What lessons have you learnt from this years growing

[horticultural_hobbit]

To tickle the grapes with silly plant names. Gladys, Bruno and Kevin started it, Nietzche has already been suggested. Answers on a post card for next years cohort, please.

[Nik]

After swinging by the lottie this morning I have added another lesson - don't bother with butternut squash. I don't think the scrawny 3 fruits from four plants I have managed to produce are even worth the £1.50 I spent on the seeds. The same number of Sweet dumpling plants, however, has produced a bucketful of green stripy gourds and the seeds cost 39p from Homebase.

[jacob]

Nigel's outdoor chilli, is apparently what it is says on the tin. Is available from the Real seed people. Is available January, as it has sold out. Meant to be really good without cover. Is my version of Monty Python's Holy grail in getting things to grow outside without cover.

Doesn't grow outside round these parts... Did OK in the greenhouse though.

[Two_Sheds]

A lesson I still haven't learned is KEEP THE LABEL so I know where to go for a refund !

my white glads have turned out yellow
blue geranium is purple
Victoria plum is dark purple

grrrrrrrrrrrrr

[OverWyreGrower]

Note to self... spend winter working out how to stop the rats climbing up into your lovely tomato plants and eating ALL the nearly red tomatoes (and the green ones) and leaving just a little chewed bit attached to the stem....

[thepict]

The reason Rasps grow well in Scotland ? God's own Country

British by Birth Scottish by the Grace of God

[Alison]

Not sure I learn anything NEW but every year does reinforce what the same things:

1 - Just cos something did well / badly this year doesn't mean under exactly the same level of care it'll not do the oposite next year

2 - Grow lots of variety so you don't end up with nothing / too much (see 1 above) as you can't predict what will do well

3 - Vary your menu to what you have not the other way around

4 - Enjoy

[unclefudgly]

I've got to say this year was the best on the lotment so far, so going on holiday in April and hoping you can catch up in may really is a daft idea.

Growing colored varieties of chard is pointless, stick to white from now on.
The polytunnel is my new best friend, but must remember to not get carried away, it was more like the amazon jungle than it should have been.
I can't grow onions or garlic but shallots from seed are a winner.
Pak choi outside is difficult, komatsuna outside is easy and almost as nice.
A dozen broad bean plants really is enough for two people

Can't wait for next year

[rustylady]

It's pointless buying seed unless you actually sow them.
If you do sow the seed in cell trays and they germinate, then for heavens sake plant the bu@@ers out on the allotment - otherwise you end up with bonsai veg.
Labels, labels, labels, etc. ad infinitum.

[WendyC]

Don't leave seeds potatoes chitting on the bench of my south facing potting shed once the sun has any strength. I cooked them before I'd even planted them and funnily enough they didn't grow!

[chris]

2 allotments + 2 kids doesn't go down well with the wife

[susieq100]

Don't plant broad beans under the plum tree.
Carrots in a builder's bag are ace!
Radish need to be planted every ten days, not when I realise there aren't any left.
There is no such thing as too much beetroot.
Four cucumber plants in the greenhouse is too many.
Cauliflower need to be planted successionally.

[salilah]

There is not room in a 6'x3' greenhouse for 79 tomato, chilli and pepper plants.

Grin! I cut back - and policed them well - and I still have a load of shoots coming up from the base of my 18 tomato plants :-(
Also - because something is listed as a cherry tomato, don't assume it will be small (anyone tried Moonglow???)

[Helgalush]

I've learnt that it pays to properly net brassicas. I've learnt that some things will fail, and some things will thrive, but to have a go at it all anyway as its fun experimenting.

The main thing I've learnt is that I dont have enough space, and I've well and truly outgrown container gardening, with every available space in my garden pretty much taken up with pots and tubs and trugs. So I'm hoping to put in to practice some new skills and do more experimenting on an allotment.

I've learnt that nasturtiums always take up more space than you thought, and how incredible plants like these are that its so easy to save seed.

Finally I've learnt that from one or two tomato plants you can get dozens of others by taking off the side shoots and potting them up - a fab tip thanks to a thread on here. Thank you to whoever started that one.

[scarey55]

Only pick and eat the small tomatoes straight off the vine and leave some big ones for cooking with