Grrr....when is summer going to start??

[w33blegurl]

Just feeling like having a whine about the general crappiness of this year's summer so far! Nothing seems to be growing - I've not even had any broad beans yet! The slugs have decimate two courgette plants (the surviving ones are small and looking rather sickly) all my kale plants and are having a good nibble at the rest of the brassicas (despite the pellets!!). They've also had half my sunflowers and my echinacea has been reduced to stalks. The wind has been equally destructive with all the branches of my plum tree now leaning over and my elderflower branches are all drooping very low and squiching the plants that were underneath. I rather feel like not bothering this year and just starting over next year in the hopes the weather picks up. The only things that are growing are the gfrass and nettles at the lottie which seem to be growing at a rate of three feet per week.

OK, misery and self-pitying over, time to go and do some gardening!

[rustylady]

Probably around September when the kids go back to school after the summer holidays

[veggiechicken]

July 7th........

[zazen999]

But on a positive note; my first grafted apple that I did about 6 weeks ago [very late for grafting but I wanted to try out some end of season root stocks] has taken and is growing.

[kentishgal]

Its just too depressing isnt it? My very first attempt to grow fruit and veg and I dont have much to show for it at all....

[Andromeda]

According to the paper today, we could be seeing 82F sometime next weeks (prays that it actually happens!).

[rustylady]

According to the paper today, we could be seeing 82F sometime next weeks (prays that it actually happens!).

Then we'll all be moaning that it's too bla@@y hot

[Thelma Sanders]

yes, but although we like the heat, the sudden changes in temperature don't really help the plants.

A steady 20C ish would be just fine thank you - asking too much for this strange year, I suppose

[taff]

oh you and your sense of humour...summer...ha hahaa!!!

sob...sob...sob....

[Andromeda]

yes, but although we like the heat, the sudden changes in temperature don't really help the plants.

A steady 20C ish would be just fine thank you - asking too much for this strange year, I suppose

23-25C for the next 3 months would suit me just fine...and cheer up my veg.

[eirish]

I'd be happy with it staying above 10C!

[hamesy]

Its just too depressing isnt it? My very first attempt to grow fruit and veg and I dont have much to show for it at all....

Just how I feel.

Although I'm using this year to learn. I've had my allotment for a few months and I already know how I'm going to do things next year.

[SarzWix]

I'm going to have to resow all my carrots Noticed them starting to germinate about 2 weeks ago and then since then there's been not a sausage. I can only assume that the slimeys have been scoffing them as soon as they peeked above the soil

It's not been a brilliant season so far for almost everyone, whether experienced or new to gardening, so I hope it doesn't put anyone off. Tisn't usually this bad

[gardenpassion]

Yes its totally depressing, the wind breaking the stems, the rain battering the life out of tender young seedlings and don't get me started on the cold. We have our heating on today, its a joke.
As desperate as it is... the joy of growing vege, is that in our lovely (!) English climate with its unpredictable weather, we have no idea how well things will do as they are totally dependant on what the weather choses to give us. So no two years are ever the same.... now there is the challenge, the reason why we don't get bored and the food for the forum.
Keep chins up folks, the sun will have to shine at some point.... then we can all make hay.x

[Thelma Sanders]

Make hay? - well why not, grass does seem to be the only thing that's growing well