What's surprised you most?

[LizyDrippin]

Being new to all this veg growing stuff....

for a laugh/experiment I planted some dried "mushy peas" and every single one came up. I had loads of peas.

[FionaH]

What surprised me? That seeds I planted actually grew! Yeah I know thats what they are supposed to do, but its such a thrill when it actually works.

Now got some spring onions, radish and mixed salad growing from seed. Cant wait to eat em.

[Finedon.Dandy]

What surprised me was how much leaping a man can do around a garden, swishing at cabbage white butterflies with a bright pink fishing net muttering curses about them as he goes!!!!

[HeyWayne]

My achocha that I thought was dead. It's going mad now!

[zazen999]

For me, it is that much like your peas, my pinto beans [which we use loads of as we use them in chilli once a week] have come up and have loads of beans on them.

And, I've just made beetroot and choc cup cakes - the colour of beetroot never ceases to amaze me.

[Sheepish]

Me? Just how much time can disappear 'pottering around' before you realise it, and how much more there is still left to do the next day.

[squashysu]

i have surprised myself, for the love of my garden and by the taste of all the lovely things that are coming out of it! This time last year I would never have thought that I would be growing stuff being eaten by my family

[Newbie]

What surprised me was how much leaping a man can do around a garden, swishing at cabbage white butterflies with a bright pink fishing net muttering curses about them as he goes!!!!

My dog has actually taught herself to hunt cabbage white butterflys, she can't seem to resist chasing them & has even figured out that if she stands on the decking she is the same height as the tallest plants & can reach them better. I could make a fortune hiring her out!!

[mandi]

what suprised me is that after a massive slug attack in may and with my new allotment looking like a waste ground as a result of it... that now i can enjoy such a variety of veg everything seemed to take off in june/july and now is producing well and looking great!!!
this was my first year and now i can't wait for next year. to try new varieties and definately more of everything, especially sweetcorn, peppers and aubergines...mmmm!

[milly2306]

that i actually managed to grow anything at all much less a melon i can eat!!!

[maytreefrannie]

Courgette Surprise

My courgettes were being eaten - couldn't see by what but as soon as each one began to gain size they'd be chewed away.

Then - surprise! - two weeks ago one began to grow and remained uneaten.

I picked it over a week ago, the day my daughter arrived home after spending the summer in America. She loves courgettes so this one, just picked and lightly cooked in a little garlic butter, made her day.

Since then, two more have made it to the table and there's a few others coming along.

Whatever was eating them seems to have gone or moved on to something else.

[Maf]

Sprin Gonions ! Bloomin loads of them !

I decided to do a 'trail' of five different varieties. Sowed them in 10inch pots and I've still got loads left.

Only problem was that the labels have faded so I don't know which are which (some trail!)

[MaureenHall]

What's surprised me most is how quickly everything's grown! I only started planting on a new lottie at the end of June, and already harvesting peas, french beans, cauli, courgettes, beetroot, lettuce. I'd made a little veg plot at home and grew peas, beans, carrots, parsnips, lettuce, tomatoes. I haven't bought any veg except potatoes since Easter . It certainly helps to stretch the pension a bit further

[sallym]

The biggest surprise? How you can get masses of tomatoes from one tiny seed. Nature is truly wonderful.

[nelliegemini]

I'd never grown potatoes, but then bought some Anya to eat and planted one. Evertything was fine at first, grown in an old compost sack - then the slugs attached and the ants moved in. There were no leaves and I just left it. Today found just enough potatoes to have with the salt marsh roast lamb - I am amazed and will replant one to try for Christmas spuds.