Notes for next year - in case I forget!

[manicscousers]

don't let Ray mulch up over all my labels, got all the beans mixed up  ;D

[manicscousers]

[carbonel11]

An addendum :
don't put all seedlings in fly away argos green house unless really really really really well secured first  ;D

[carbonel11]

PPS.

Don't ever get complacent about slug protection  ;)
and Never Ever turn your back on the caulis or they will flower !!!!!  ;D

[oakmore2]

Next year I'll be trying to remember:
Plant little and often - have had cabbages, caulis and PSB all ready at once - and there's only so much cauli I can eat before feeling very fed up with it!
Resist the urge to 'just squeeze' one more squash in - remember how big they get, and this year haven't been able to pick the runners very easily due to tryphid-like squashes.
Give up on outdoor toms - fed up of blight.
Plant more broad beans - never seem to be enough.
Water more.
Weed more.
Make fewer 'veggie chillis' (made from everything that needs eating) as have yet to make one which tastes any good - maybe better to give more veg away!
Get a freezer.
Get the asparagus in - can't waste another year.

:D
xx

[Tee Gee]

I enjoyed reading all your do's & don'ts and never agains  ;D

I have been keeping a diary since 1986 so I learned a long time ago, a lot of the lessons some of you have just been finding .

My first rule is; When I have finished a season and I am about to re-order seeds for next season I get all my part packets of seeds together and pass judgement on each variety

e.g. will I grow that one again/won't grow that one again? throwing away the part packets of the 'won'ts'

Then I go through the catalogues ONCE........ to do it more than once, invariably results in me buying stuff I don't really want!....so that my second rule!

Rule three ....... I order early ( usually cheaper)......I completed my order for seeds/compost & fertilisers this morning so that's one job out of the way.

I am taking delivery of my load of farmyard manure this week so I will get that dug in before the end of next month...so that will be another job out of the way!!

Then I forget all about my allotment (apart from harvesting) till next April/May time.

I usually start up a few things in January in my greenhouse at home but don't really get stuck into sowing etc till well into March.

and thats that!!..........another season over!

[jonny211]

One from me.... net all leeks before september before th **&&&*(&&*^^%^% leek moth gets them again.

[shirlton]

Sow just a few cabbage. Lettuce, courgettes, beans,tomatoes. ( Think i'm feeding an army) Sow sweet peas naturally instead of faffing around with the cordons. Don't worry too much about the birds on the soft fruit as there is enoug for us all. Grow more winter squash. Make more time just to sit and look.

[GRACELAND]

( Think i'm feeding an army)

Thats Allotments for ya   ;D

[RobinOfTheHood]

Grow lots more marrows.

To feed chickens.  ;)

[1066]

Make more time just to sit and look.

I think this is my fave comment  :) And as the plan, over winter is to build a seat with a frame around it for the vine to grow over, I'll definitely be trying to do more sitting next year  ;D  ;D

[Squash64]

Spend less time talking and more time working.........

[Flighty]

Just to carry on plotting, pottering and pondering! 

[saddad]

I think this is my fave comment   And as the plan, over winter is to build a seat with a frame around it for the vine to grow over, I'll definitely be trying to do more sitting next year   

We have one of those!!  :)

[1066]

Lucky you Saddad! Must say I'm looking forward to it  :D

[shirlton]

I have planted willow shoots either side of my old bench. Hoping it will grow over the top as a canopy.

[small]

I put an old garden bench outside my greenhouse, to sit and contemplate the veg plot.....it's made a lovely extra bench for seedlings, courgettes on the way  back to the house, place to put my secateurs.....I've never sat on it yet!

[puffinboy]

what a great thread...

here are my thoughts;

1 courgette plant - possibly in a container - any more is madness!
chard - for the 1st time - colourful, easy and tasty (so I'm told)
cavolo nero - again 1st time - looks fabulous - possible caterpillar attractant (?)
autumn onions are in and doing well
tomatos, chillis etc - not going to bother in garden but will try on window sill @ work
aubergine - worth a try on windows sill

going to blog it for a year - thanks tom

http://watchingtheveg.wordpress.com/

[manicscousers]

Hi, puffinboy, welcome to a4a  ;D
make sure Ray doesn't mulch up over my labels, couldn't remember which beans were which, or squash , going to use prebiotic pots written on with permanent marker on top of canes, see him cover them  ;D

[w00dy]

Same as most for me, plant in succession, going to get a cheap dairy from quidland and plan my plantings ( subject to weather )
Leave more room for easy hoeing between my onions this year.
Try outdoor tomatoes (seems a lot are doing the opposite)
Try Butternut squash
Spend more time looking at my plants for signs of disease  / pests so i can get in there early.
Enter more in the show than i did last year.

[1066]

Hi Puffinboy and welcome to A4A  :)

re the cavelo nero - I netted mine (not very well it must be said!) and it doesn't seem to have been munched on too much, the catepillars seem to prefer my purple sprouting broccoli  ;)