I have a cunning plan for 2013..........

[veggiechicken]

Last year was such a rubbish year for virtually everything that I tried to grow (I realise that this year may be better) but...........
My plan is to grow
1. small quantities of quick maturing veggies at frequent intervals
2. cut and come again veg to avoid gluts (I wish)
3. tall veg like kale that may keep their heads above slug level
4. perennial and self seeding veggies in clusters throughout the garden
5. grow more in pots on "benches" above ground
6. use the GH more for fast growing, slug attracting veg - perhaps in hanging baskets

I'm sure there's more but I wondered whether anyone else was rethinking their growing strategy after last year.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Funny VC I don't think of you as a Baldrick type person.

Potty

[veggiechicken]

How little you know about me Potty

[KittyColdNose]

Right Baldric, will there be humourously shaped veggies too?

Sounds like a good idea. What self seeding veggies will you plant? I'm curious.

[veggiechicken]

There is humour in all my veggies
Self seeding - off the top of my head - chard, pod radish, oriental mustards, some alliums, - there must be more but I'm not wearing my thinking head at the moment

[KittyColdNose]

I think I have someone elses head on. Mine isn't usually as bunged up as this

Last year I left on the lower leaves of cabbage and kale the slugs munched and they seemed to stay away from the stuff higher up. I did launch them into the field when I found them though which may have helped.

[Feral007]

I'm planning for later in the year.

Firstly I'm planning to get some autumn fast growing veg happening, and then some overwintering.
This summer was soooo stinking hot and dry nothing went well anywhere.
I was pleased I went to the Community Garden AGM because I didn't feel as useless when they said their stuff was all crap this year as well. And they know heaps.

I need to sit down soon, and write what went well where.
What needed much more shade, so I can think how to provide it.
What went crap, and why.

I can't do container growing as they dry out so fast it's pointless.
Still another year's summer growing almost over, and I have some more things to add to my blog about what did and didn't work. And why some of it didn't. Setting a bad example works, then people don't have to repeat my mistakes themselves

[SarzWix]

My cunning plan is to get as much as possible going early to take advantage of summer in March and April instead of expecting it in June and July Hence sowing everything a month earlier than normal and investing in cloche hoops, cold frame and fleece to set up inside the tunnel. Fingers crossed, I WILL get a tomato, cucumber, pepper, chilli, pea and sweetcorn crop this year...

[Patchninja]

I'm limiting muyself to things we REALLY like. I need to keep it compact.

[Jardiniere]

i approach each year much the same with total optimism.. oh this will grow! I say and sometimes it does and sometimes it doesnt.

[PyreneesPlot]

I've gone for the starting early approach, too. Tomatoes, chillies, peppers and aubergines are all over the living room, last year I didn't sow until the first week in March.
Other than that it'll be the same old same old. Sow it, plant it, hopefully harvest it then compost it....

[Kirk]

Idea this year is to get something to grow, last year was a complete loss owing to lack of any planning and the weather.

Need about 50 pots to pot on the stuff that I have started off indoors.

[Darwin.]

I've started seeds off already and I normally leave it at least another month. I'm draining the garden so the area around the Polytunnel isn't so wet and I'm planning where everything goes this year rather than randomly planting things. The taller stuff is going in the greenhouse this year because it's about 18" higher than the tunnel. I've decided I don't need 10 tomaote plants this year so I'll only grow a few and I'll plant everything out bit by bit to avoid everything coming on at once.

[Aberdeenplotter]

the slugs munched and they seemed to stay away from the stuff higher up. I did launch them into the field when I found them though which may have helped.

Slugs and snails are like homing pigeons. They keep coming home even if you chuck them over the wall`

[Aberdeenplotter]

no point in me planning anything until this damned Court process is completed. I wouldn't plant earlier though. We are a minimum of 4 weeks behind the midlands in terms of spring manifesting itself properly so we just have to sit on our hands and be patient. .

Ohh that's my second non smiley smiley. My grumpy auld git side taking prominence today unfortunately