Is All The Hard Work Really Worth It?

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

I think there is only one person who can answer that for you BM!

For me it's not about what you get from it, but what you get from doing it!

As most others have said, it offers so much more than the produce itself!

The "Serenity" of being outside, breathing in clean air, watching the wildlife busy "Doing it's thing" Just does it for me!

At the end of a busy day on the plot, sat in my favaroute chair, cold beer in hand, admiring my efforts of the day, pondering on what I would like to achieve next, I find myself asking this question time n time again!

If a law was cast over this land that all who GYO had to give up there crops to a "Fat man in a Bowler hat" would I still do it?

Too bl@@dy right I would!

For me as the old saying goes, "It's not about the winning, it's the taking part"

[rhonsal]

I have to agree with what everyone is saying - it's a yes from me!

Mainly this is due to having a joint interest with important family members - a wee trip out to a garden show or garden centre - even a wander around a public garden admiring colours scents and planting schemes!

I also love the anticipation of a new growing year - sitting all cosy in the winter with a big mug of coffee ploughing through the seed catalogues to see what's new or different and thinking about what I can grow where in my little garden plot!

We all love it really!

[bramble]

I think most of us on here probably have gardening in our blood. Why else would e we go out in all kinds of wet and cold weather to do battle with unreliable climates.
I could'nt imagine not being able to grow crops whether it be little or much.
My biggest worry now is my ability to continue as i get older.
Will i be able to dig the garden, open drills for my potatoes. Will my back give out or my knees become too painful to kneel down. Already i find myself with a painful shoulder when i overdo it.
Is itworth it financially, i think not.
Is it worth it healthwise, without a doubt, yes both physically and mentally.
You see, theres always "next year" and thats what makes us keep hoping it will be better " next year".

[alldigging]

It's not so much about having a good year as having a good time. I really enjoy trying new techniques and messing about getting soil under my nails.

For me the vegetable growing failures don't hurt as much as the nonsense one person causes for me.

[Bigmallly]

Wow!..........Thanks for all the great replies. Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, I'm not planning on giving up just yet, I just need to be more selective in what I grow. One example: Is it really worth breaking my back planting, growing & harvesting spuds when I can pick up a sack for £4. It costs me hardly anything to actually grow stuff, it's whether this old body can keep up to it. So as I say, I just need to get a pen & paper out, sit down & work out what I want to grow rather than growing for growings sake...............hope that makes sense.

[jackarmy]

Good to hear, dont think we ever seriously thought you were knocking it totally on the head though

[Bigmallly]

Cheers Jack, no, as I say, I just need to be selective in what I grow and grow things that I like to eat cos to be fair I don't eat as much veg as I possibly should. I've always said when it becomes a chore it's time for a re-think.

[Penellype]

Wow!..........Thanks for all the great replies. Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, I'm not planning on giving up just yet, I just need to be more selective in what I grow. One example: Is it really worth breaking my back planting, growing & harvesting spuds when I can pick up a sack for £4. It costs me hardly anything to actually grow stuff, it's whether this old body can keep up to it. So as I say, I just need to get a pen & paper out, sit down & work out what I want to grow rather than growing for growings sake...............hope that makes sense.

Glad to hear you are not giving up - this forum would be very much poorer without your input.

I know exactly what you mean though. When I've finished my 100 varieties challenge I'm going to have a serious sift through what I have grown and weed out the things I don't need. This year has been fun, but there has been a lot of lifting pots about, and the 18 inch square pots that I could shuffle easily a couple of years ago are now a real struggle, as are full potato bags.

There have been some desperate disappointments too, probably the worst being the 100% annihilation of all of my oriental salad greens by swarms of unidentified small grey beetles (not flea beetles as they don't jump). I can't find anything on the internet which looks even remotely similar, and they appear to be able to get through even fine insect mesh. They are not in the soil as the mesh cage is on paving and all the compost is fresh. The only way around the problem appears to be to grow the stuff in the house.

[roitelet]

Glad to hear you are not giving up just having a re-think. Age catches up with all of and the effort and economics of GYO needs to be taken into consideration. I have given up on some things like carrots and leeks due to pests. Employing the chop and drop method of composting saves a lot of work and heaving about.

Keep gardening and posting or we will miss you.

[Greenleaves]

Fred Trueman and Don Revie would have a few choice words to say to you Mal, 'you had a bad season, so get out there and try harder, you only get out what you put in' ( Don Revie)

To quote Don Revie, " You get nowt for coming second " As regards the garden gate, in the words of Fred " Don't bother shutting it, you'll be back soon "

[Elfeda]

BM, please share with us once you come up with your list of crop planning to grow.I am trying for the same.

[Bigmallly]

BM, please share with us once you come up with your list of crop planning to grow.I am trying for the same.

Well off the top of my head...........Things I will continue with are: Onions, Leeks, Parsnips, Courgettes/Squashes, Beans/Peas & Strawberries.
Things I am considering stopping are Spuds, Outdoor Toms, Sweetcorn & Carrots.
Things not mentioned have yet to be decided on.

[jackarmy]

Fred Trueman and Don Revie would have a few choice words to say to you Mal, 'you had a bad season, so get out there and try harder, you only get out what you put in' ( Don Revie)

To quote Don Revie, " You get nowt for coming second " As regards the garden gate, in the words of Fred " Don't bother shutting it, you'll be back soon "

Thank god you never mentioned Cloughie in there GL

[Elfeda]

my list goes:

1. Potatos not more than 2kg seed.
2. Strawberries
3.Tomatos (Indian citrus tasteone's mainly)
4.Beans and sweet corn sow together directly sown in the ground.
5.Chillis and cucumbers in GH
6.Aubergines (green)
7.Courgetts/squash
8.Garlic and onions
9.beetroots from gardencentre plants mostly
10. very few peas
11. leafy veg (spinach, amarnath,Roselle,Fenugreek,corriander all one patch for each)
12.few leeks ( already sown many this time...but to reduce in future)
13. easy flowers

[Greenleaves]

Thank god you never mentioned Cloughie in there GL

Even BM stuck it out longer than 44 days