Is the hot weather responsible for all my late crops?

[Bountyhunter]

I germinated everything a bit later this year to see if there would be any difference in plant growth. In the past when i have grown at the right time i have a lot of excess growth from plants that have stretched themselves looking for the great British sun.

But for the first time i have not had many runner beans. A lot of the flowers didnt set but generally the beans just arent there. I have the old favorite, Scarlet Emporer and some new ones that have white flowers. These new ones are in flower now but not set beans yet. We had weeks and weeks of very hot weather, is this the reason? The beans are in semi shade all afternoon so not in the full glare but it was so hot. My dwarfs seem ok.

I have no red toms yet and i have 4 varieties, cherry, plum, salad and basket, none are even slightly near red. I started these late too but not too late.

Planting late did not make my plants smaller, if anything they are bigger lol

Has anyone else had a bad veg harvest this year? My neighbour has had trouble with the runners too but on the other side of things i have squillions of cucs.

[The Large One]

iv'e had a few red cheery toms but everything else is still green and i have a full "platic" greenhouse full of chilli plants but still no chillies, loads of flowers and look set but nothing to start skipping round the garden about

grown "white lady" runners in the lottie and have had bags off them already with loads still coming

[valmarg]

How much later was 'a bit later'?

I must admit that we tend to start things off 'the earlier the better', or as soon as we've passed the winter solstice as possible, but can only plant things in the garden at the end of May/early June. We don't have much heat in the greenhouse, but do start tomatoes early.

Runner beans we grow several varieties, but the two I would recommend are Red Rum and White Lady. We are now well into 'glut' having been picking for several weeks, and have made a couple of batches of Delia's Sweet Piccalli. We also grow climbing french beans, and have plenty of them.

Tomatoes - well we grow (according to OH) too many plants - cherry, plum, beefsteak and 'ordinary' varieties, both yellow and red fruited. We are now well into 'glut'.

We also have a good crop of cucumbers (included in Delia's piccalli).

Two things I was late with were aubergines and chilli/peppers. They are flowering and setting, but at the rate they are growing, weather permitting, we should have a bumper crop for Christmas.

I'm amazed that you have had so little, considering you are so far south of us.

valmarg

[northepaul]

Yes I am having some trouble - my squashes/cuecumbers especially. I planted the seeds for my squashes in May - didnt germinate for ages, then seemed to stop growing for ages, I planted them out 2 weeks ago and they are approx 6 inches high still
Cuecumbers germinated well, but no cues for for 2 months?!?! hmm

[Leeds_lad]

I also had a problem with ripening tomato's, then someone on the vine told me to put banana peels around the bottom of the plants, i did and voila, a couple of days later there is definite ripening, try it =)

[winstonwobble]

having pretty much same results as you apart from the french beans arnt doing so well zillions of cumbers though

[Rabidbun]

Most of my crops are very late - started tomatoes off two weeks later this year and the larger varieties just haven't cropped yet. The beans are only just cropping (and the plants themselves are looking unwell - a mix of dried and yellowed leaves on several of them); the mini cucumbers haven't really done much either. The courgettes have loved it, the lettuces are in their element and the chard is growing well as usual. Oh, and the blackberries are doing great. The late strawberries never appeared.

I think it has been the cold nights here though shocking most of the plants in the garden after hotter days. Always something though I spose!

[Bountyhunter]

So it looks like everyone has unexpected problems this year, more than normal. I think its the very hot start we had, then it carried on. Maybe it stresses young plants or something.

We normally moan when we have a crap summer but compared to this year fruit and veg they seem prefer it.

When i say i started late i meant later. I would usually be in the g/h from Feb but this year i didnt go near it for a couple of months later. I had a mare trying to germinate my runner beans but it was so hot they were rotting in the pots before they made an appearance. I think if its the same next year i will do it in the house where its not so bright.

My onions and shallots etc are all doing great and my cucumbers are mad so i cant complain there.

Everything is in my blog, oh and my melons are massive!!!

[valmarg]

So it looks like everyone has unexpected problems this year, more than normal.

No, if you read my post we are actually having a bumper year. We have gluts of tomatoes and runner/french beans. Broad beans have finished, but we had a wonderful crop, as with peas Waverex, a lovely petit pois variety. Courgettes, definitely glut++

Whilst we had a dry spell earlier, we have recently made up the rainfall (and how)

Recently in the press they were talking about the north/south divide (weatherwise), and as we have had plenty of rain the South/East have had very little. That might be more of a contributor to your problem, but up here in North Staffs we are having a very, very good, ie bumper year.

valmarg

[Bountyhunter]

No, if you read my post we are actually having a bumper year. We have gluts of tomatoes and runner/french beans. Broad beans have finished, but we had a wonderful crop, as with peas Waverex, a lovely petit pois variety. Courgettes, definitely glut++

Whilst we had a dry spell earlier, we have recently made up the rainfall (and how)

Recently in the press they were talking about the north/south divide (weatherwise), and as we have had plenty of rain the South/East have had very little. That might be more of a contributor to your problem, but up here in North Staffs we are having a very, very good, ie bumper year.

valmarg

Some veg seems to thrive on this weather as you have found out to your advantage. My onions, shallots, garlics are really doing well too but it does seem that some runners and toms are not coping as well as normal.

My toms are in the carport in troughs and always have the right amount of water but with all the sun we have had they are very behind. I managed to keep everything watered well and even had a green lawn all the way through our drought. People were amazed it was still green. I am sure some people think a lawn is like a carpet.


We have more than enough rain now to sink a ship.

[northepaul]

I also had a problem with ripening tomato's, then someone on the vine told me to put banana peels around the bottom of the plants, i did and voila, a couple of days later there is definite ripening, try it =)

Dont suppose it'll work with cucumbers too?!

[Bountyhunter]

Cucumbers grow better in the South East i think

[cupcake]

I have had 3 tomatoes so far (all in polytunnel) None of my chillies are ripe, but the cucs are prolific (first time ever!) and the garlic, shallots and onions have all cropped well. The french beans are giving me a big handful most days.Oh and I got 7lbs of free potatoes from the onion patch! My potato sacs are waiting to be emptied.

[gojiberry]

I don't think we will ever get a growing season that will suit everything that we grow You just have to accept that some years some things do better than others. None of my cucumbers have done any good. I have had two small cucumbers, however I have tomatoes a plenty.

Ian

[Bountyhunter]

I am sure of one thing though, the runners hate the hot weather. Now its been cooler for the last couple of weeks they have started producing loads more flowers and beans. But i have no idea whats up with the toms. Loads of them, good sized,loads of sun but not even the slightest colour change yet

One of the varieties of beans i have, possibly Blue Lake, it has white flowers only started producing flowers 2 weeks ago!

I wanted to be eating toms by now