What have we learned?

[Marymary]

People often say they learn a lot from this site but I wonder what lessons we have learned from this season.  To start off I have learned:

as some wise person said last year 'it's often too early [to plant] but seldom too late' - been a very useful adage during this weird year.

That after losing my entire tomato crop to blight 2 years running it really does pay to grow resistant strains.

Pretty little white butterflies fluttering about the garden can actually wipe out all my brassicas - next year I will protect with netting.

[Marymary]

[Curryandchips]

There will always be failures, but some outstanding successes as well. Just remember to keep smiling :)

[Chris Graham]

I have learnt loads from everyone here.

So a big thank you to all    ;)

So what have i learnt.

1.  To remove all grass in your garden and plant veggies  ;)
2.  Like above, get netting.
3.  Get a greenhouse.
4.  Read up on how to plant veg.


;)

[Mrs Ava]

Patience!

[katynewbie]

 :-\

Still trying to learn that one EJ!!!

;)

[bellebouche]

....4.  Read up on how to plant veg.

I'm sure plenty of people have lots of fave recommendations for books but my most battered and oft-referred to book is the RHS Fruit and Vegetable Gardening book. It covers just about everything you need to know and is packed with invaluable information on... well... everything! I don't think it's ever left me wanting for an answer and it's great to sit and leaf through during idle non-gardening moments.

Perhaps my only criticism of the book would be it does have something of a conservative tone about it... I liken it to chatting to an assortment of old-boy alotmenteers! That said, I have learned to routinely ignore the plant spacing recommendations which I think are a little on the generous side.... my only minor grumble with it.

On the whole heartily recommend as the cornerstone of a library on fruit and veg gardening!
   
- Adrian

[caroline7758]

That courgettes and french beans, which I thought needed loads of water, don't!

I think  loat of us will be saving time and effort next year, having realised that you don't have to water every day.

[jennym]

To make my tomato support a bit more sturdy  :-[
Here's a pic to my shame - its the frame at the front of the pic, not the grid one which is for something different.
On the bright side suppose should be pleased that the toms were so weighty that they broke it  ;D

[Curryandchips]

Oh dear, that looks unfortunate, did you lose any crops as a result? Wind loading may have contributed of course.

[jennym]

No tomatoes lost. Think it was more a case of it just not being up to the job. :(

[Curryandchips]

Think it was more a case of it just not being up to the job. :(

I am a firm believer in wigwams, from a strength point of view. In Spain, I have noticed most smallholdings seem to grow tomatoes this way.

[RobinOfTheHood]

I hope I have learned to wait until my soil is ready, not rush to plant when other people on here say they have had their veg in x weeks.... ::) ::)

3 sowings of sweetcorn and the only one to do owt is the one that I thought I'd left too late.. :)

[triffid]

That those Sarpo spuds really do seem to live up to their publicitiy about being resistant to blight etc: still growing like triffids when all other varieties are getting ominously sad and raggedy!

That three inches of mulchy anything-that-comes-to-hand does wonders to keep the sun from baking the clay soil here to pottery, and so does planting stuff closer than the books say (a tip from travelling in Central America years ago and being shown milpa gardens (cross a jungle, an allotment and a cottage garden and you'll get the general idea   :D )

And that I need to get digging NOW or get caught out when the ground's too waterlogged and cold to do a thing with in the early months, like I did this year!  :-[

[bennettsleg]

to make pea supports much stronger.
to plant / sow more; buying baby cabbages for transplanting from the nursery isn't cheating, it's effective time management!
to get organised, create a time chart and pay attention to it.
don't fret the little stuff and weed where your food is, strim/poison/ignore the other areas.
plant closer together (as above, that's the RHS book for you! ;D)
scaffolding edges makes things look neater instantly.
plant perrenials.
don't let the OH cotton on to the fact that it's not a cheap hobby!

When arriving at the plot: water first, sow second (moist soil, see), hand weed third, other tending jobs fourth, structural organisation (including stone removal at 1 spit down) fifth, harvest sixth, leave feeling accomplished! ;D

[Alimo]

I have learned that there is no greater pleasure than going to the veggie patch and picking what we're going to eat.

Alison

[saddad]

Can't argue with that,
and that somethings will fail out of spite while others will exceed all expectations for no apparent reason,
to try something new every year...
8)

[prink13]

What have I Learned? Mmmmmmmmmmmm?
1) I don't need 15 courgette plants for a family of 2! ;D
2) I need to try mulching to keep weeds down  :-\
3) Ducks will only eat the plants that you don't want them to! >:(
4) I love gardening!  ;D
5) I love cooking !  ;D
6) I make great jams and chutneys!  8)
7) I should never have let my OH near the chainsaw - 20 weeks later my fingers are eventually healed!  :-\

[triffid]

That the world is still a beautiful place.



(On the allotment, at least.)

[Rosyred]

It all comes together in the end......

[Robert_Brenchley]

Tomatoes need extraordinary staking! I'm not sure i have a solution to that one yet. Chilis and aubergines need to be really warm in spring or they don't grow.