What have you learned this year ?

[KevinM67]

On the subject of Peas......

When it says on the packet of Kelvedon Wonder that they grow to 45cm/18in - I've learned that this is nonsense.

I had to pinch out the tops when they got to about 5ft because they were running out of support.

[Mr Bones]

the benefits of seaweed.

Lucky you to be able to get hold of it Kev.

This year I've learned about the huge benefits of no dig gardening.

[veggiechicken]

On the subject of Peas......

When it says on the packet of Kelvedon Wonder that they grow to 45cm/18in - I've learned that this is nonsense.

I had to pinch out the tops when they got to about 5ft because they were running out of support.

Is that Kelvindon Wonder?

I've learnt that fresh seed germinates a lot more quickly than older seed - and that the quickest germination of all is by home saved seeds from the current year's crops.

As a "for instance" I sowed 4 different types of broad beans, including Wizard that I saved in the summer. Wizard are the only ones up so far.
Same with Bijou mangetout saved this year, the most advanced of 6 different types of peas.

GH Lettuce that I left to go to seed are springing up everywhere, as are tomato seedlings.
So don't be in a hurry to clear out your plants when they flower. leave them to go to seed and take advantage of these freebies.

[KevinM67]

Again, in no way original - I'll never grow spuds in the ground again.

Tried them in bags this year for the first time and it is so much easier.

[Philthy]

I find it hard to grow the larger tomatoes outdoors - there doesn't seem to be enough warmth and time for the larger fruit to ripen properly. Even my old faithful Shirley really struggles outdoors

Personally don't have much experience growing tomatoes outside; my early tentative efforts at home grown - pre-GH - were a couple of growbags against the back wall of the house. Pretty sure I grew Gardeners Delight, and they did quite well. But then I tried a couple of plants in my little plot set away from the building and results were dismal in comparison. The sheltered location afforded by the house, with the warmth captured by the bricks during the day and released during the night, made the difference. Plus the roots grew in a significantly warmer environment in the growbag, itself sat on sun warmed paving, vs cold, dense soil of the garden.

Since acquiring my glasshouse I've not looked back. Best investment I've made in fact Essentially the patio environment with additional benefit of wind protection.
The half that gets the best of the sun will always be reserved for the chillies but while the tomatoes aren't exactly shoehorned in, it can be a tight squeeze sometimes once it's all up and running. Maybe that's a factor in the inconsistent results from the larger tomatoes i.e. less obviously an issue when fine weather is compensating. Even in a poor summer however, my cherry cordons are usually bustling with ripe fruits, while their larger cousins are invariably sulking with a smattering of very green, very firm, very unappetising fruits.
Much as I love tomatoes, I don't prioritise them, so I'll just stick to what I know will work for me

[Penellype]

On the subject of Peas......

When it says on the packet of Kelvedon Wonder that they grow to 45cm/18in - I've learned that this is nonsense.

I had to pinch out the tops when they got to about 5ft because they were running out of support.

Same here with Meteor.

[veggiechicken]

Again, in no way original - I'll never grow spuds in the ground again.

Tried them in bags this year for the first time and it is so much easier.

Same here - buckets for spuds, parsnips and carrots. Easier and less pest damage.

[KevinM67]

I'll need to find/scrounge/recycle some sort of deep container over the winter period for parsnips next year.

My ground is too stoney.

Again, for the second year - carrots were successful (obv. not massive) growing in pots.

[Penellype]

Plastic dustbins are not expensive and providing you make holes in the bottom they are good for growing carrots and parsnips. There is some evidence that carrot fly is less of a bother as the round shape of the bin avoids the updraught that enables the flies to get into flat sided raised beds. I grew carrots in an old water butt for a few years with no nets and minimal damage but I ditched it to make room for my fruit cage, and also because it was too heavy for me to move around.

One thing about parsnips in containers - because of the sides they are really really hard to dig up, and if they get big they are impossible to pull out. So think about how you are going to harvest them before committing yourself!

[KevinM67]

Thanks Penellype, once again you're a star on here.

[veggiechicken]

Flexible plastic trugs are good because you can wiggle the handles to loosen the soil and they're not as heavy as dustbins.

[KevinM67]

Do they provide sufficient height though to produce 'decent' parsnips ?

Or could you make them bottomless and plonk them in the ground ?

[veggiechicken]

Depends on what you call a "decent" parsnip! There are stumpy varieties - short and fat, not tall and slender. Guess which ones I relate to
If the trugs are bottomless you can't move them around so be sure that they're in the right place. I've been growing rooty things in bottomless buckets of sieved, sandy soil where the soil is stony. Seems to work OK.

[KevinM67]

Depends on what you call a "decent" parsnip!

I'M A MAN, in order to 'prove' my masculinity I have to grow the tallest, biggest, most humongous parsnips possible !!!

Seriously though, I have a few bottomless MFBs that worked well with the tomatoes this year - you've made me decide that I'll grow parsnips in some of them next year. 1 parsnip per pot.

Cheers VC !!

[nickdub]

I've learned you can weld two sheets of clear plastic sheets together if you apply the correct amount of heat for the right time. After some sticky/not sticky enough/holed experiments, I've found a way with some grease-proof paper and my electric soldering iron.

In case any one wonders if I've gone more bonkers than usual, the occasion for this trail was setting up a rain gathering flap for the gutters on my DIY poltytunnel. I tried special tape BTW to do the job, but this came unstuck in the first gale. Have to wait for warm dry weather now to move to the implementation phase.