This is the place to discuss not just allotments but all general gardening problems and queries which don't fit into the specific categories below.
(formerly allotments and tips, hints and problems)
After a late start, my bush cherry tomatoes are actually producing very well at the moment. What I was most pleased about was probably the hanging garden of basil - the upside down tomatoes produced no more than a fruit or two each but the basil was happy with plenty of sun!
Courgettes and runner beans were a big success this year. Chickesn have been great, too.
I like the hanging basil plants. I always keep them on the kitchen windowsill because the slugs get them if I put them outdoors, but this looks great. I'm sure it would work for coriander too which has the same problem.
I have had a dreadful year with my veg generally, the only thing that has been good is my sweetcorn, this is is the 2nd year I have tried to grow it. as I live in central scotland my neighbour (Alan, 70 yrs approx knows a lot...) but this year my corn hs been absolutely wonderful, we eat a cob every night and the small ones go to the hens...lucky them!
I raher stupidly missed out the part of my post that said "my neighbour Alan laughed out loud them I told him I was growing corn, 'In Scotland?' he said, 'you'll be lucky'.... that proves him wrong!
Nearly everything! Most pleased, I think, with my onions which are much bigger than last year - I think that is due to putting a seep hose along the rows so they got more water.
I am also very very pleased with my bramble jelly and my elderberry and apple jelly (even though I didn't actually 'grow' them).
My tomatoes are probably the most prolific crop this year.I sowed loads and planted what I thought were the best ones in the greenhouse. They got badly burnt in the heat but did still produce fruit. However the remainder of the plants (about 16 plants) were planted out to take their chances and have been heavy with fruit for weeks.The seeds were from last years shop bought toms.
The other successful crop has been the runner beans.
I dug a bean trench as directed on the HDRA website and filled it with old kitchen waste over the winter.The beans were seeds bought last year in wilkos sale for about 39p.
The worst crop has been the early carrots which were pitifully small.
storing and preserving has best for me so far most years I get a glut and alot of hard work goes to waste.That for me is the key to good veg growing is making the best use of the fruits of your labour. Growing the stuff is the easy part doing something with it thats an art. I have also made the best of the wild food with jams and jellys also bought a fruit press and will be trying my hand at cider.
fruit this year was my most pleasing as it was of such good quality and so much of it but that was the weather I think as many people say the same.
Potatoes grew quite well, and i'm pleased with my citrus trees (they're 3" tall now - and there's about 6 of them!!).
However, in my defence, it was my first year...i have so many plans for next year!
I'm planting lettuces and something else ( i forget what) in smal polytunnels soon, and radishe in the ground, so hopefully, they'll be more successful!!