Why do we bother?!

[Earthgirl Jen]

So I'm now at this point in the year where ...
I have lovingly grown my seeds to the point of actually getting them in the ground (well most of them)

I'm now battling the pests! as we all do...

And hoping at least a couple of the 20 blocks of 'stuff' I have stuffed into the ground or pots actually produce something to eat lol...

I planted 10 swedes already at the small plant stage into the ground and within a week the root fly had had every single one! I'm now sowing swede seeds for the 3rd time...

I planted out the first brassica bed and 'stupidly' left it for 2 days before I put the net cover on... Every single plant, purple cauli, 60day broccoli, kohlrabi, spring cabbage has been infected by the root fly, especially the kohlrabi, of which I dug up every plant washed the beasties from their roots and replanted every one. In my book they have 2 chances, they will either 'bolt' due to the stress or 'luck' may be in my favour and I might actually get something to try.

I've already sowed and pricked out second sowings of the brassica tunnel just because I could!...

Jen, when will you learn to prepare the bed you wish to plant before you sow the seed, as a result we are also now on the 3rd sowing of peas...

On the plus side I have masses of tomatoes in the greenhouse, but none of the little blighters have started to turn red yet.. I gave them all a stern talking to tonight... (yeah like that will work... lol.. )

Melons. oh my goodness! I have lots of lots of little melons promising sweet succulent pleasure and perhaps I have been just a 'tad' too biased in their direction... Time will tell...

I currently have a garden 'wind break' I hammered into the ground to 'try' and protect my 3ft high potatoes growing in pots... as apparently on the West coast it might get a 'tad' windy tonight . I'm sure they will be fine..

On a side note stop putting out a breakfast and supper of sunflowers hearts for the birds, Jen, as the sparrows just take advantage and feast! After 'snaffling' a few each and ok maybe Ma and Pa can have a respite and feed the babies while you watch, they then like to have a luxuriant bath in the watering tray you set out for them, after this a lovely little dust bath in your hard dry clay soil is resulting in furrows! and when all that is done a quick feed of pea and beetroot leaves kind of finishes off their session! lol.

This is what is called "growing your own folks" x

[Baldy]

We must like a challenge...

[Jay-ell]

Easier than going to the Supermarket? De-stress and relax?

[Chestnut]

Because our successes are so much rewarding when we know the work and luck it took to achieve those. I really don’t get the same sense of satisfaction from a walk down the veg aisle at the supermarket...

[bikermike]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has those thoughts...

still, fresh produce when it happens is still worlds better than supermarket...
and hanging round the allotment is much more relaxing than hanging round the supermarket. and there's the wildlife (when it's not eating the crop...)

[Baldy]

Despite the fact that 50% of my family are vegetarian - they don't like vegetables - its probably just as well as they'd be disappointed if they were counting on what I grow

and hungry...

[Earthgirl Jen]

Easier than going to the Supermarket? De-stress and relax?

Exactly this Jay_ell We know where our food has come from. Despite the setbacks ... x

[Earthgirl Jen]

Despite the fact that 50% of my family are vegetarian - they don't like vegetables - its probably just as well as they'd be disappointed if they were counting on what I grow

and hungry...

I'm sure the stuff you grow is 'fab' x so what grow best for you? and what would you like to grow? As for the family ... let them starve (joking) I'm learning to adapt as to what I can and can't grow...Although I haven't given up the challenge yet

[Baldy]

I'd like to grow celery - I can't grow celery (sob)
( I don't particularly like eating celery but that is by the by)

Celeriac - well that's just a case of throw seeds down / wait.... BOOM!
( I don't particularly like eating celeriac but that is by the by)

[Jay-ell]

Few more reasons

• Because supermarkets don't sell carrots that would make your mother blush and your grannie laugh.
• Because there's greengrocers who think that Chard is the male equivalent of Chav
• Because if you want oca you get oca, not ocra
• Because when someone tastes one of your tomatoes you can tell them it's name. And I don't mean Tigrella, I mean that ones Justin, this ones Barry, Oliver is over there in the pasta sauce (or is that just me)
• Because you know what you've added to your soil (although you might not tell others everything you've added)
• The joy of sitting down to a meal with just one home grown veg is good - when it's all home grown veg its great
• Purple spuds and red sprouts at Christmas
• Because those 1000 times you haven't managed a single carrot are wiped away when you manage to harvest that first small un-fly eaten root.

[Baldy]

^^^ we're all mad, mad I tells ya!

[It never rains..it pours]

Yes get similar thoughts myself but then tell myself the physical effort and very healthy, tasty, fresh eating output will reduce my type 2 risk, etc which makes it all very worthwhile, let alone the personal satisfaction

[Earthgirl Jen]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has those thoughts...

still, fresh produce when it happens is still worlds better than supermarket...
and hanging round the allotment is much more relaxing than hanging round the supermarket. and there's the wildlife (when it's not eating the crop...)

Thanks Mike x and don't we all love the challenge ... I love the wildlife and have huge fun running up to them and shouting "OOooii you little beggars , get off my land" Obviously translated into appropriate language suitable for a forum!?!? . Sadly they are taking no notice of my painted signs I plonked into the ground telling them this very thing !!!! ....

[Penellype]

When I look at my dinner plate and the only thing on it that hasn't come out of the garden is the piece of chicken, all the planning, sowing, digging, planting, covering and watering suddenly seems worth it. I also get a somewhat perverse pleasure in reading gardening books that talk about May- early June being the "hungry gap" when I have more veg than I can eat.

Cabbage root fly are a pain, but fine insect netting (or net curtains) will keep them off as long as they haven't pupated in the soil.

[Small pumpkin]

Why do we bother?

So we can whine about it