’t have a problem.”
Garden structures and additions: A pergola is the perfect addition to a garden if you want somewhere to relax in the shade.
But if it obstructs your neighbour's view or violates local building regulations it could cause a dispute, as can sheds and other garden structures.
“If you’re not sure, have a chat with your neighbours to let them know what you’re planning and, if there’s an issue, get in touch with your local council who can give you more guidance," advise the gardening experts.
Overhanging branches and plants: “When branches, vines, or roots from one neighbour's tree or plant extend into the neighbouring property, it can lead to disagreements over potential damage to structures, blocked views, or the burden of maintenance," reveal the pros.
However, it's important to note you can only trim overhanging branches up to the boundary of your property otherwise, it could be seen as trespassing.
You can climb into the tree to carry out the work if needed, but only on your property and make sure to stay on your side of the fence if you don't have permission to enter your neighbours garden.
This is a process called chitting, which means sprouting potatoes before planting them in the garden.
Seed potatoes should be chitted around six weeks before you plan to plant them – so, for many, that will mean chitting in February ready for planting in March/April.
You can chit first and second earlies, and maincrop potatoes, at the same time.
According to the pro, only a mere 10% of single use plastic bottles end up being recycled - which is why it's best to make use of them once you've finished its contents.
To give them a brand new life, the whizz demonstrated how to easily make your very own hanging pot, with a pair of scissors and some string.
Start by cutting off the bottom of the bottle, before threading three same-size pieces of string through tiny holes pierced with a hot skewer - which is also used for the lid ''to make drainage holes at the bottom''.
If you want to spruce it up even more, you can also get crafty and make a drawing on the DIY pot - ideal for storing store-bought thyme and other herbs.
