Grow Your Own Needs Your Help!

[RuthC]

Here at GYO magazine, we're interested in finding out if you've noticed the effects of climate change on your edible garden. Please vote in the attached poll and then if you answer yes to our question, tell us: if you've noticed that any particular crops are affected; whether a warmer temperature in summer has allowed you to grow more exotic crops with greater success; whether it has meant that other crops have suffered or failed, and about any other observations you have made about growing fruit and veg in our warmer climate and how you've noticed the effects (do you, for instance, keep a gardening diary?). We look forward to hearing from you.

[BarleySugar]

I took part in the early tomato growing experiment last December, planting on 27th December.They were put out into the greenhouse in March, protected by fleece on the colder nights, because they outgrew the windowsills. I picked my last tomatoes from my unheated greenhouse on 12th Dec, from plants that had been growing almost a year! I have to admit, the tomatoes weren't so flvoursome as those back in the summer, but they did begin to turn colour on the vines (which were still flowering), before I was picking them to ripen them indoors.
The cold snap had put paid to them now of course, but I've never had tomatoes last so long.

[oliveoyl]

Yes, my rhubarb and autumn raspberries thought it was spring time in November... the rhubarb crowns started producing new leaves and the raspberries new shoots/suckers.

[maytreefrannie]

I can't say I've noticed any real change - we get a lot of rain here, and have been doing since I can remember and well before that.

[Madasafish]

We have had far milder winters- used 20 years ago to have 2 metres of snow regularly. Worst in past 5 years is about 30cms.

But we have a wet climate and windy.. so early plantings tend to get killed anyway.

[organic vic]

longer season

I was still getting strawberries outside in November! runner beans also cropped for longer

[HeyWayne]

I haven't really been growing long enough to make any long term comparisons - which is what climate change is.

[Glutton4...]

I haven't really been growing long enough to make any long term comparisons - which is what climate change is.

I'm with you there Wayne! This is only my second 'proper' year of growing, and a lot of crops suffered from drought this summer as we had no rain here for weeks, unlike many of you!

The previous summer was much wetter, but I wasn't growing 'seriously' then.