Here we are again

[Glutton4...]

You're definitely not alone, big fella! I stupidly assumed that my Dad would look after his veg garden whilst I was 'incapacitated' at the end of last year, and the start of this. However, in reality, he's only been in there to harvest the Asparagus. Nothing was cleared from last year's crops, nothing was weeded (except the Asparagus bed, which Mr.G (a non-gardener) did), and nothing has been pruned, tidied, watered, mulched, fed or anything. Not even his 'precious' Fig Trees and Grapevine. The birds have had all the red and white currants and the goosegogs because they haven't been netted this year, and when I last went in to get some tools that I needed for work, his Roobub was flowering, so I cut off the flowering stalk.

My raised 'lasagne' beds out the back, that aren't rotted down yet, have been filled with spuds. That. Is. It!

[zazen999]

And....lets face it - you could have spent time and money on some bargain manure, spread it all round and found out it was contaminated and lost the lot, plus a year or two's growing. So - think on.

[northepaul]

Wayne, lots of people are in the same situation, or similar.
Best thing to do is not worry about it and certainly dont beat yourself up!

[taff]

not quite as bad, but definitely on the way. Spring cabbage still in modules in bloaway outside, slowly crisping up, toms in pots I meant to pot on still in pots and very unhappy about it, raspberries falling off from not being pciked, sweet peas not cut off, peas still struggling to grow, celeriac not fed and watered properly, it goes on....It just sounds like it's all happening to you at once instead of in stages for some of the rest of us

[di]

No I am behind.

I've only just put my tomatoes in a grow bag on the patio - they were in pots before that. I also have a load of beans that have swamped a seed tray - they started growing up each other in a self-formed teepee. Chillis are tiny and no sign of flowers, let alone fruit.

"New" potatoes are still in the ground.

Onions have all fallen over and look quite weedy compared to previous years.

My carrots are miniscule.

Beetroot is more beat, and less root.

Sweetcorn is about 2ft high (I drive past fields of the stuff on my way to work that is 6ft high at least).

Broad beans desperately need picking before they become leather handbags.

Peas that we intended to eat as pods now need picking and podding.

Swede is yet to make it from the seed tray into the ground.

Parsnips the same.

I'm rubbish.

You sound like you're way ahead of me....and I've not read the whole thread yet.
....there's always next year

[Glutton4...]

Isn't it refreshing to know you're not alone?

Sometimes real life just takes over, and, as Di said, above; there's always next year.

[jackie j]

Dont worry about it, can you make a day when you will be able to get to the plot and just harvest what is ready, leave the weeding etc for another day, is there someone who could help you in exchange for some of the produce. It wont be long before bean will want to help.

[Nicos]

Weeeellllll....we're 'sort of' on target although there's loads of weeding to be done.

BUT..... ( ha ha!!!) we decided not to grow many onions this year but to have a large leek patch.
The 'patch' is still 'virgin' grazing land...the leek seeds not sown...and the back up plan is to buy young plants from the market next week.

I've sort of got my fingers crossed we'll ( ie OH) will manage to dig the patch out by then!

Actually HW- you're giving a fine description of our patch too- which incidentally is being taken over by English marigolds and nasturtiums!!!

...and ya know what???..I'm happy with mine- cos it's still better than buying stuff from the shops!

[HeyWayne]

It wont be long before bean will want to help.

Oh he's there already all right. In fact he's very "helpful" with most things. He loves 'digging' - which is why I built him his own raised bed (yet to be filled with soil).

That's another thing I haven't managed to do...

I guess you just get a picture in your mind of how the plot will look this year, and I'm ever the optimist in October.

Nice to not feel alone. Cheers peepholes.

[Fabiano]

I didn't even get round to planting onions or potatoes this year....

And why you are not getting round to plant onions or potatoes this year???