Tell us your successes!

[Samurailord]

After all the threads bemoaning the rain, lack of sun and generally poor growing season I thought I would start a more up-beat thread where we can all post about what has succeeded this year.

Let's concentrate on the positives and learn from the negatives.

As I am starting the thread, I will also start with my positives.

My leeks are starting to fill out nicely. I trans-planted 15, and haven't lost one. I mulched around about half with grass cuttings in mid July, and there is a marked difference in size between those I mulched and those I didn't. Definitely doing that again next year.

I have had two dwarf apple trees in the garden for a few years now but they have never set fruit. This year I have two apples on each.

For three years my rhubarb has never produced any more than three stalks at a time, but this year I have harvested over a kilo already with about the same still to pick this weekend.

The purple sprouting broccoli that I planted last summer provided us with plenty of heads throughout spring (I know this was planted last year, but I harvested it this)

My first time of growing Chard, and it has almost taken over! I am harvesting a plant or so each night and freezing what doesn't get eated or turned into soups.

I'm sure there are more, but it's now over to you guys to tell us what has made you proud this year.

Andy

[Nik]

Amazing year for onions and PSB on my plot. Also the letuces have headed before they've bolted which is a first!

[SarahStrawberry]

I'm liking the positivity with this one

Last year I managed to grow one Crown Prince Squash this year I have four ripening, two small Butternuts to five this year and one sweet lightening (1st year with this one)

Also, i have three small watermelons and one might be big enough for me to eat - jumping up and down olympic style with excitement about this,

All grown in a polytunnell but for NE Scotland and a rainy summer I think they have done well.

[DGoulston]

my chilli's are doing amazing, first year doing twilight and just had 4 with my lunch and they were lovely and spicy!

my lemon cucumber is almost ready for picking and my carrots were tasty.
loads of spring onions have done very well too and very nice!

D

[Bren In Pots]

My broadies (thanks to seeds originally from TS) did really well, and there's been plenty of spinach, chard, lettuce and I'm picking runners most days.
Only real failure is the courgettes but they've got inch long fruits on so not alls lost.

[Samurailord]

Only real failure is the courgettes but they've got inch long fruits on so not alls lost.

A slap on the wrist for you Bren - we don't want any talk about failures here!

Andy

[roitelet]

Broadies were excellent, Parsnips look good, depends what is under the leaves and the Fodder beet I grew for the live stock is doing well. At least they won't starve in the winter!!!!!!

[Linnea]

sweetcorn looks good
got cauflowers to set for the first time
lettuce and spring onions have been great.
cabbages are huge
like roitelet I hope there are some roots under the parsnip leaves

[PyreneesPlot]

Courgettes and summer squash churning out much more than last year.
Cucumbers - we have less but they are much better spaced (one every other day) so that is a plus.
Peppers, none have rippened yet but the plants are covered in fruit. Ditto chillies.
Huge crops of tomatoes and (shhhh) no blight yet.
And the leeks are looking good as well - planted out 225 and although the mole has uprooted quite a few they are fatter than last year.
Lettuces are much slower to bolt and because its been cooler the later sowings have germinated.
And there are eight melons - never had more then two before!
A late but productive year so far.

[shona_b]

Has to be my two cucumber plants rescued from the reduced shelf in Tesco's!! Absolutely brilliant in a growbag in my lean to greenhouse. I've already harvested 4 cucs and there are easily 12 more to pick. Still more flowers and "babies" that might come if the sun continues. Bargain for 10p each plant Also this year looks like I might finally get some BNS as looking promising - and summerball courgette / pumpkins - fabulously productive (have yet to taste as leaving to treat more as winter squash). Look fab too - had loads of comments from fellow allotmenteers.

[Bigmallly]

Too much to mention Andy but you are right, it's good to hear about successes during this terrible summer.

[veggiechicken]

Blueberries. The End.

[Linnea]

ooh I'd forgotten about the fruit.
Blackberries - amazing from one plant - not sure how I'll cope if the other 6 all come like that next year!
Blueberries gooseberries redcurrants blackcurrants raspberries have all been fab this year too.

All in all (if a bit later than usual) this year has been better than the drought I usually get!

[Tripmeup]

Carrots..very good so far
Onions way bigger than last year..all alliums very good in general
Chill is
Courgettes
Lettuce red and green
Parsnips have really good greenery too
..oh and raspberries

[OverWyreGrower]

This is the first year I have had my 2 raised beds in the polytunnel

Successes include: peppers (green), chillis (green), 6 different kinds of basil, baby plum tomatoes and blackcurrants (outside)

Hopeful successes: sweet potatoes, melons (won't be ready until later in the year)