What are you proud of?

[Peteyd]

Everyone has at least one thing that they have grown that they are proud of. I'm not talking large scale, just one particular thing that has made 2019 for you.

Mine is that this year is the first year I have managed to grow a monster sunflower. I have grown them before but they have never been anything to write home about. This year however, a few of us in the village got together and had our own little competition. All the seeds were from the same packet and started by the same person. the rules - Simple! Tallest Wins!

I didn't win, in fact I came third. but it was a truly personal victory for me, this is the first time that we have grown them in our current location (very open and windy).

my American Giant sunflower measured in at 7ft 4in.

So... what are you proud of?

[mcdood]

Ate my first home grown sweet corn cob today - that was pretty cool.

[lottie dolly]

picked a nice unattacked cabbage,will do us twice.

[Bren In Pots]

That my garden gives me something to eat every day.

[elsie-scot]

Our cheap gooseberry bush has finally after a few years, given us a delicious red berry, even though it’s still not growing too much. Even better that I’ve never been a fan of green gooseberries.

[Penellype]

I think it would have to be having a glut of cauliflowers in July. Having found these the most difficult vegetable to grow for most of my life, and having bought some plants by mail order to cover for failure of my own seedlings, the plants I raised were of comparable quality to the bought plants.

[Peteyd]

That my garden gives me something to eat every day.

I always think that is the best possible outcome of having an allotment/garden. It is something that I have wanted to do, ever since stumbling across Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage years ago. Its not just a hobby/pass time, but a way of life for me now. We brew our own alcohol, make our own preserves, Smoke/cure our own meat and try as best we can to live by the seasons. There is something magical about it and wouldn't change a thing - We're not quite at the "something from the garden every day" stage yet, but we give it a damn good go!

[bikermike]

courgettes - first time I've got the things to grow for 4 years
green beans - grown for the third year (or is it fourth) from saved seeds

[Nicos]

Ha!... to be honest nothing of mine has been fantastic ...so far! (forever the optimist)

Have to say though that the areas of wildlife we left to grow have been fantastic. So many butterflies and moths!... and birds and bats...

The lettuce have been good, but we bought specific plug plants of varieties which are drought/heat/frost resistant...
It does look like we have a fair few hazelnuts on the tree too, although they are very small.
If we have an Indian summer, the courgette, outdoor tomatoes and cucumber may well catch up too.

Nice thread by the way!

[Thelma Sanders]

Probably my onions grown from seed, Globo and Dulce de Fuentes have grown quite big. I also sowed Long Red Florence and have been eating them as they grew, but those still left are quite big as well

I'll have to eat LRFs first as they don't store that well. The others are drying in the greenhouse.

[Small pumpkin]

I’m quite proud of my chillies. I love my chillies.
Also quietly proud of one of my Savoy cabbages.

[Chestnut]

I am hoping to be proud of my pumpkin - they’re shaping up nicely, but still need to survive til they’re ripe!

[Peteyd]

I am hoping to be proud of my pumpkin - they’re shaping up nicely, but still need to survive til they’re ripe!

Something else I have never been able to grow large of is Pumpkins, I once grew "Jack Be Little" pumpkins which were quite cool. The looked really good carved and stuffed in the mouth of a larger carved pumpkin, it looked like it had been eaten.

[Robinahood]

Hello all, my first post but have been reading for a while. It's my third year of serious veg growing, and can't really say I am proud of anything as the plants seem to thrive or die whatever my efforts are! But despite a fairly unsuccessful year for some crops, am delighted to have loads of cucumbers and patty pan squash, both firsts for me. I still find it exciting to grow new stuff, I should get out more!

[annie8]

It not been the best year but I am proud of the chillis I’ve grown from the mixed seeds. Looking healthy and lots of chillis. No idea what they are but that’s half the fun.