Hi
Last year was my first year and I went through the disappointing crops then, partly through my own ineptitude and partly because of the drought. However I did learn... and this year being in sunny Kent, we have not suffered from the rains anywhere near as much as in the north. My heavy clay soil was starting to get waterlogged again, but the dry weather before hand meant it could take most of it without getting like quicksand.
So this year, growing potatoes in pots has worked really well, bit of a disaster last year with the drought, so much watering. I have managed to grown salad leaves and lettuce, they all bolted last year, beans are looking fab, draw a veil over what happened to them last year. Got cabbages for the first time and after sharing my two strawberries last year went for broke and put in 60 plants, and the rain has only just now defeated them - had a wonderful crop from them - 46lb.
The raspberries have failed again for the second year though so will have to do something else in that bed, the sweet peas have gone yellow and started to die, waterlogged, and my sunflowers have keeled over, wind and slugs I think, oh and I had terrible rust on the garlic and it's ended up very small - but eatable.
So however much I moan about my heavy clay soil, it can be improved and I'm gradually seeing a difference, but my luck's in for protection from wind, I have hedges on two sides and it's a good plot for sun.
So of the two summer evils, rain and drought, my ground is obviously better suited to the first, so do you think soil has something to do with it as well?
Of course, I'll think I can do better next year and it will do something like snow in June but if we get baking sun again I know I'll have a terrible struggle keeping everything alive and I'll be set back, but at least I know I nearly got some of it right this year. Failure again after my dismal beginners efforts last year would have been too much to bear and I think I would be thinking of giving it all up too but I suspect I will reach the end of September and whatever happens will be wanting another go now instead of having to wait to the Spring to start all over again.
Sue
Last year was my first year and I went through the disappointing crops then, partly through my own ineptitude and partly because of the drought. However I did learn... and this year being in sunny Kent, we have not suffered from the rains anywhere near as much as in the north. My heavy clay soil was starting to get waterlogged again, but the dry weather before hand meant it could take most of it without getting like quicksand.
So this year, growing potatoes in pots has worked really well, bit of a disaster last year with the drought, so much watering. I have managed to grown salad leaves and lettuce, they all bolted last year, beans are looking fab, draw a veil over what happened to them last year. Got cabbages for the first time and after sharing my two strawberries last year went for broke and put in 60 plants, and the rain has only just now defeated them - had a wonderful crop from them - 46lb.
The raspberries have failed again for the second year though so will have to do something else in that bed, the sweet peas have gone yellow and started to die, waterlogged, and my sunflowers have keeled over, wind and slugs I think, oh and I had terrible rust on the garlic and it's ended up very small - but eatable.
So however much I moan about my heavy clay soil, it can be improved and I'm gradually seeing a difference, but my luck's in for protection from wind, I have hedges on two sides and it's a good plot for sun.
So of the two summer evils, rain and drought, my ground is obviously better suited to the first, so do you think soil has something to do with it as well?
Of course, I'll think I can do better next year and it will do something like snow in June but if we get baking sun again I know I'll have a terrible struggle keeping everything alive and I'll be set back, but at least I know I nearly got some of it right this year. Failure again after my dismal beginners efforts last year would have been too much to bear and I think I would be thinking of giving it all up too but I suspect I will reach the end of September and whatever happens will be wanting another go now instead of having to wait to the Spring to start all over again.
Sue
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