It's all going rather well!

[emily84]

Yes the weather's been a bit crazy, but apparently my garden loves it! This is my first year growing veg and I am so pleased with the progress, and I don't mean to gynx it but I just had to let you all know!

Tomatoes are flowering, onions and garlic are, well, monsters! Courgettes are courgetting, blueberries are blueberrying (very unexpected!), runner beans are over half way up a 6ft cane, peas are shooting up! Potato greenery has totally taken over the tub, herbs are going crazy, leeks are finally growing again after seemingly coming to a halt after being put outside and swiss chard is growing by the day. And my watercress, well, what can I say, what an unexpected success that has been!

I haven't had much luck with seeds planted directly in the ground apart from my spinach which is going great guns. I think the slugs and birds stole the rest of the seeds/seedlings including carrots and lettuce so I think a trip to the GC for more pots is in order!

I think considering the crazy weather, it's all good!

Thanks to everyone who's helped me so far, couldn't have done it without you! Hope you all are having similar success!

Emily

[Alex_Parrott]

So good to see another new gardener getting success! My first year growing fruit and veg was definitely my favourite. Not just because I got good results but just being able to watch it all grow! Well done and let us know how it all tastes

[stella]

Well done that is a fantastic result good for you, I wish I could say the same but I find growing in a different country hard. The season is just odd!! Wait till you start eating all your produce it is amazing

[TallGirl]

Hurrah!

Glad it's going so well for you. This is my second year and so far it seems like last year worked a bit better. But we're getting crops and I'm persevering. (Right now, make that 'perspiring'.)

[Flobalob]

Well done. Its the good results that have kept me inspired.

[terri]

Congrats - sounds exciting.

My first year was two years ago and it was really successful. Last year not so much - word must have got out to all the neighbouring slugs and snails that my garden was a new restaurant in town and everything got eaten.

I wasn't expecting it because it didn't happen the year before. I replanted everything with various slug protection but it was all a bit late so lots of things didn't work out.

I did cover my tiny sweetcorn with a fleece and hope for the best but they don't do well in winter

This year I'm not growing much because I might be moving house but I couldn't resist growing a couple of tomato plants and some herbs as well as some pea shoots and salad leaves - all in containers.

[Brengirl]

Well done whatever you are doing. I am into my dotage and every year I make a cock-up with something. I would so love to do something right first time.

[always digging]

well done with the spinach i have never had any luck with it slugs always beat me to it

[glaw5]

Good to hear things are going well. My courgettes are taking a while to get going up here.

It's strange a few people have said their second year wasn't as good as the first. I'm in my third year gardening but my second year wasn't as good as my first too. Courgettes were brilliant first time round but last year I got one!

Also wonder if the first year also has a bit of wow factor which makes it feel like a better year as well? Or maybe the expectations just go up in the second year if you've had a good first one?

[Two_Sheds]

I haven't had much luck with seeds planted directly in the ground ... including carrots and lettuce

I never do either: the slugs graze them off as they germinate. I sow almost everything in modules and transplant when they are big enough.

You still have plenty of time to sow carrots & lettuce. Do start the lettuce in the shade though, it won't germinate at temps of over 20C.

[Kayleigh-M]

Glad to hear everything its going so well. This is my second year where I have really put any effort into it and I have to say it is going fab. Everything seems to have shot up the last week or so in this rain.

[gojiberry]

Always nice to hear when a newbie has a good start, well done. I'm in my 40th odd year and I have to say that it has so far been a very good year. My only disaster has been the cabbage root fly and I will need to think about how to combat the little devil next year.

Ian

[cupcake]

There's no hope for you now! You're well and truly hooked! But it's a good disease!
This is my second full season, and this time I'm far more organised with the successional sowing, so hopefully I shall have a really good harvest.
The wonder of a tiny seed transforming into a vegetable to eat never palls!

[Welsh Wizard]

I have found direct sowing the way to go this year, compared to pregrowing plug plants, the direct sown plants have been so much more vigourous, especially the brassiccas. This year has been my most organized, and looks most successful as a result. It takes a while to build up a "library" of seeds, good soil, and skill at growing. Given another half century I might get the hang of it!

[Two_Sheds]

My only disaster has been the cabbage root fly and I will need to think about how to combat the little devil next year.

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