[al78]

It seems my hard work during spring lockdown and frequent watering during the ongoing arid spell is paying off now we are in high summer. Could barely get this lot back home on my bike last weekend. The lack of rain has resulted in very little slug damage, so the brassicas in particular have had a chance to grow and mature without being badly munched. I'm surprised at how big the cabbages have grown.

[Nobbie]

Some great carrots there, my cabbages have done well too. My Hispi are twice the normal size.

[mumofstig]

Good to hear of people having a good year
For all the reasons given on the other thread about this year, https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=132957.msg1537427#msg1537427 - this has not been a good year for me, and most of the plot holders on our site.
The plots are on an upward slope over greensand subsoil, and no matter how much you watered it just hasn't been enough, after a dry Spring - unless you are at the bottom of the slope (sadly my plot is at the top  )

[al78]

Good to hear of people having a good year
For all the reasons given on the other thread about this year, https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=132957.msg1537427#msg1537427 - this has not been a good year for me, and most of the plot holders on our site.
The plots are on an upward slope over greensand subsoil, and no matter how much you watered it just hasn't been enough, after a dry Spring - unless you are at the bottom of the slope (sadly my plot is at the top  )

I can appreciate that. After the incredibly wet February south east England has virtually become semi-arid. I have never known it this dry for this long. Even the July rain was mostly nuisance drizzle. I was out for 45 minutes watering my plot late yesterday evening. I am on clay soil so it does hold water well but even so, when we had one day when it rained for hours last month, the soil was bone dry below an inch. If you are cultivating on a soil which is fast draining and doesn't hold water well I don't know how you can ever keep crops watered enough with the ridiculous extreme locked in dry weather we've had for the last five months. Those up north will wonder what we are complaining about, NW England has had a cool cloudy wet summer so far.

[Plot 1 Problems]

I'm reaping the benefits of heavily mulching my beds, I've only watered once or twice this summer, despite the general lack of rain. If I dip a finger into the soil it's damp just a centremetre or two always.

[wolveryeti]

Great harvest!

My brassicas have also done well. Likewise squashes.

Same can't be said for peas/tomatos - ravaged by pigeons and late blight, respectively 

Still waiting to see on root veg