Author Topic: what would you do differently next year? (Read 9105 times)

vee · « **Reply #40 on:** December 08, 2005, 17:38:05 »

I'm just really grateful if anything grows ;D

Derekthefox · « **Reply #41 on:** December 08, 2005, 18:08:52 »

We always tend to remember the successes fortunately, the years when we couldn;t move for beans, or carrots, onions, potatoes, or giving courgettes to anyone that knocked the door ...

Derekthefox :D

the_snail · « **Reply #42 on:** December 08, 2005, 23:56:11 »

Ok here goes.

1) Do MORE Hoeing in the summer on dry days.

2) Must build a compost toilet for myself.

3) Do more diging.

4) Plant more sprouts and onions because I love eating them.

5) Plant some flowers on my plot to make it look more colourfull and add a bit of cheer to the site.

6) Attempt to grow some unusual stuff like melons and things that I have never grown before like outdoor cucumbers and pumpkins, leeks, onions from seed, red cabbage for pickling, cauliflours for pickling and eating.

8) Net my barssicas more to protect against pigeons and cabage white butterflies.

9) O yes grow more onions ;D

The_Snail

BAGGY · « **Reply #43 on:** December 09, 2005, 00:05:27 »

Swap squash seeds. 30 fruits of the same variety is just too greedy.
Try to start a seed swap on my site (not likely as the sec is an old fart)
Conquer peas - yes I WILL do it
Ditto aubergines (I will be calling on Tim for this one)
Do smaller amounts of more things.
More staples - carrot & nunions
Find another 2 days each weekend somehow they are never long enough.

mitzzy · « **Reply #44 on:** December 09, 2005, 09:48:13 »

i will grow more onions

Be more organised

Don't take 2 weeks off in June and come back to find how well the weeds grew !

get the whole plot sorted out in to proper beds so it's back to woodwork for me

Mags

lancelotment · « **Reply #45 on:** December 09, 2005, 16:07:12 »

New Year for me means new lottie!! We moved (again!!!) in the summer and the Parish have just given me a new plot, bless 'em. Having seen it, I think I know where all the stuff that disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle went. I've a week off after New Year and the brushwood cutter is booked. The plot is almost devoid of all usefull vegetation with the exception of a single comfrey plant amid the docs and couch. I can't wait!! Lance

moonbells · « **Reply #46 on:** December 14, 2005, 16:01:32 »

Differently... hmmm...
I will remember that strange thing called succession.

I will not plant lettuces in the cabbages as they smother them when they bolt!

(Oh yes, don't let the lettuces bolt)

Plant more red cabbages

Try for the 5th year running to get sprouting wretched blasted thrice dratted broccoli to grow!

Um... sow more parsnips

Reminds me. Another thread about to start in the shed on taste.

moonbells

flowerlady · « **Reply #47 on:** December 14, 2005, 18:40:32 »

My to do differently list for next year:

1) have already bought 5 year planner, for family to give me for Christmas ;)

2) buy LOTS of netting for my fruit & brassicas

3) don't plant anything without a 'companion' plant - cos it really works! ;D

4) buy some cloches to extend my salad season ;)

5) dig up my fennel earlier!! they got frosted :-[

6) give up on carrots!! this year two varieties were blitzed by fly and rock :'(

7) EJ only one thing better than a nice young man - that's TWO nice young men. ;D ;D ;D

AikenDrum · « **Reply #48 on:** December 14, 2005, 18:57:11 »

well, I fit one of those qualifications ;D

BAGGY · « **Reply #49 on:** December 14, 2005, 20:59:57 »

Why A. D are you a carrot ? ;D

Derekthefox · « **Reply #50 on:** December 15, 2005, 09:23:09 »

Or he needs his fruit and brassicas netting?

Derekthefox ;D

moonbells · « **Reply #51 on:** December 15, 2005, 11:25:29 »

Quote from: flowerlady on December 14, 2005, 18:40:32

My to do differently list for next year:

6) give up on carrots!! this year two varieties were blitzed by fly and rock :'(

Don't give up!
Create a narrow trench with a thin trowel, about 6" deep. Fill it with fine-textured compost (bought or sieved home-made). Water it to settle. Top up and water again. Sow carrots thinly on top and sprinkle more compost on top to just cover them.

Cover the whole row with either old net curtain (not with fancy lacy bits - plain fine-weave net) or enviromesh, supported by hoops of wire or hosepipe. Weight down or pin with wire pegs at edges.

Leave to grow, watering in dry spells especially when they're young. Then start pulling whoppers a few months later! You'll get a few forky ones but most will be nice and straight and carrot fly-free.

Alternately, dig out a hole 6" deep and as big as you have net and compost for, and just empty a sack of compost into it, water and scatter seed thinly all over it. Put hoops or canes at each corner (old plastic bottles over canes) and again cover with fine netting and peg.

I've had lovely crops the past two years with this technique after years of failing miserably, and the best bit is that at the end of the season you dig in the compost to the surrounding soil and you've done your organic matter adding for that bed for the next year!

moonbells

Derekthefox · « **Reply #52 on:** December 15, 2005, 12:56:46 »

Grow your carrots in with your onions, I always do this and have had a phenomenal year, despite having a soil with more stones than concrete ...

Derekthefox :D

flowerlady · « **Reply #53 on:** December 15, 2005, 15:00:08 »

Thank you all for the encouragement.

And I shall persevere with my carrots, (even my fruit and brassicas Derek!) ;D

Derekthefox · « **Reply #54 on:** December 15, 2005, 18:22:37 »

Glad to feel I am helping, I struggled with carrots to start with too, perhaps it was just varieties with me.

Derekthefox :D

aquilegia · « **Reply #55 on:** December 16, 2005, 15:50:26 »

1. Pick strawbs more regularly before the slugs get them

2. Keep more plants in reserve in case the slugs get them (and sell any spares to give money to charity)

3. grow more annual herbs (I cannot have too much basil and parsley!)

4. like Adam, don't be stingy on the compost and pot things up more.

5. build shelving to go on windowsill to create double decker effect for seedlings

6. sow successionally. One sowing of rocket and radishes will not last the whole season!

7. increase the slug defences

8. get a new bench

9. make more compost (is that possible?) and get more manure

10. find more time to enjoy the garden

11. convince Mr Aqui we NEED an allotment!

redimp · « **Reply #56 on:** December 16, 2005, 19:17:04 »

There is so much that I am going to do better next year that it has taken ages to get round to posting in this thread. Will try to prioritise.
1. Keep on top of the weeding.
2. Raise more money so I can invest in all the things that I need that I do not already have eg. black plastic, shed, water butts, more composters etc.
3. Grow Kale and more winter crops so I have less of a hungry gap.
4. Sow my leeks in the ground rather than modules so I have more.

PS I have found that checking growth by not planting up immediately has given good results with some veg like cabbage but will keep a better eye on others.

AndrewP · « **Reply #57 on:** December 16, 2005, 20:12:41 »

I think next year I am going to relax and enjoy my allotment and then it should all click into place.

Andrew :D

Derekthefox · « **Reply #58 on:** December 16, 2005, 20:15:30 »

Aha, perhaps that is where I am going wrong then ... ;D

Derekthefox :D

wardy · « **Reply #59 on:** December 16, 2005, 21:49:14 »

Yes, just relax and enjoy your lotties. You're lucky to have one so savour each moment :)

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Author Topic: what would you do differently next year? (Read 9105 times)