Successes & Failures

[Muscroj]

thought it would be useful to write down what we've all had success with, what we'll grow again & what we won't bother with or would do differently. I've learned loads this year, so don't want to forget it all for next year.

Potatoes - did really well, want to plant more next year & have a combination of earlies & lates

Carrots - also did really well, want a full bed & need to grow in succession

Lettuce - lovely, but need to plant in succession as found tehy go bitter when they are about to bolt, so need a constant supply of new plants throughout the year

Peas - MORE!! 6 plants is not enough for a family of 4! Did better by sprouting on the windowsill & chucking in handfuls into a trench rather than growing individual pots

Sweetcorn - has done well, but I shouldn't get overexcited & plant it out too early, it sat doing nothing & I nearly lost it all to slugs until the weather warmed up.

Tomatoes - so far so good, the gardeners delight variety seem to be much nicer than the plum & beef thaat I grew last year

Blueberries - did much better for having an early feed

Rhubarb - chicken manure works wonders! Needs sustenance for it to do well

Brussell Sprouts take up a LOTR of room for a LONG time, wont bother with them next year

Cabbages - dont' plant too closely as some of them don't develop & get swamped

Parsnips - need planting earlier

Squash - I think are going to be a dismal failure, won't bother next year

Cucumbers - need a bigger pot as they're drying out too quickly

Cauliflower - don't look like they're going to develop a 'flower' watch this space

[JulieSherris]

I have my notebook that I shall be updating - yep, pretty useful to help us remember what happened to what/where!

So.....

Potatoes - first lot did absolutely crap! A mix of earlies - which did nothing... and a few roosters from the local supermarket - which did better!

Carrots - are doing great guns so far - I planted a whole bed & next year shall plant two beds

Lettuce - yep, again, great - I'm planting 6 or so at a time & have them on hand whenever I feel the urge... oh & the slugs love them too!

Peas - Yes - gorgeous! I planted LOTS.... but next year shall plant even more again as they get used at just about every meal

Tomatoes - Hmmm... looking great but no red ones yet.... but my first sowing were disastrous, so ok, these might be a little late....

Rhubarb - We moved it this year, so fingers crossed for next year....

Brussell Sprouts - are looking wonderful so far & I planted mine quite close together - will wait hopefully....

Cabbages - Again, I planted mine fairly close - yep, the caterpillars got some - but then when I pick them, I cook the nibbled leaves up for the chooks, who also get the cabbage water to drink too

Parsnips - I planted Parsley Berliner - the roots are doing well so far & the leaves are a true parsley too!

Courgettes - Are cropping & cropping & cropping.... will plant 2 next year - not 6!

Cucumbers - I have 6 in the polyhouse & 4 outside - all doing VERY well, with huge fat cukes & really tasty.

Cauliflower - Ah.... absolutely gorgeous, but I either need to eat them when quite young, or stagger the sowing a little more

Broad Beans - Were/are wonderful - great little soldiers & still flowering now!

Leeks - Getting there.....

Onions - Goodness, HOW many did I grow? Am in the process of pulling a dozen a day & drying them for plaiting.

Runner Beans - We had the first of the crop last night - they were lovely - looking forward many more & a few bags for the freezer

Radishes - I think I grew a giant variety..... Although I know I didn't! But they are HUGE & I'm the only one who eats them

Sweetcorn - are looking great so far - have 12 plants growing nicely - females just poking their heads up now....

Beetroot - Smashing!

Turnips - Hmmm... started out looking good & they taste nice too, but quite a lot have bolted

Swedes - Have just started to pull some of the larger young ones - looking forward to good winter with these...

Broccoli - not great - bolted very quickly, but have 3 left, so I'm watching these to pick them as soon as they are ready.

Strawberries - Well, last year, I lost them all to the Basset puppy THIS year, what strawbs DID emerge were got by the slugs... the chooks didn't mind though! Next year I am planting 50...... already ordered and ALL in the air in pots or hanging baskets!!

Pumpkins/Gourds/Marrows - all doing well up on the dung heap - will leave well alone & check them nearer October.

Peppers - Just started to harvest mine & they smell SO nice! Have grown chocolate brown ones & yellow ones - smashing.

Melons - Have got 9 fruits starting.... am watching them like a hawk!

Plums - Are just starting to ripen....

Apples/Pears - Rubbish Will manure these through the winter & try again for next year.

And thassit for this year.... I've already got my plans drawn up for next year & all seeds ordered or being saved as I type!

Not a bad year, considering we only moved in here 10 months ago!

[Millymollymandy]

10 cucumbers Julie? Are you MAD? I have 3 and have picked at least 20 in the last week - picked 15 in one go the other day - am composting them and giving them to the chooks - think I'll dump a load on a neighbour and tell her to give em to her chooks..... and then the 3 later on/backup plants are just starting to flower and develop fruit whilst the first ones just go on and on and on.....!!! I've never had cucs like it before. I blame Lidl for their disease resistant seed!

Oh yes and the blooming courgettes (2 plants, that's one too many) are Lidl seed too and are not just producing crazily but are going off in all directions and one currently is taking up about 8 foot in all directions.

Not really sure whether these are successes or failures - certainly next year I will reduce again the amount of runner beans I grow. I reckon 4 plants for 2 people ought to be about right. I have 9 plants this year and I'm composting carrier bags full of the ruddy things!

Biggest/saddest failure is that my 'good' peach tree now has bacterial spot just like all the others - useless, so tree will be removed from veg patch (giving me much more space) and will make a bit of firewood.

Yet to try them but melon 'petit gris de Rennes' which is my local big town has done really well and has about 13 fruit on, some are actually THE SIZE OF SHOP BOUGHT ONES!!!!!! whilst the 5 Charentais melons have only managed to produce about 5 fruit between them - it's not been warm enough this year for Charentais melons whils the Rennes variety was bred for a cooler climate (my climate!!!) but the proof of the pudding will be in the eating, as I've never yet produced a sweet melon, only a juicy ripe and melon tasting but sugarless melon!

Big Toms - usual disappointment - all floury but at least no green collar. I really won't bother again.
Organic Gardeners Delight - a real disappointment both in texture and yield - won't buy organic plants again.

Peppers - not doing very well and not ripening yet. Not really warm enough.

Aubergines hit by flea beetle and now blight (?). Only got one fruit developing. Just not warm enough.

[JulieSherris]

Heehee!!
10 Cukes is fine, MMM.... the chooks have some, we have some, next door has had some, the guy I got some chooks from had some... etc etc....

And don't compost those runners! I broke my slicer last year But I've always used a thin slicer that slices them lengthwise & pop them into a bag & staright into the freezer - they freeze well & take you right through the winter.... actually, runners are my FAVE veggie, so I'm looking forward to this year's crop.

I've just ordered 2 polytunnel type structures to add to the bottom garden - although they aren't the strongest things in the world, they will be screwed to the raised beds & strengthened to give me more inside growing space & a potting area as well - can't wait!

[Muscroj]

oh yes, forgot to add

potatoes - I planted the seed potatoes I bought in a trench with loads of chicken manure, the trench got waterlogged 3 times & in the end the potatoes just rotted Lesson learned for next year!

Cucumbers - last year I had a small variety & planted 3 in pots. I had so many cucumbers I didn't know what to do with them. This year I planted a larger variety in one pot & have so far only had 1 cuc, :o/ I think 2 plants will be required next year

goosgogs got eaten by caterpillars & I haven't had a single fruit

[Peggy Sue]

Well I'll join in....

Potatoes- grew tto many really....shame the earlies have been really floury and not good to boil- but make lovely roasts. Want to try some wierd varieties next year.

Carrots- You can never have too may carrot... I tired Amsterdam Forcing under a clotche for an early crop, but they cam ethe same time as the others so won't bother with that again

Onions- grew both sets and seed, seed for the forst time and was impressed how they caught up and none bolted

Garlic- one row was rubbish and small and the other huge and very productive?

Parsnips- these were seed saved and sewn a bit late- great germination rates and I ahve remembered to thin them this year

Parley- I've tried Hamburg parley again but so far have never really had big roots, tops are lovely

Orach-Self seeded itself from last year so it was early....and everywhere much to my husband's dismay!

Squash- I MUST learn not to plant so many...or so close....need I say more. Certainly a plentiful crop.

Tomatoes- I've grown some on the allotment which ahve had no attention at all, and some in growbags at home that have been tended carefully with water & feed and nipping out shoots etc on a warm southfacing wall. Home ones have blight and look sickly, the allotment ones despite being wrestled to the ground by the pumpkins seem really healthy- high hopes!

Sweetcorn- Looking hopeful although some say I've planted too may and too close.... not an impossibility for me...

Brassicas- well I think I planted 10 of everything in the world. The broccoli bolted early but a few shoots are good now, cabbage is pretty caterpillar eaten but fine underneath, brussels are forming, white spoutin & purple sprouting....I MUST learn not to plant so close together OR so close to the vine as they are now in 'combat' it seems- may the best plant win!

Peas- I did about 4 sewings of 2ft, really close. That seems to give you stuff for a meal without too much waste. Might do5 or 6 sewings next year though.

Beans- after a slow start they are up and away. Had a few broadies earlier- will try later additional sewing next year.

Leeks- yes I actaully have some this year!

Spring onions- RUBBISH

Fruit- I ahd a cracking year with gooseberries, the vine is rampent, the currents I actually saved from the birds for a change, the strawberry bed needs rethinking to harvest any, the raspberies at home are better than the allotment again, we have two big cooking apples on the new tree and too many eaters on the new tree (naughty me).

Reasons for waste- planted too many marrows & spaghetti squash, failed to keep caterpillars off brassicas, can't keep birds off strawberries, rabbit ate all the broad beans over winter, that dry weather mean so much watering I ran out of time to harvest all the peas, lots of green potatoes.

[Muscroj]

raspberrys, I think I need to feed, they weren't as productive this year

Spinach - did nothing

Spring onions - did nothing

Rocket - I need to remember to sow successivly, had loads early on but it went to seed quickly & then I had to pull it all up

[Peggy Sue]

Oh yes the successional sewing thing with salad- I ALMOST got there,then I had loads bolt. There must be a magic formula somewhere or are lettuce just out to get you? I may have fooled them by planting some at home so the allotment ones now think I'm deprived after bolting but I have a secret supply...

[Millymollymandy]

Oh yes the successional sewing thing with salad- I ALMOST got there,then I had loads bolt. There must be a magic formula somewhere or are lettuce just out to get you? I may have fooled them by planting some at home so the allotment ones now think I'm deprived after bolting but I have a secret supply...

I've been trying for years but still haven't got it to work all the way through the season - lots depend on the weather of course and right now I'm lettuce-less for the time being. But that's probably not a bad thing!

[Millymollymandy]

And don't compost those runners! I broke my slicer last year But I've always used a thin slicer that slices them lengthwise & pop them into a bag & staright into the freezer - they freeze well & take you right through the winter....

I've already done that, AND made the Delia pickle. There be no more room in the freezer for any more runners, and I know from last year that I just don't need about 35 bags of runner beans for winter, as I've got winter veg too!

I do however need as much compost as I can make!

[Nick69]

Well as this is our first year growing fruit n veg, the rate of success was low. Everything is outside btw

Toms:
Yellow Pear x4- Doing really well and producing lots of lovely fruit
GDelight x4-Again doing well with a really heavy crop
Tiger Toms x 2- Not a heavy crop but really nice size and colour.
Sunset Yellow x 2- Another nice heavy crop with lovely bright yellow colour.

Lemon Yellow Cucumbers x4- Not done well and hardly grown. I did take some to work and put them in the poly tunnel and they have gone mad so looks like they are an indoor type.

Pumpkins:
Jack B Little x2- Done nothing at all really. Still very small and will not get any bigger.
Baby Boo whites x2- Same as above.
Snowman full size white x2- Same as above

Pack Choi x6- All have gone to seed before any grew to a usable size.

Baby Carrots - Still sowing these as they are all doing perfectly. Lovely size, shape, taste, All sown in Tall pots.

Tom Thumb lettuce- Same as above

Sugar Snap Peas x8- Very slow to start but are picking up nicely. Flowers are a gorgeous Bright White.

Raspberrys x4- Glen Clova. Should be fine next year but only planted the small canes 6 weeks ago, althougb still bearing a few nice fruit.

Brussle Sprouts x 4- Totally destroyed but beasties

Cabbage x4- Same as above.

Baby Sweetcorn x10- Very slow to start but are picking up. Feel it maybe a bit late for any crop this year but will try again next year.

Chocolate Mint x4- Come on its mint. Not a lot to go wrong
Spearmint x2-As above
Pineapple Mint x2-As above

Dill x 2- Going great guns

Thyme x2- As above

Chives and Garlic Chives x2 each- Both doing very well although the Garlic Chives were slower to start.


Thats it for me. Im hoping that next year will be a bit better after working the soil some more.

[grahamhobbs]

For the first time this year I have made a detirmined effort to become self-sufficient in vegetables, at least for 9 months of the year, and to produce a wide range of vegetables in succession.
The only real failure has been the kohl rabi, I forgot they were brassicas and failed to protect them, the whole lot were eaten by pigeons.
Garlick, planted early November and again in February, no particular variety bought cheap indian shop, good crop
Broad beans, Aquadulce sown Nov., very good crop
Peas, Kelvedon Wonder, and broad bean Imperial and Exhibition Green Longpod, sown Feb and March, not large crops, perhaps too close spacing between double rows and lack of water. Everyone else suffered from Blackfly but our nasturiums protected ours.
Calabrese, Sakura F1 and Italian Green, sown over a couple of months but all matured within 2 weeks in July, but Sakura still giving small heads.
Hispi cabbage, again successive sowing all tended to mature at the same time, but has stood until now.
Carrots sowed several varieties (using up old packets, surprisingly good germination), well watered and good crops grwon in tanks (above the carrot fly), James Scarlet the biggest. But need to sow a lot more and in succession, especially for storing later.
Onions, setton, Sturon, Red Baron sets, Bedfordshire Champion from seed. All good crops but learnt seed should be sown in cold greenhouse not indoors, seedlings flopped and took longtime to recover.
Shallots, Red sun very good crop. Big long ones, brought from Waitrose, good crop and sweet, but lot went to seed.
Leek Autumn Mamoth and Blue Solaise this year, planted out. previously St Julian has done well
Beetroot Boltardy sown Feruary poor germination, Detroit, Chioggia (red/white rings) and cylindra all done well
French Beans Purple teppee, loved by us and the slugs, Borlotto firetongue (droops on floor a lot, next year perhaps the climbing version). Cobra climbing, very good bean, although slugs take their toll at first.
Runner beans, White Lady, lovely runner our favourite, although some red flowered ones have crept into our saved seed.
Kale, Cava di Nero sown a bit early but stands well, hopefully will last the winter. This year tried Red Russian, young leaves can be eaten raw in salads.
Brussel Sprouts, Noisette, our favourite for taste and is reliable
Parsnip, got a little Parsley leaf miner this year, but for first time for long time we have a good crop. Usually seedlings get eaten by slugs. (We do not use slug pellets, tried the 'organic' ones but they were gobbled up by the mice, so now no slug control except keeping grass short, no big weeds or leaves for them to hide under and dusk patrols when wet)
Celeriac Monarch F1, trying for the first year, F certainly doesn't stand for fast, this crop is so slow I do not believe it will ever get there.
Potatoes all have done reasonably well, we don't eat big quantities
Pumpkins, Butternuts doing very well, Crown Prince also, Uchiki Kuri not so good (but a bit swamped by nasturiums)
Cucumber Passandra F1, from 1st week June producing 2 cu's from 4 plants per day, but this week succumbed to mosaic virus.
Outdoor cucumber Marketmore struggling to produce 2 cucumbers in 2 months.
Melons, also growing Petite Gris de Rennes, and a couple of Ogden, eat one last week, nice though not intense flavour this year, about 6 large ones coming (worried that mosaic virus will spread to them as well)
Sweetcorn, problem with mice eating seeds and seedlings at first so ended up with 16 Kelvedon Wonder, which went starchy very quickly, and 16 unnamed variety which is still tasty after 3 weeks of eating first cob. Grown in polytunnel otherwise squirels eat them all.
Tomatoes, Ailsa Craig (best tasting standard tomato), gardeners Delight, San Marzano (best plum) Roma, Black Russian (early but tendency to split), Pink Brandywine(1st one ready to taste tonight), Golden Sunrise and Golden Cherry (need to be eaten straight from bush). Not swamped with tomatoes so far this year, the weather and probably lack of feed. One mistake Roma is detirminate but San Marzano is not (bad info from the web)
Lettuces, have sown about 15 varieties, some are slug resistant, some have especially good flavour, some withstand bolting but as yet none seem to have everything.
Basil and parsley, done well, Coriander only lasted a couple of weeks, needs very regular sowings
Peaches, indoor minature tree about 30cm high, had 16 apricot sized fruit (forgot to thin them), delicious. Outdoor ones eaten by squirels, as do pears, cherries and hazelnuts.
Pak choi, chinese cabbage, cauliflower, romanesco, winter cabbages, savoys, endives, chicories etc, etc all on their way

[grahamhobbs]

Forgot, Mangetout, Carouby du Mousanne, sowed about 8 seeds each week during June, they provide a small handful of pods every 2 or 3 days. Well worth it.

[Martina]

Not much to contribute to this thread. But here goes....

Success with: Strawberries, blackcurrents and blackberries (no fruit as of yet on the last tow but lots of greenery and establishment for next year -hopefully ). Also leeks, tomatoes and red and green peppers. Oh, and eggplant--so far so good. I think I see little eggplants coming in---hopefully )

Failures: Cucumbers-it was too cold and they died.
Zucchini--no matter how I try the darn things won't pollinate. Oh well, at least it's a pretty plant

Regards,
Martina

[Nick69]

Zucchini--no matter how I try the darn things won't pollinate. Oh well, at least it's a pretty plant

Regards,
Martina

You could polinate them yourself