What lessons have you learnt from this years growing

[snohare]

you can never have too many tomato plants

Chance would be a fine thing !

(Note the ironic unhappy tomato face there. )

[Nordmead]

Oh yes you can

not going by this year.. i had 5 plants and got 4 tomatoes

[Potstubsdustbins]

Nordmead sorry to be blunt but something was wrong somewhere.

Colin

[Nordmead]

Nordmead sorry to be blunt but something was wrong somewhere.

Colin

yep, no pollination.. majority of flowers dropped, probably down to high day temperatures and cool night temperatures

[Crosby]

1) Starting the chilli and tomato seeds in January worked. I'll do this again.
2) I do not need 30 Tomato plants (plus I gave away loads)
3) No one in my family like runner or broad beans, don't grow these again.
4) Label up properly what's been planted, my memory is not that good
5) Plan when things need planting to have veg for as long a possible, having a load of veg every 2 months is not the best plan.

[Leek Inquiry]

- It's very difficult to imagine what a bed is going to look like when putting the seeds in. I put things too close together, had tall things shading shorter plants, and didn't leave room to get to some plants for picking/pinching out/etc.
- It's easy to kill tiny leeks by transplanting them. Will try to grow from seed next year.
- It's easy to kill runner bean seeds by over-watering. A second batch started in peat pots worked a treat.
- One courgette plant on its own is not happy - someone told me that this was to do with pollination and genetics, but I didn't quite follow the explanation.

[ugley_matt]

I leant i have much to learn.

Square foot gardening helped to maxmise the plot.

Raspberries grow like weeds, dont plant strawberries under them.

Potatoes in grow bags are not worth it.

Why grow radish, we never ate them.

i STILL cannot make compost.

[Rocketron]

I leant i have much to learn.

Square foot gardening helped to maxmise the plot.

Raspberries grow like weeds, dont plant strawberries under them.

Potatoes in grow bags are not worth it.

Why grow radish, we never ate them.

i STILL cannot make compost.

This is something we all learn (not necessarily radish)

[gillian62]

1. Restrict the varieties I grow to ensure I have room to grow more of the veggies we do eat.
2. Make sure I water more - look at easier methods ready for spring.
3. As I now have the other 1/2 of my allotment plot I can give my crops more space to grow better.
4. Netting brassicas etc is a brilliant idea.
5. I need to look at ways of enriching the soil without breaking the bank - more reading over the winter months!!

[susieq100]

Learned in the last month:
Leeks planted early ..... are ready much earlier!
Plant 2 lots of leeks next year so that I have a successional crop.
Squash are a waste of my time, manure and the space in the plot.
Plant more climbing French beans - they are magnificent, but need to be planted more frequently so I have a proper successional crop.
Don't really need spring onions - just eat the titchy ones from the 'maincrop' beds.
Gherkins straight into the garden don't "do" as well as ones in big pots ... or maybe I am just more conscientious feeding and watering the pots?
Home made piccallili using ALL home grown veg is just ....... well it just is!

[smilingshoe]

Its my first year on the plot, I've learnt loads

1. Beware of getting accidentally embroiled in decade old rivalries of the legendary allotment gentlemen
2. I don't like radishes
3.Need to grow a lot ore shallots and onions
4.No matter what the legendary gentlemen said I should have put weed suppressing membrane under the wood chip on the paths
5. A device needs to be engineered to grow strawberries in and let them hang rather than taking up lots of ground space
6. Label things properly you'll never remember what you put where.
7. Just french beans for me from now on sowed in succession so that they span the season.
8. Plant everything you've sown don't let it languish after months of tender care
9. A greenhouse with half the glass missing is a bit easier on the watering front
10. Pak Choi and rocket bolt really quickly
11. The legendary gentlemen may have laughed at the squash towers I built, but my harvest let me have the last laugh

[smilingshoe]

Oh I grew outdoor chillies they were fab and all ripened, the variety was called freshno

[Arthur Pounder]

The legendary gentlemen may have laughed at the squash towers I built, but my harvest let me have the last laugh

I would love to see these.

[sewer rat]

What have I learned from this years growing?
Simples - I wanna move to Spain, or Portugal, or Morocco, or anywhere quite warm and dry - am geting sick of working in the rain on what feels like every day of the year.
Seriously though
1. Do not grow a Giant Marrow in a polytunnel - I did and it smothered courgettes, tomatoes and chillies - it was also harder to get it to set fruit.
2. Growing show veg is very demanding of both time and money.
3. Cauliflower Cheesy F1 (Johnsons Seeds) is a superb performer.
4. My chillies thrive on neglect.

[rustylady]

Its my first year on the plot, I've learnt loads


5. A device needs to be engineered to grow strawberries in and let them hang rather than taking up lots of ground space

It has - it's called a hanging basket