Successes & Failures 2009

[retropants]

sweetcorn - amazing huge crop!
tomatoes, so-so, were in new greenhouise, not sure about the soil
peppers - in old greenhouse - amazing
sweet potatoes - in old greenhouse - loads of foliage, can't wait to dig 'em up!
carrots - crap
potatoes - quite good, not too much scab this year
brassicas - although protected by enviromesh, have been infiltrated by cabbage whites. Not impressed. Broccoli good though, sprouts have survived a major caterpillar attack
soft fruit - great apart from strawbs, all plants died and we have since relocated to a new bed with fresh plants
apples, less than average yield, some trees had none this year following last years glut
damsons - huge crop
garlic - great
onions - Oh my! they are huge and very strong. all from seed sown in Jan
leeks - looking good
parsnips - lots of foliage, haven't investiagted below soil level yet!

can't think of anything else right now, but all in all, quite a good year!

[tiamaria1]

For my first year with an allotment I think I've done ok. We got the allotment, or should I say grassy slope, in March and have managed to terrace it, put up a polytunnel, shed and chicken run so far!

Potatoes did well until the dreaded blight hit, but I managed to rescue most of the tubers in time.
Tomatoes did ok in the polytunnel, though there was some blight towards the end.
Peppers and chillies did really well but didn't ripen very quickly.
Cucumbers didn't do very well at all even in the polytunnel
Carrots ok
Brassicas are doing well
Soft fruit did ok but it was only their first year
Lettuce was quick to bolt
Peas weren't very productive but the beans have done well esp runner beans - celebration from Marshalls
Onions were disappointly small but none bolted.

So not too bad til yesterday when we had a major flood on the plot and one of the terraced beds has nearly ended up in the polytunnel. Water had torrented down the plot from a neighbouring road with very bad drains so another repair job is needed.

Ah well no rest for the wicked!!

[oldherbaceous]

Dear tiamaria1, sorry to read about the damage done to your plot by the flooding, hope you soon get the problem sorted.

As you say, no rest for the wicked, i wonder if that's the reason why i always seem to be so busy.

[Westi]

Today I dug up my sweet potatoes - SUCCESS!!! Had 10 plants
I chitted myself and planted them outdoors through black membrane.
Had a full carrier bag of jumbo size and about 1/2 bag of smaller
but usable size.

Considering it wasn't the warmest of years I am chuffed to bits.
Wireworm have nibbled a few but only superficial - can't help
going out to the greenhouse to inspect them and have showed
anyone silly enough to stop and chat.

Westi

[macmac]

Sweet potato squash,my lovely friend gave me a plant (seed from real seed co) it cropped really well an the squash are smashing. It's on my list to grow next year

[PLUMPUDDING]

I agree about those summer squash from Real Seeds Macmac. They were the best of the lot with dozens of fruits, very good flavour and lovely and tender. I pricked them all over and then microwaved them for four minutes. You could then eat them cut up with butter and black pepper, or chop them up and use them in curries or all sorts of other recipes.

I'm definitely growing them again next year.

[macmac]

PP sounds yum

[Elle's Garden]

I may try and find a space for these next year, they sound very interesting and we are quite getting into squash as a family. Would the seeds only be available from Real Seeds? I haven't got going on seed catalogues yet, still relying on the local garden centre. If I need to order a catalogue would the Real Seed one be a good one to go for?

[alan refail]

Dear EG

If you want to explore the world of seed catalogues just see them online.
Here, for example, is the Real Seed Catalogue. For other companies just Google the companies name and you will find their website.

[Victoria]

A mixed year for me. Raspberries fantastic, good spuds, onions, shallots, courgettes and cucumbers Sweetcorn eaten by mice, butternut squash failed as did three lots of cabbage, romanesco came unexpectedly early and I missed it. Allotment siteopen and has lots of furry visitors, rabbits, hares, muntjac, mice etc. But main problem is we had very little rain here in Suffolk, we have no water on site, so all has to be collected in butts or brought from home, in the end the sheer scale of the watering to be done defeats me. Looking forward to next year!