Kitchen Garden Forum

Is this year a "good" growing year? It certainly is for us. With our allotment halved, we expected to get about half the produce but the broad beans and peas are surpassing all expectations! We already have about 20 generous double portions of broad beans in the freezer (varieties de Monica and Masterpiece Green Longpod) and more to come.

Last year's peas were virtually non-existing whereas this year the plants (all Hurstgreenshaft) are covered in pods though they are little slow to fill. Must be patient.

The garlic (variety Vallelado) is enormous, some almost cricket ball size, and the shallots too are doing fine without any bolters.

Sounds like you have the better of many of us Monika, I think you have had more rainfall than us.

We are disappointed with our pea results this year. Despite good ground preparation late last year the 5 varieties we chose for this year have palled into insignificance compared to last year.

Hi Monika
Our carrots have been very slow to germinate but are getting going now. Our peas are slightly quicker to germinate and now we have had quite a good supply. Last year nothing. Courgettes started really well but have slowed down this last few days. Caulis have been fabulous and cabbages also. I must have missed the reason you have halved your allotment.Was it your choice or not.

I'm glad you're having a good year Monica. We got off to a slow start because of the cold dry May but everything is producing wonderfully now.

I've tried to sow smaller amounts of most crops as there are only two of us at home now, but find it difficult to only plant a few when there has been good germination.

One idea which has worked well is to just grow a few mangetout peas up a tower made from five tall garden canes with a tube of 4inch square sheep netting attached. They are easy to pick and look attractive with their pink and purple flowers. I grow sweet peas in he same way around the garden to add a bit of height and colour and perfume.

Our early spuds have been better this year than any year we have had on the plot which is 5 now, pease have been brilliant, caughets are going good but a bit slow compared with other years same with the tomatoes, french beans are a disaster i have tried sowing 4 times not one has germinated,all our brassicas have been sown late on purpose as we only want them in autumn into winter ,all in all its not been to bad a year up to now

Dear Monika, it has certainly been a late year for things cropping and as or those blackfly...they have been very challenging....
Apart from that, there are some excellent crops coming off.

The beginning of the year I was very concerned, but I persevered & re-sowed & now I would have to say this year appears better than last. We have our allotment show on Saturday & I had nothing to put in last year,(either gone over or not ready), but this year I think I can put in Runner Beans, French Beans, Cabbage, Raspberries, Blackberries, Courgettes & maybe some Potatoes so yep, much better year!

Westi

You mention the rainfall, Pa Snip: it was interesting to see in one of the Sunday papers that the NW of England (and we are in the NW although it is Yorkshire) had the lowest rainfall as a percentage of the average for that area in July in the whole of the UK. We had 103mm in July and about the same in June which is really "peanuts" for growing vegetables, so we had to do a lot of watering - no hose, just watering cans.

The one vegetable which has been lousy compared to last year have been the courgettes, small and miserable and not many of them!