Well this year so far has been a disaster! Onions look like they have been walked over, and the weeds have been a real pain. I have had my allotment for over 8 years now and apart from a year or two when it got a bit much this has been the most worst year so far for my onions, and other crops. I hope and think there is still time to get something from the plot. My question is can I still plant some motheaten slug nibbled cabbage and sprout plants that have been in the coldframe now for lets say 2 months :(
Also is there still time to plant some nice tall sweetcorn plants I have in cell trays :) also runner bean seeds? Is it still tolate to sow them outdoors? Will I get a crop off them or is it to late?
Sorry about all the questions but I have never have such a strange and perthetic gardening year so far for my allotment. The best crop so far is my caugettes. Even the spuds are pathetic ::)
I hope this post also helps other people who have had the same problem as me.
Tip NEVER GIVE UP!!!
Hi...I think I would go for It,with the Cabs/Sprouts at least.Brassicas are hardy enough to withstand early frosts,sadly tho not so with runner beans.We could be getting close to frosts b4 they start to crop.Don't know much about S/corn,don't grow it myself,tho I am sure someone will help.
Lotsa peeps have had some disaster or other this year,mainly due to the prolonged dry spell,name of the game fraid.Good luck for next year tho. Alan
My big problem is the hard dry ground. Things are really struggling to germinate!
I am still growing brassicas from seed in pots in a shady spot in the garden and planting them at the allotment when they have a couple of true leaves. Have kale and yellow chard to go in on Monday.
I planted runner bean seeds this Monday, and a couple are already through....just hope I can provide them with some water! You might not get a glut havest, but there is no reason why you won't get beans.
Same with the corn. If you already have it growing, then get it on the plot. Some people on our site have corn already in flower with cobs, whilst others are still only small and growing.
I always have the same experience; some people have corn in flower at this point, mine are always miserable little things. I need to change my methods!
I was wondering the same thing. I saw brassicas plants offered for planting in September in a vegetable gardening magazine this month. Does this mean it still okay to sow seeds now to transplant in September? Hoping it's okay as I've not had much luck so far.
Lilly
Hi, only got our allotment in working order during the past fortnight!
We planted out s/corn that were only 6-8 inches high (grown at home in newspaper pots), they now look healthy, and are beginning to grow well.
In between I put french beans and nasturtiums, and two wigwams of runner beans in the middle, then marrows and butternuts around the edges of the block.
Although I am in the south, and therefore have milder weather than many, I have gone for the nothing ventured nothing gained approach!!
Cabbages and 'head backs' are still 3" high in pots!
Have a great neighbour, he shares his veg with me and when his is over I will share with him. What a team ;D
Quote from: flowerlady on July 24, 2005, 13:32:51
I have gone for the nothing ventured nothing gained approach!!
Me too, I sowed some sweetcorn a couple of weeks ago, just after our last decent rainfall, and with some water every couple of days, they are growing strongly, and probably doing better than the small plants planted out at the same time.
Sowed more beans yesterday, and will probably sow some in a couple of weeks too.
Something has eaten a lot of my brassicas, so I did a trial sowing of brussels and purple sprouting yesterday.
Hoping everything takes off after all this rain today :)
Had a bit battle with a very persistant Cabbage White yesterday - needless to say I lost!! >:(
Now have lots of tiny yellowish eggs on the undersides of all my cabbages & purple sprouting! :(
Remove the leaves with eggs on quick, before they hatch.
Ive been squishing em on the leaf, should I not do that ???
Roy, That sounds better to me than removing the whole leaf. Sounds a bit drastic. Like amputating a leg because you've got a splinter!!
I've got some many sprout plants which I've been meaning to plant for more than a month but I'm going to plant them. Waste not etc ... :)
Thanks for the replies
It sounds as though I am not the only person who has had a bad year this year. It started out bad for me with all the wet cold frosty weather then it was the complete oposite. Dry hot weather. I am going to concentrate on putting some khol Rabi in and some french beans in the greenhouse with the tomatoes so if we do have a early frost the greenhouse should protect them a little so I can get a sort of a crop. Like the gentleman said above I think it is a case of saying better luck next year. I will concentrate on improving my siol over the winter and autumn ready for a good EARLY start next year I hope :)