Topic: Why Do We Bother?

[pg]

My biggest success this year has to be Winter Lettuce! I started it off in the greenhouse in September last year for growing as over winter greenery. It did pretty good & was quite tasty.

I then spotted that two of the cut off stumps reshooted and they are stll going! Reckon I can keep it going until this September.

The seasons are so strange & erratic that I've decided not to stick to 'usual' sowing planting times anymore & just trying anything if it shows a couple of days of warmth. Whenever that is.

[martin godliman]

I actually turned the central heating on this morning....wasn't it the solstice....yesterday  ???

[Crystalmoon]

Having been very upset by the awful weather forcing me to face the reality that I need to give up my large allotment as soon as the fruit has been harvested (long story but have moved away & dont drive,arthritis, thefts from plot, etc) I am now feeling that fabulous excitement again as I have built raised beds in my tiny back garden & the soil has arrived today ;D I guess that't why we do it, that wonderful feeling of anticipation when we sow seeds etc. I know the chances of anything doing well in this crazy weather is slim but today at least I am filed with hope & enthusiasm. Such a relief as I had thought about giving up growing my own all together :o xJane 

[artichoke]

For the first time in my experience, slugs are eating potato leaves! And only Rocket! Charlottes and Desiree are unscathed. Even nettles are attacked.

Very disappointed that, in a bed that is basically a large compost bed, carefully nurtured but very slow growing squashes and courgettes have been rootled about in by some animal and only two out of 14 are surviving, and some of those were replacements. Badgers or foxes looking for worms?

Overwintering onions and shallots my best yet; broad beans very gappy, and a lot of plants I filled the gaps with have failed, but I have had some good  pickings. Peas have done well - several pickings there and am somehow managing to keep up the successional sowings in pots and gutters.

Considering how many beans I have started off, I haven't got the wall of mixed beans I imagines, but five small wigwams are reaching the tops of their poles, and others are on the way.

I have not had to buy lettuces and other salad leaves for 5 or 6 weeks.

I am discouraged but not terminally so, though this wind is shredding everything, especially the corn.

[RenishawPhil]

Have covered up some of our corn as it hates the wind

[the_snail]

The reason why I bother is I love my allotment and my allotment plot. This year has goto be the worst EVER!

My tomatoes are growing backwards, there has been a mass invassion/incursion of slugs and snail that just devistated my fathers peas, the plot has a natural pond on it that was not there a few days ago. Its cold, its wet, its horrible! But hey its Gardening :D and I love it :D

Theres still time to get some cool catch crops like lettuce, raddish, carrots, french beans, runner beans, chineese cabage ;) and loads more...

Why not sow some wallflowers for your garden :)

Lots to have a go at yet.

I have sort of lost faith in this year and looking more to next year by improving soil and doing a few other projects.

I have a saying :) There is always next year ;)

[Alex133]

This year has been a pain so far but I'm hoping the seasons have just shifted and October is going to be the new August in 2012.

[the_snail]

Alex you might be onto something there. Last October towards the end of the month I remember sitting outside till 12:30 am having a BBQ as it was really warm.

The only downside is deminishing light levels.

[Digeroo]

Went to have a look yesterday and there are ups and downs.

Doing very well
Peas, rhubarb, broadbeans, potatoes (until the blight strikes), courgettes, onions, currants, raspberries, herbs.

Hanging on
Sweet corn,brassica seedlings
   
Oh dear!!!
Strawberries, dwarf beans, and runner beans.

Still love it!!!

[caroline7758]

One positive about all the rain- it makes weeding easier. I think I'm going to try to clear the neglected patches that I've been putting off, then I'll have achieved something this year even if my veg are rubbish!

[artichoke]

"I have sort of lost faith in this year and looking more to next year by improving soil and doing a few other projects"

Good, cheering attitude, and my own. It is painful to give up on some of the ambitious plans one always has in the early spring, but taking catch crops and improving the soil and general design are perfectly good substitutes really.

[strawberry1]

Thinking back to when I was growing veg in our back garden, when times were very hard, we had 3 children and there was recession after recession. I never grew the likes of squash, chillis, peppers. That was when sweetcorn was exotic. I grew veg that I knew would survive, the basics. Perhaps we have gone too far into the unusual, we had bad years then too but there was always something in the garden

[oldpot]

i feel your pain people  but in opposite ways been too dry and hot here in Michigan and hard to water  every day and i lost a few things due to hot weather hope the weather get better for you all i know i lived there 42 years and uk weather can be bad :)

[Crystalmoon]

 :-\  oh dear heavy rain is back in Kent again for at least a week. Yesterday I shifted soil into 3 raised beds & sowed loads of seeds (it was a lovely sunny day), I felt very enthusiastic about my new venture of a mini plot in my back garden......today I fear the intensity of the rain will have pushed the seeds so low that they will never germinate  ::) but al least the beds aren't looking water logged like the grass etc. This year has truly been awful!!!!

Think I will sow more of the same seeds indoors in pots so I will have plants to fill the gaps etc. Ho Hum... xJane

[Froglegs]

Because it's far from the madding crowd.

[worldor]

The reason my plot and garden as looking so sad is because my son was diagnosed with a terminal illness and I have lost the joy of growing for now. I am holding on to the plot and hoping for sunnier skies. I am not foolish enough to think that there aren't some broken hearts out there amongst you all but if all is well count your blessings. Things can always improve with the weather.

[Crystalmoon]

Worldor as I mother of three sons I can only begin to imagine the horror of what you are going through, my heart goes out to you & your son x Jane

[caroline7758]

I was going to have a moan about my dispiriting trip to my plot this afternoon, but having read your post, worldor, you've put it all in perspective. I too am a mum of three and was just thinking how much I'm looking forward to my youngest coming home for the summer next weekend. I will definitely count my blessings and I send you and your family my love xx.

[Ninnyscrops.]

Because it's far from the madding crowd.

Love that quote  :)

Ninnys

[betula]

The reason my plot and garden as looking so sad is because my son was diagnosed with a terminal illness and I have lost the joy of growing for now. I am holding on to the plot and hoping for sunnier skies. I am not foolish enough to think that there aren't some broken hearts out there amongst you all but if all is well count your blessings. Things can always improve with the weather.

So sad for you. x