What do you regret growing and what can't you grow?

[PlotOfPossibilities]

Hi lovely folk in my computer. I've been lurking for a long time, but now that I finally have an allotment (I've had a plot in my garden for a while) I thought I'd jump in.

So, just for fun....what do you regret growing?
and...what do other people seem to grow easily that you struggle with?

Mine are -

I regret sowing Red Veined Sorrel and fennel leaf. The red veined one was a free seed packet with a veg mag that seemed like a good idea at the time....unfortunately whilst producing twins (my very own growing project), I let it go to seed and it appears that I will never rid of the stuff. It took over two raised beds and I find it in random places all over the garden - arggghhh. The fennel leaf is massively productive and MASSIVE and it turns out I hate the taste of it - I'm loathed to give it the boot as it is so well behaved and easy to look after. Maybe I'll grow to like it (yeah right!)

The thing I can't grow is radishes....what is wrong with me that I cannot grow a radish?...kids grow radishes for pities sake!

Looking forward to your replies (and thanks for all the excellent advise over the years).

[scarey55]

Hello and welcome to the Vine

I nurtured a load of Jerusalem fartichokes when we first came here. I don't know what I was thinking but the flowers are lovely.

Not too keen on radishes so they're not a problem for me but I don't ever seem to get enough peas to make it worth my while. To be honest, not many make it ino the kitchen so...

[SarrissUK]

I'm with you on the red veined sorrel!! Whoever lived in this house before me had it, and my god, I can't get rid of the things! I've even pulled them out of the ground, let them dry to a crisp on the patio, and they've recovered when it rained on them. Ya can't kill them.

I struggle with carrots, despite not having carrot fly around here. I grew them fine on the allotment, but there was lots and lots of carrot fly. Here in my own garden, they just don't like it and don't grow very well at all.

[Mikey]

I struggle with carrots, despite not having carrot fly around here. I grew them fine on the allotment, but there was lots and lots of carrot fly. Here in my own garden, they just don't like it and don't grow very well at all.

I grow carrots in a v trench filled with multipurpose compost, my ground is heavy clay and carrots fork badly in it so I make a trench about 12/18 inches deep with my spade pushed into the ground and wriggling it to make a v until the trench is 10-12 inches wide fill with compost and grow directly in that. Works everytime.

[Mikey]

I regret trying to grow ginger, it is my nemesis I'm on my third batch and I'm thinking this might be the last.

I regret growing turnips, 1 or 2 are nice but hundreds of them are heavy going on the plate.

Update - My last ginger plant has a little stem about 1 inch tall so far, i'm a very proud father.

[nickdub]

I've had mixed fortunes with outdoor tomatoes - one year ages ago I had a brilliant crop, then I tried for a few years and due to blight late in the season a lot of the fruit went from green, to brown and horrible on a few weeks - having a bit more money, I now have enough inside space, so won't be trying to beat the weather any more.

[HoneyChild]

I slightly regret growing red celery as it's very strong tasting and self-seeds a fair bit.

This is my 4th growing season of owning my fig tree and I haven't had a single fig from it!

[Mikey]

I love figs but, prefer to barter for mine with something that doesn't take quite so much effort when you don't have a fig tree.

[burnie]

I can't grow Florence Fennel, this will be it's/my last go this season.

[mothhawk]

Hi, POP, welcome to the vine.

I don't regret growing anything, it's all a learning curve and adds experience, and I'm one of those folk who, once they've grown something from a seed, finds it really hard to then dispose of it to the compost heap, even if its no good or a thug. I'd never make a good garden designer because I can't bear to throw anything out, I just keep adding new things.

Of course some things die out on their own and I can live with that. Then there's the stuff that won't grow for me - radishes -I'm right there with you POP - what are we doing wrong? And carrots. I don't think I have the patience for carrots as on my clay they need special nurturing and I can't be doing with that.

I'm having a go at ginger for the first time this year. So far, so good, with shop bought ginger root, it has a shoot about 6" tall now. Only 10 months to go before harvest

[happyhumph]

I've never managed to grow celeriac bigger than a tennis ball which is annoying because I love it. Also have problems with radish.

I wish I'd never down wild rocket. It tastes nice, but self seeds everywhere and has incredibly long and tenacious roots!

[Jay-ell]

Sounds like my swedes look more like radishes than everyone else's radishes.

Regrets, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption

[veggiechicken]

Yes there were times,
I'm sure you knew.
When I planted more than I could chew
But grew it all, when there was doubt,
I pulled it up and threw it out,
I tied it up, against the wall,
But that Kiwi was my downfall
So I chopped it up and cursed its name
But it lives on, much to my shame
It will not die, though it makes me cry,
I hate that Kiwi!

[Bren In Pots]

I can't grow Aubergines I get the petty purple flowers but no fruits

I regret planting teasels they self seed everywhere i've spent ages this week removing them from the parsnip bed, feel a bit bad because the birds love them so i'm trying to limit them to growing behind the garage and other out of the way places.

[Baldy]

Bleddy raspberries.

... In the wrong place - i.e. right in the middle of my plot... Can I get rid of the bluggerss? NO.
Three years of digging runners out and still they come... Like a berry zombie apocalypse. Coming up right through my spuds, three new reaised beds, artichokes, asparagus and one onion bed.
Please, if you are going to plant raspberry put them in the correct place from the off.