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frustrations
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Message 1.Â
Posted by martingodliman (U13761957) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
I can remember having a similar moment about this time last year, when I felt/feel now disappointed with results.
If I retain my enthusiasm for next year probably I will come next late winter early spring when I usually feel that burgeoning enthusiasm rising and my disappointments are forgot
I have resolved to......
Not bother with too much salad it goes to seed too quick and is now a waste of space now vacant and unproductive....and I don't want any more !
Be not quite so attracted to exotic verities fancy colours and shapes (take note Sarah Raven !!) They can be trickier to grow and lower yielding even when the plant is big !
Grow more longer maturing crops like cavalanero I wish now I had sown more.
Grow more beet type spinach and chard the young leaves of which can used in salads anyway ! and has a longer season.
Grow roots.....I haven't been attracted to growing them before, clearly a mistake.
make sure one of my types of tomato are early ripening all still green....at least I didn't have blight.....yet fingers crossed.
My hundreds and thousands that weren't hundreds and thousands turned out be some kind of small pear shaped cherry tomatoes that taste OK (a few are just starting to ripen. I will definitely grow hundreds of thousands again if Suttons can get it right.
I'm only a few years in to growing veg regularly I can see a long times experience would have been invaluable....it can take while to get the feel I see.
Not a moan I hope just observations for the future.
There may be further insights to follow yet ! -
Message 2
Posted by margaretstar (U14415248) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
Hi martin,
I get what you are saying!
I think what is important is to establish a base (like you are doing)
of things which "work for you and your soil/growing situation".
From there - the things that are a success almost aways - you can then branch out, always knowing that there are things that you can rely on to succeed.
I think sometimes that the TV gardeners forget this and just want to show the fancy things, forgetting what I call the "chug-along"
veggies - those things one can rely on for a crop whatever the weather! -
Message 3
Posted by julie new in france (U3837878) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
In the same boat, salad is rubbish, need early toms,need suttons to not send bad seeds but most important must be stricter with chickens and stop letting them in the veg garden,Better luck next year
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Message 4
Posted by martingodliman (U13761957) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
One thing I really fancied from the last GW the other day was when they visited that kitchen garden in Devon Knightshayscourt was it ?
The kale plant/shrub/tree thing never goes to seed crops all year round, lasts for years, can be grown from a cutting. Exactly the kind of veg plant I could appreciate I wonder if it's realistic to get some from anywhere ? -
Message 5
Posted by 4smilingcat6 (U14338727) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
Rule 1 about gardening-nobody gets perfection every time.
Rule 2-Never trust those who say they do.
TV has to be about entertainment as well as knowledge. Real gardeners know that a nice smile,a perfect garden is not always reality -
Message 6
Posted by martingodliman (U13761957) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
Also some of those good looking gardens on the TV have a small army of knowledgeable helper/gardeners working on them......just out of shot !
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Message 7
Posted by thevodkarose (U13048111) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
On the other hand, I like salad. I'm learning from past mistakes and now sow little and often, and with a plug tray sown in June to ready to go into the ground as soon as there's a gap.
However, I may give up on radish. For no reason I can fathom, I only get a few that have formed nice round roots. Most of the time they are spindly and inedible. It's a shame, because I love the taste of home grown radish. -
Message 8
Posted by martingodliman (U13761957) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
I had the same experience with radish.
I sought out and sowed those white kind I think they taste better. I've left them to go to seed I seem to remember the seed pods are tasty hot peppery snack according Alys on her Edible Garden series. -
Message 9
Posted by Gem (U13964749) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
I thought it was just me with the radish, I get loads of tops though which the guinee pigs love so all is not lost, but I will only give a small plot of land to them next year.
Runner beans are out as well, 2 bad years, I have grown some french this year and so far they are great so will stick to them next.
I was fed up with the cues as well ( tasty King ), loads of leaves and just kept growing and growing they are up the sides of the gh and across the roof already, but until 2 weeks ago no fruit, but now, I have sooooooo many I am picking 1 if not 2 every day, and they are Big ( note the capital B).
Salad - well I bought 8 plants ( those red frilly ones ??? - forgotten, it will come to me...) pick and come again, planted out in May and they are doing so well, pick some most days enough for 2-4 people each time and they are still going strong. Grew some Iceburg from seed, no good didn't heart then went to seed.
Kalrobi - quite nice, but take a lot of room for a small edible piece, though again the pigs like the leaves, will give that land to beets next year - much better IMHO.
interesting what you said about the suttons 100/1000, planted mine in the raised border in the end where the radish had given up, to see what they did, they have grown huge and are covered in tiny toms the size of a pea, but very round and sweet. Would have prefered them to be trailing though I had space for the hanging baskets in the GH which has now gone to waste ( I hate wasted space)
Yes all in all another year of learning, what we like to eat as much as what will grow where, and I suppose we will plant next year and the weather will be different and we will again be saying "next year I will grow......."
Such is garding
Gem -
Message 10
Posted by nanpickle (U14258493) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
I've had a bad year with radishes also, thought it was me doing something wrong, but maybe the weather has had a bad effect if we are all suffering. Cucumbers (tasty burpless) are wonderful, am already supplying family and half the neighbourhood with them,and courgettes. Beans (runner and dwarf french) OK, tomatoes reddening nicely now and peppers growing well. Only did one tub of potatoes this year and had enough for 3 meals - that's more than I got with 6 bags last year. Lollo rosso and lettuces have kept me in salad for last 6 weeks, chard didn't do very well though and still waiting for beetroot. So all in all not a bad year, Nan x
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Message 11
Posted by martingodliman (U13761957) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
Sounds like you 100/1000s were true Gem were they from Suttons ? they are a good trailing plant.
My runner beans were also not good they are out already, french were good but finished now I think I will grow climbing french next year I have grown them in the past successfully.
I'm not good at growing things in succession I prefer to make the effort early and not have to to think of continually sowing.
My courgettes have been big success this year no mosaic virus so I've had lot, the plants do seem to be past their best and producing less and slowing down right now, anyone know if this is normal ? I thought they would carry on till autumn killed them.
I see no one knows the answer to my kale question yet. -
Message 12
Posted by martingodliman (U13761957) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
Another success story for me is chillies I've got a lot going some I grew from seed, some I bought as plants, some of which have gone through a black stage. I don't know the variety I bought a mixed tray and they were not individually named so far none have reddened yet.
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Message 13
Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
My chillies and peppers are looking good and being picked regularly. Nothings gone red yet though.
My toms aren't ripening. Will opt for varieties which require a smaller growing season next time.
Peas did really well. I've 3 varieties of spuds in grow bags, the first lot were alittle on the small size so left the 2nd lot in the bag for a few weeks, just dug them up tonight and really pleased with their size. Most of my veg and soft fruit has done well. Some bushes were new this year so didn't expect to much from them.
Sowed some things late like salad, radishes, spring onions, chad, spinach and beetroot so still waiting to see how they fair.
Attempts at companion planting has been alittle hit and miss, and my herbs have been the same. Basil did show this year put is looking very sad and neglected with holes in the leaves. Corriander and parsley did far better but now going to seed and yellowing.
Sweetcorn will be a must again next year. Carrots have been a failed crop two years on the trot.
Haven't had as much pest damage this year which has been a bonus seeing them eating you veg I found quite disheartening last year. -
Message 14
Posted by punpun (U14553477) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
Hi, Like all the older members have said, in one way or another every one of us has made the same mistake ref getting into gardening, and its wanting results now "not" tomorrow but "NOW"
Its the same as having a new car "We must drive it NOW! Try all the little gadgets out "NOW"
It's only when things happen "Like the alarms start singing out and you find a line of little kids stood looking in at you and asking are you the ice cream man? that you decide to have a look at the hand book! correct or not?
Well gardenings the same sort of thing as the hand book you didnt bother to read at the best time for future best results ref knowing how things work and what to do when they go wrong.
Fruit bush, fruit tree's, these are the long term little to do items in the garden that give you a return every year and are very cheap when you see the return in fruit you get year after year.
PREPERATION;
This covers not only knowing what you like to eat but what the seed's or plants need ref growing needs to produce the best crops? And to give the plants the best chance its up to you to find out their needs and give it to them.
No gardening book will say gardening is easy.
But they will guide you in the correct directon.
Now if your unhappy with your gardening results you have two choices, (1) continue as you are now
or (2) start to understand the basic rules of gardening and this is done by your own effort.
If anyone tells you they are green fingered?
Tell them to wash their hands or see a doctor because no such thing will be found in the gardening skills,
As ive said gardening is easy to understand and to apply the needs of your seeds/plants is the secret to having them grow.
I grow veg/ fruit/ flowers and have the rewards ive earned through taking the time to learn over the years and walk before i tried to run.
If you take this advice and do as i say? you'll have a better crop and your wanting to do more will "like your plants" grow and one day you'll be telling some dis-hearted new gardener what ive just told you.
P.S. Anyone for ice cream?? -
Message 15
Posted by thevodkarose (U13048111) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
My basils have holes in the leaves too. I found the culprit - a small, blue-green caterpillar. The leaves are otherwise healthy though, so I still use them.
Words fail me at how pleased I am, in a back-handed way, that I'm not the only one to have failed with radish. For something said to be so easy, I was secretly getting a bit neurotic about them. -
Message 16
Posted by mummyduckegg (U8437139) on Thursday, 5th August 2010
Me too vodkarose, my spring radishes did ok, but a row sown in early June are spindly like you said. I often wonder if it's a matter of how deep they are sown, but after several years of experiments, still not worked it out!
I also agree its very useful to work on salad leaves, as you save a lot of money if you can get them going for all season, and so much nicer. I have a row of "gourmet mix" from nicky's seeds (google it) that has been going for 2 months as cut leaves, and still most of it going strong. -
Message 17
Posted by chris (U14479141) on Friday, 6th August 2010
good morning to you all,i must have been very lucky with my veg as everything i have grown has been excellent(must be 1st time luck as this is my 1st year)i dug over 80sqm and the only compost i could get was grow bags of which i dug in(probably about 40)im now looking to find some good muck,ive been told it needs to be 2 years old so that i can plant again in the spring.do i need to do this in october,november,any advice would be greatly appreciated,one last thing my toms are just ripening so im really looking forward to harvesting them as they look really good too.the one thing i do expect is that it WON`T be like this every year but i`ll keep my fingers crossed anyway.happy gardening to you all regards chris
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Message 18
Posted by dungolfin (U1453891) on Friday, 6th August 2010
Yes, after weeks without any appreciable sunshine (just endless blankets of grey cloud) I'm resolved to growing only potatoes, brassicas, beetroot and peas. I've had it with outdoor tomatoes, courtgettes and beans, by the time they start to ripen they're flattened by blight, mildew and general bad weather.
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Message 19
Posted by martingodliman (U13761957) on Friday, 6th August 2010
Where do you live Dungolfin ? there's been plenty of sunshine for many of us too hot and dry, I live in the south east.
My tomatoes are just beginning to ripen now isn't the risk of blight the same for potatoes as it is for tomatoes ? -
Message 20
Posted by Mithranstar (U14439116) on Friday, 6th August 2010
I had the same issue with my Hundreds and Thousands!
I grew some from seed and when I thought I had accidentally killed off those plants I ordered some live plants from Suttons. The ones I gre from seed are, I think, the correct seeds because they look how I would have expected hundreds and thousands to look and do seem to have quite a few little tomatoes on them. I think I bough my seed packet quite a while ago so maybe they really were the correct seed.
The live plants I got from Suttons are a different story. I got 9 plants in all, all of which have survived. 3 of them appear to be small bush / trailing type tomatoes which makes me think that they might be the promised hundreds and thousands, the other 6 are the ones that martingodliman mentioned which are pear shaped. I'm puzzled by the fact that i've ended up with two different varieties but both seem to be growing quite well. Wish they'd hurry up and ripen though!
Next year I will grow less salad, I don't end up picking it and it's a bit of a faff. I'll grow carrots as they grew well this year. I'll try a different variety of runners as this years have been a bit dismal, and i'll go back to the stone head cabbage which hearted up beautifully last year - this years savoy have yet to get to that stage (if they do at all).
I won't bother with pumpkins - they don't grow well on a balcony (!), but I will grow more cucumbers as they have been brilliant. -
Message 21
Posted by Gem (U13964749) on Friday, 6th August 2010
It does sound like my 100/1000s are more as they should be, but they are not trailing they are standing about 4ft tall and are like bush. quite nice though.
I went to see of I could find some courgettes for dinner last night, new I had 1 good sized green one, but thought I would see if the yellow ones where doing anything. I last looked on Monday and there were 3 very small ones coming on 2 plants, well last night
, they were huge, and loads more on the way, will have them again tonight and some more french beans.
I love it when the veg really starts to come in like that - anyone want a cue ???? - please.
Gem -
Message 22
Posted by dungolfin (U1453891) on Friday, 6th August 2010
Hi martingodliman,
I'm about 10 miles southeast of Glasgow. We had a good spell around late May but only lasted 2-3 weeks. Looking outside to the garden now and guess what, wind and light rain, plenty cloud and no sun...BOO! -
Message 23
Posted by Gem (U13964749) on Monday, 9th August 2010
I popped into the GC yesterday for some tom food and glanced at the seeds (as you do), and well you have to buy something don't you.
So yes I know its August 2010 and my harbinger and Shirley criag and Roma toms are just starting to ripen, but next year I have the seeds for Black Russian
Am I sad or what....
Gem -
Message 24
Posted by PurpleLuv (U5258511) on Monday, 9th August 2010
My hundreds and thousands that weren't hundreds and thousands turned out be some kind of small pear shaped cherry tomatoes that taste OK (a few are just starting to ripen. I will definitely grow hundreds of thousands again if Suttons can get it right.Â
Same here, pear shaped nothing like 100s & 1000's. -
Message 25
Posted by Sue58 (U14442036) on Monday, 9th August 2010
I`ve done ok with my cucumbers this year and carrots have been ok. I will grow them again next year but use a different carrot type.
Radish ...... well some were good but a lot are just spindly roots which have now been taken out and re seeded so now waiting to see if these fatten up well or not. I hope I can grow them better next year.
Cauliflowers were a disaster. They have been overun with caterpillars but now know how to deal with that. Sadly they didn`t have much of a curd so will probably not bother with them next year.
Salad leaves were ok but haven`t seeded often enough so have nearly run out. I will make sure I do more on a regular basis next year.
Got plenty of peppers but theya are starting to get black marks on so hope they ripen soon now.
My french beans are doing ok but was late planting them so have plenty of flowers on them and some beans growing.
I`ve got potatoes in tubs and bags and will see how they have done in a few weeks time. Took one or two off the top that I could see and they were gorgeous. They have taken up to much room in my yeard so will not be growing them next year unless I can plan it out better.
Still waiting for most of my tomatoes to ripen only had tumbling toms ripen so far. Will definitely grwo them again.
I have my blueberry bush but it was its first year so will see how it goes next year as well as 1 year old rhubarb.
I am going to have a good think and plan where put things so hopefully I can be more productive next year.
This has been my first year so have done ok so far with some disasters and some doing well. I grew bits of different things to see what I could do well with and what I didn`t succeed with. I`ve enjoyed every minute and have a lot of work to do in time for next year. -
Message 26
Posted by petuniafunkeltrumpet (U14027507) on Monday, 9th August 2010
My problem has been salad leaves but nothing to go with them! Tomatoes still green, cue's still small and prickly, peppers still growing etc. But yes I have had to throw lots of leaves away as they bolted quickly too.
Also I hoped that growing my own veg (this is my first year) would encourage me to cook more but sadly that hasn't happened. How many ways can you cook courgettes and french beans?!
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