Things i will do different next year..

[di]

I will ~most definitely!!!~remember we got our 2nd plot because pumpkins like lots & lots of space~therefore not try growing them on top of each other~which they are literally doing!!~tomorrow need to try & rescue a little crown prince from almost definite suffocation from a rather large red(that I've forgotten the name)
Also save some seed from one of our F1 yellow courgettes(again forgotten the name!)~it had a baby last year~ie self seeded over winter!~& the baby is now a monster!!growing like a pumpkin & producing at least 4 or 5 fruits a day!!!!

[SarzWix]

I will remember to put the Enviromesh back over the carrots, instead of thinking 'It'll be fine, they're in a trough and it is a late sowing after all'.... All the foliage now has a telltale pink tinge, and the one I pulled out looked like cork when snapped in half

[Flummery]

I won't assume that the 2 of us (even with chooks by then?) will manage 15 kale plants!

[FionaH]

When planting in containers or troughs I will remember to check if they have holes in. Had to rescue 10 floating kale plants yesterday!

Why on earth are they made without drainage holes anyway??!

[Gwyndy]

Next year -

I will cover my carrots with Enviromesh to keep out the evil carrot root fly. I lost the whole lot this year.
I will only plant one courgette. I know that one is too many but I always plant two!
I will forget trying to grow outdoor tomatoes. I never have any success and this year lost the whole lot to blight.
I will cut down on the number of runner bean plants otherwise I'm going to have to buy a separate freezer just for beans.
I will have another go at growing peas. If I am lucky this years harvest plus next year's crop might give us enough peas for a whole meal!
I will try growing fennel. A friend gave us a bulb recently and it was gorgeous.

[BrideXIII]

next year.......... I will not have to post in this thread, because i will have remembered NOT to do all of the above * smug smiley*

brilliant thread, thank you.

[bobleponge]

Just seen this thread, its great.
Next year I will:
LABEL, LABEL, LABEL, LABEL. I gave lots of friends 2 melon plants each, as I had loads. They appreciated the gift, however the collection of courgettes, butternut and sunburst squashes that appeared around my neighbourhood were not what they were expecting. I had none of the above.

Plan. (Have actually made this one already, now... Do I stick to it?

Move my greenhouse to where I want it, not where the Ex Mrs Leponge told me I could have it.

Keep my greenhouse tidy. I broke a pane of glass solely due to its untidiness.

Dig and prepare everything in January/February so that its easier to start in March/April

Read the instructions!!!! (Well, perhaps. I am a bloke after all)

Get a chest freezer to replace the one taken by Ex Mrs Leponge, to store the glut, and not give it all to her.

Not sow my tomato's on boxing day.

Like everyone here, I'm sure there are many more.

Homesick in Sudan

[digthatchick]

Next year I will make sure ALL fences are up and secure before letting the chooks out near the veg plot

[kiwirach]

great thread with loads of good advice!!.

next yr i will be more prepared....only got my lottie on June!.
i will learn the art of successional sowing as its only me! so 47 lettuces in one go isnt necessary!.
i will keep ontop of weeds and not provide the dreaded slugs a lovely place to live!.
i will be ready on time next yr, having spend the winter months preparing the plot and planning the sowing!.

[sallym]

Next year I will.......start off the "Things I will Do Differently" thread.

[Two_Sheds]

Next year I will:

- not bother with Fly Resistant carrots (they aren't)
- not leave my kale in the open air, thinking the butterflies won't notice them
- have my whole plot dug over & ready to go
- not forget to sow lettuce mid-season ... there was a big gap in July-Aug
- sow fewer beetroot ... even the guinea pigs won't eat 200 beets
- sow Coriander direct, not try and transplant it
- make bigger labels for my spuds, as the little ones get lost in the earthing up
- net my leeks against the ruddy leek moth
- won't bother with outdoor tomatoes ... the blight gets them every year
- sow even more French beans ... I think 100 plants isn't too many

[aylithuk]

I love this thread -

- Next year I will remember I am only feeding me and my OH and not a small
army so I don't need 10 Broccoli plants

- Next year my parnips will be parnips and not carrots

- I will do weeding all the time and not think containers don't get weeds

- I won't plant all my carrots at once and spend the rest of my time putting carrots with every meal
(same goes for all veg really)

- I will not put pototoes in a big container and think the best thing to do
when pulling them up is just to empty the soil onto my yard floor.

- I will make my OH go out into the garden and use fresh herbs rather then
the dry ones in the kitchens.

- I will try and get a fruit tree going.

Aylith

[zazen999]

Label stuff
Look at stuff more and check for bugs
Weed in bulk not take each one out by hand
Grow more earlier tomatoes not just the one plant
Grow more beans [thanks two_sheds - esp for the seeds]
Grow less brassicas and enviromesh the few I do grow

[Kayt]

Have fun as its my first season on my new plot!!

[pdblake]

Put the netting over the brassicas before the cabbage whites come out to play

Plant many more carrots and onions.
Plant less courgettes (OH has threatened horrible death otherwise).
Not let youngest daughter grow more and bigger pumpkins than me
Let the kids do much more of the digging
Not let Knuckle Head (see my website for explanation) swap the labels around.