Worst growing season ever

[Wellrottedmanure]

Bored Beans decimated by black fly,
Pigeons enjoyed my peas,
onions and courgettes dug up by dog,
broccolli and kale taken by caterpillars,
spinach and rocket all bolted,
cucumbers all stunted.

Last year everything I threw in the ground came up lovely,effortlessly,even the parsnips!

Looks like im off to the supermarket for me veg.

Shakes head in disgust at mother nature and all its critters...

[chris]

All part of the fun of growing your own!

I've lost a load of veg this year, planted up an allotment then gave it up (*sigh*). We still buy veg, but hopefully next year we'll be able to reduce the amount we buy.

[reetnproper]

You could grow more rocket, salads etc then at least you wont feel as though the whole year was wasted and also I'm sure it's not too late for runners and french beans if you start them indoors and plant out. Look for 'speedy' veg seeds, if you haven't already got some - places like Wilkos have their seeds reduced at the moment, so you may be able to get some 'sow now' types at reduced prices.

It's soul destroying when all your hard work goes to waste. The first year we started growing we lost our entire cucumber crop to a fungal infection, most of the tomatoes to blight, the brussel sprouts to caterpillars and the brocolli to pigeons. We learnt lessons from the cucs and toms and decided that we just don't have the space to grow and net the brocollis and sprouts. Sometimes the learning curve is harsh as well as steep but next year will be better and in the mean time, keep on sowing.

Another idea is to look at some 'sow for next year' crops, then at least your growing space wont be standing idle.

Chin up and good luck
Reet
x

[taff]

you can still sow spinach, runner beans, courgettes, fennel, rocket, lettuce, chard, probably kale, spring cabbage, pak choi, mustard greens.
don't despair yet....besides, rocket and spinach always bolt in the summer.

[Two_Sheds]

It's been my worst year too, but all down to the prolonged drought.

You may know all this already, but for the benefit of others:

Bored Beans decimated by black fly

Yes, it's the black bean fly Planting early (November) is helpful, as is really keeping on top of them: squishing as many as possible as soon as they appear

Pigeons enjoyed my peas ... broccolli and kale taken by caterpillars

That's a given. Both really need to be netted

spinach and rocket all bolted

They do when spring sown - late summer sowings do much better

Last year everything I threw in the ground came up lovely,effortlessly,even the parsnips!

beginner's luck?

You're growing food, don't be surprised that other species wish to partake

Don't give up, be better prepared

[pauco]

It's been a great year for Onions, well it has for me, Kelsae being the best great size lovely taste,
Senshyu being another good one, followed by Radar. Pepers also done well. Tom's this year not so good
at all but hey can't win em all.

paul.

[Two_Sheds]

Tom's this year not so good
at all

Funny that ~ this is my best year ever for tomatoes (started them early, and it's been hot since first week in April)

My onions are pants though

[pauco]

Funny that ~ this is my best year ever for tomatoes (started them early, and it's been hot since first week in April)

My onions are pants though

Cant win em all TS, will swap you some Tom's for some Onions

[Aberdeenplotter]

yes, the real beauty of gardening is that there is always next year.

[Snadger]

Blimmin eck! I thought it was only the farmers (sorry if there are any farmers with us!) who moaned about the growing season so that they could hike up the price of veg!

Best season I've ever had.......apart from?:........nah, we'll not get into that!

[Potstubsdustbins]

The only problem I have had this year is with spring onions, have yet to eat one. No idea why but hey this aint engineering its nature and sometimes it kicks us where it hurts.

As others have suggested buy some seed if you have none and get planting.

Colin

[gojiberry]

Have no complaints at all. I know at the start that some stuff will do better than others. Always sow plenty and have enough to fill in gaps where stuff fails. Had 5 rows of winston potatoes and didn't even get enough potatoes for a decent meal out of them. The ground is now full of leeks and winter cabbage. Have not dug any up yet but looks as if the harlequin will have a good crop and the charlottes, as usual, have done well.

Ian

[Shadylane]

I'm having a bad un too. Stuff that was easy peasy and did great last 2years has been nobbled by all sorts, from really late frosts to flea beatle to drought to working extra hours/lack of time/organisation and me generally being a bit piddle poor. You just have to try again and learn from your mishtakes. Next year WILL be better dammit.

[Florence Fennel]

I've had a disaster with tomatoes and strawberries this year, but (touching wood) everything else seems to be ok. Better luck next time!

[Aberdeenplotter]

Apart from the incursion of a rabbit, my only real disaster has been the long carrots I've tried to grow for exhibition. They germinated ok, grew to about an inch and have stopped at that for weeks on end. Bit of a pain given that I'd emptied and refilled the barrels, cored out holes, mixed compost and used up some base fertilisers to fill the holes but hey, the positive thing is that it gave me some aerobic exercise in the fresh air. My kitchen beetroot isn'tr performing very well, but some of the guys in adjoing plots have bits of ground they can't grow beet in for toffee. I've maybe found a similar spot in my plot as I haven't tried beet there before but there is time to resow in another area and that is what I will do today.

I'm, singing "don't worry, be happy" to myself now. na na na na na na na na na, na na na na na na, na na na na na na.