Newbie mistakes

[Ergates]

Hello

I'm very much a beginner when it comes to growing fruit/veg. I made a bit of an attempt last year, but all we got out of it was some rocket and some potatoes. This year I've put in some raised beds and a small greenhouse and have made a bit more of an effort (and have had more success).

As I'm a complete rookie I've made some mistakes.

The first, and probably biggest mistake this year was putting in 6 courgette plants! (for two of us). Every experience gardener I've told that to just laughs. It's fair to say we've had a few more courgettes than we need. I've been giving away to friends, colleagues, neighbours, family - and the fridge is still half full of the damn things!

Another mistake was not making sure I'd dug up all of last years potatoes. They've been springing up all over the place - usually right through the middle of a row of carrots or something.

So, what newbie mistakes have you made?

And perhaps some more experienced growers could warn us about some of the mistakes we're likely to make.

[OllieMartin]

Mistakes:

1) BIG ONE - Didn't net the brassicas! They're basically dead now!
2) Didn't plan for winter
3) Planted the squash too close to the tomatoes.
4) Didn't sow in modules, just planted the whole row. Couldn't eat radishes fast enough!

^ That should do for now.

[danmon_81]

bit of forward planning helps.

Other than that i enjoy making some mistakes, its how you learn especially when you start out....i've already started to say to myself 'next year im only going to grow....'

im not a seasoned grower (2nd year).....so what happens happens, im sure this will change each year!

Just have fun otherwise its pointless!!!

P.s. Winter preparation of beds in winter really helps the growing season!! Even if its cold and wet!

[BumbleB]

For me it was growing too much. I have 8 chilli plants taking up lots of space and the same of aubergine. Next year I will have just 1-2 of these and also cut down a bit on courgettes. I have 45 tom plants, but happy with that :-)

[BumbleB]

The slugs were the biggest mistake !

[zazen999]

The biggest 2 learning lessons were:
Sow little and often
Sow into modules

[rustylady]

Another mistake was not making sure I'd dug up all of last years potatoes. They've been springing up all over the place - usually right through the middle of a row of carrots or something

That's not a beginner mistake!! I don't care how experienced you are, I defy anyone to harvest every single spud!!

[katep23]

Biggest mistake was sowing a whole pack of 40 chilli seeds thinking they wouldn't all germinate... then they did! Everyone has had a chilli plant off me this year

[FionaH]

Didnt net the Kale, butterflies had a field day!
Dont throw modules of leek seed across your living room, takes ages to clear up!
Label everything then label it again!
I will never again tell a drunk teenager to put stuff in the compost bin, (a long and messy story)

[Sheepish]

a) Guessed that the raspberries I inherited were an autumn fruiting variety, so pruned at the wrong time of year, meaning we had a crop in single figures last year. (Much better this year.)

b) After dropping a box containing several open packets of seed assumed that the ones which had spilled out were larkspur. They were in fact sprouting red cabbage for eating as shoots. Not quite as pretty as larkspur...

c) Having eyes bigger than my garden when browsing seed catalogues and assuming I could fit in everything I took a fancy to and buying accordingly. (Evidence suggests this isn't necessarily something we grow out of...)

I can't remember whether it was here, but somewhere I found a great receipe for courgette soup which freezes well.

[Newbie]

More like what mistakes haven't i made!

1. Sowing all my seeds at once, still need to get to grips with sowing successionally
2. Planting things too close together
3. Netting brassicas (finally learned that one this year after losing 1st planting of PSB
4. Sowing too much of everything, my eyes are still greedier than my patch
5. Buying too many seeds

That will do for now

[Shadylane]

a) Guessed that the raspberries I inherited were an autumn fruiting variety, so pruned at the wrong time of year, meaning we had a crop in single figures last year. (Much better this year.)

Ooooh - oooh - we did that. We inherited autumn and normal ones and pruned them all to the ground. The summer ones didn't do all that well since the new canes had to start from scratch. Ooops. Sowed too many chillies and toms - gave loads away on freecycle. Planted stuff too close, too small paths, having to wade through foliage to get to stuff - lotsa fun.

Mistakes are great - it's how you learn, but as for too many courgettes - I don't think 6 is laughable. A lot of the veterans on our plot have put in more than that - we've got about 6 and we get loads but if you only sow a few then you don't get enough at the same time - especially if you pick them small - if that makes sense.

[flubba-jubba]

mistakes - not thinning out properly/sowing too many seeds in one hole

[teakdesk]

I will never again tell a drunk teenager to put stuff in the compost bin, (a long and messy story)

That one has me chuckling (although my fertile imagination may have made it worse than it was!!)

[Sanjed]

for me it was not thinning out enough, and also planting rows too far apart, i could have got about 3 times as much of everything if i'd spaced it right. It was the first time i'd ever prepared a plot though, so didn't really know what i was doing.