Grow Your Own needs your help!

[RuthC]

GYO is looking for readers' tips on the best ways to stay warm on the plot during the cold winter weather. Do you have any unusual or sure-fire methods for warding off chills? If so, we'd love to hear from you.

[SarzWix]

Layers! I always have at least 3 - t-shirt, jumper, wind-proof coat. And if it's exceptionally cold that can be added to with a thermal vest, and a long sleeved t-shirt, plus long-johns. I find it best to do it that way, because digging can get you very warm, and a few layers can be removed. 2 pairs of socks in walking boots help to keep feet warm - my feet always freeze in wellies.
Also, a pair of fingerless gloves, with a removeable mitten end, are a very worthy investment

[Hans Mum]

body warmer on top of the layers, does what it says on the tin keeps the body warm but leaves you arms free to move.
Fleecy lined boots with thick socks keep my feet warm, and most important of all a camping stove in the shed to make hot tea/coffee or soup

[Alison]

Agree with the layers comment above as they can be added or removed as necessary. Also keeping moving is good. Always remember to warm up a bit to start with (cycling to the plot helps me with this) so that you don't pull and cold muscles which will stop you doing anything.

Personally I don't find body warmers work - it's my arms that are cold not my body so they're on the wrong bit! I sometimes wear my cycling arm warmers to overcome this.

[zazen999]

When i worked on the A256 Eastry to Whitchurch bypass; with the wind from the channel blowing straight over us all winter; I used to put bubblewrap in my boots. I crackled a bit in the morning but by lunchtime, my feet were still cosy and the noise had stopped.

There's alot to be said as well for the humble thermal vest. I have several and they get dragged out of the wardrobe aroundabout now. Always tuck them into your pants, then have the next layer tucked into your trouser waistband, with a jumper over the top of that. Being untucked on any under-layer is not conducive to keeping warm on cold lottie trips.

[peanut]

Have to have a good hat and a scarf, a hat makes such a difference to your whole body warmth and a scarf stops all those nasty drafts getting down the back of your neck or chest whilst bending over!
I'm also a big fan of thermals....socks, vests and long johns really keep you snug.

Oh and my trusty pocket warmers.....they stay warm for hours and are lovely and keep your pockets lovely and toasty!

[krazy_krok]

I like to have a bonfire near to where i'm working.This keeps me warm especially whilst having a break from digging and has many other benefits. I can burn off the waste from the year, hedge trimmings, weeds etc which helps at this time of year when i'm tidying the plot. Having several bonfires over the winter allows me to change the position of it, I burn on my empty beds. This helps to clear and control the weeds and is dug into the soil to add nutrients. And it's always nice to chuck a spud in some foil onto the embers when they are burning white as a tasty snack.

Krazy_krok

[Snadger]

Digging!...........

[HeyWayne]

Staying dry is key to keeping warm. Waterproofs, shed, greenhouse. If it's cold and raining - stay dry and you've a better chance of staying warm.

Other than that I'm woefully under qualified to talk about keeping warm, I don't feel the cold.

Looking forward to a similar thread being started next summer on how to keep cool.

[zazen999]

I like to have a bonfire near to where i'm working.This keeps me warm especially whilst having a break from digging and has many other benefits. I can burn off the waste from the year, hedge trimmings, weeds etc which helps at this time of year when i'm tidying the plot. Having several bonfires over the winter allows me to change the position of it, I burn on my empty beds. This helps to clear and control the weeds and is dug into the soil to add nutrients. And it's always nice to chuck a spud in some foil onto the embers when they are burning white as a tasty snack.

Krazy_krok

Bonfires keep me really warm.

As they bring my chronic asthma on, I then can't breathe; then have the inevitable asthma attack; have ridiculously painful lungs for the next 2-3 days which means I can't leave the house as the cold weather makes me wince when I breathe like = I stay nice and snug.

[krazy_krok]

Bonfires keep me really warm.

As they bring my chronic asthma on, I then can't breathe; then have the inevitable asthma attack; have ridiculously painful lungs for the next 2-3 days which means I can't leave the house as the cold weather makes me wince when I breathe like = I stay nice and snug.

Fair point, I'm a fireman so pretty used to it now, must have asbestos lungs! Not nice when you've got a runny nose though to see your hankey covered in black snot!

KK

[Bigmallly]

As I no longer go fishing, I use my all-in-one thermal fishing suit for gardening in winter.......superb.

[Flummery]

I don't find keeping warm a problem (maybe my age!) but I do get overheated if I'm not careful. I go with the layers and my plot, after half an hour's work, is festooned with cardis jumpers and fleeces cast off at various stages. If I slow down and get cool they go back on again in the same order. A hot drink before I set off helps, as does another on my return.

[cupcake]

I'm definitely one of the woolly hat brigade (and scarf!) If my ears/ neck get cold I get horrendous earache. Oh and if you pull the hat well down it stops you wrinkling up your forehead and the wrinkles getting worse!

[T8Ter]

As I no longer go fishing, I use my all-in-one thermal fishing suit for gardening in winter.......superb.

I'm with BM, I still fish but have older thermal flotation suits (two piece) that stop wind rain or anything else getting through, although if digging they are too warm to wear, then it's lots of thin layers.