Mist over the stream this morning and a heavy dew on the grass; getting to the end of summer. How's things gone with everyone? Good, not so good, or downright awful!
I'm generally happy with the season except for peas, they come into the downright awful category. Some first sowings of some things weren't good but second sowings of carrots and beetroot caught up. All beans are good, outside toms performing nicely, courgettes a-plenty and spuds OK too. Leeks progressing nicely as well.
The plot I'm giving up is nearly cleared and the shed has been moved to the plot I'm keeping, just got to dismantle the compost heap and move the last few slabs. Looking forward now to being down to 1 plot, the extra half was just too much.
MW
Late Summer Round-up
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Westi
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This year has been significantly better than last year. I've still had disasters among some great results but am happy. Still so much to learn but trial & error is a great teacher.
Some of my good results have been from being a softie & buying up sad little plants from pound stores & the like for 10p or so. I've had the best cauliflowers for example from dried out pots of stem & 2 leaves & totally root bound. All produced wonderful caulies that didn't all come at once. I'm really looking forward to my pumpkins - have loads & despite so many on each plant they are huge.
Here's to the challenges of 2015 !
Westi
Some of my good results have been from being a softie & buying up sad little plants from pound stores & the like for 10p or so. I've had the best cauliflowers for example from dried out pots of stem & 2 leaves & totally root bound. All produced wonderful caulies that didn't all come at once. I'm really looking forward to my pumpkins - have loads & despite so many on each plant they are huge.
Here's to the challenges of 2015 !
Westi
Westi
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Diane
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Yes, it's all feeling very mellow now...and the best growth I've had are from my grafted tomato plants..in the greenhouse. They are coming out of the window of the roof and escaping through the door. Excellent growth but rubbish flavour mind you. Shan't be bothering with them again. Have 3 different varieties. I'll be going back to Sungold and Gardeners Delight next year.
Courgettes have been good but are mildew-y now...but still have flowers so I'll let them be for the moment.
Rhubarb is still good and the Autumn Bliss have excelled.
Waiting for a few more weeks to see if my peanut plants have produced.
Just planted up some spinach and kale plants - so hope it doesn't turn too cool just yet. Radishes never made an appearance - planted two packets in the raised bed ....zilch. I blame the cat!
Courgettes have been good but are mildew-y now...but still have flowers so I'll let them be for the moment.
Rhubarb is still good and the Autumn Bliss have excelled.
Waiting for a few more weeks to see if my peanut plants have produced.
Just planted up some spinach and kale plants - so hope it doesn't turn too cool just yet. Radishes never made an appearance - planted two packets in the raised bed ....zilch. I blame the cat!
Last edited by Diane on Thu Aug 21, 2014 3:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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oldherbaceous
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Just dug up my Cara Potatoes, very pleased with the size, but very disappointed, as they all have slug holes in them. 
And as they were for baked potatoes, they are pretty useless, so cook will be cutting lots of bits out, so we can use them for roasting.
There's always a way around things....
And as they were for baked potatoes, they are pretty useless, so cook will be cutting lots of bits out, so we can use them for roasting.There's always a way around things....
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
Same here with our Cara potatoes, OH! In fact, in answer to MW's initial question:
Potatoes on the allotment have probably fared worse than ever for us this summer: Kestrel and Cara were/are full of slug holes, Safari (they were free seed potatoes) even worse and very small and Sarpo Mira really never "took off" properly. The Rooster and Kestrel planted in large pots did very well - large and clean crop.
Other vegetables: dwarf beans and runner beans are still doing fine and we have frozen a lot. Climbing French beans had all their leaves blown off in Bertha's remnants. Carrots are so-so. Courgettes and broccoli have now gone over. Kales (we grow four varieties) were slow to start due to the dry weather but are now doing well. Leeks are very good. Garlic were smaller than usual but shallots (grown from sets and from seeds) have done very well and none went to seed.
Greenhouse tomatoes are absolutely covered in trusses and ripening slowly.
And the heather on the moors around us has never flowered better - a gorgeous sight in the sunshine!
Potatoes on the allotment have probably fared worse than ever for us this summer: Kestrel and Cara were/are full of slug holes, Safari (they were free seed potatoes) even worse and very small and Sarpo Mira really never "took off" properly. The Rooster and Kestrel planted in large pots did very well - large and clean crop.
Other vegetables: dwarf beans and runner beans are still doing fine and we have frozen a lot. Climbing French beans had all their leaves blown off in Bertha's remnants. Carrots are so-so. Courgettes and broccoli have now gone over. Kales (we grow four varieties) were slow to start due to the dry weather but are now doing well. Leeks are very good. Garlic were smaller than usual but shallots (grown from sets and from seeds) have done very well and none went to seed.
Greenhouse tomatoes are absolutely covered in trusses and ripening slowly.
And the heather on the moors around us has never flowered better - a gorgeous sight in the sunshine!
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robo
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Most of my potatoes wherea disaster some rotted in the ground most where small a lot had wireworm holes in them, my cobra has not been as good as last year but still had a fair amount,every coliflower we planted went to seed the spinich died off the pease got to 6 feet high then they all died but we did get a hell of a lot but not paticularly sweet, thats the down side done with ,every thing else we have planted have surpassed our expectations , wet have had some good cabbage ,broccoli, 3 different types of kale, beetroot, lettuce, sprouts are looking good the onions where brilliant some over 5 inch diameter, courgettes enough to feed all the north west, radish, raspberries, and the parsnips are impressive not a bad summer