[tallulah]

I've had such a miserable showing of my modest kitchen garden crops that I'm starting afresh under cover.  The greenhouse is the only area which I can protect from slatting rain and winds, slugs and snails.  Although there is hardly any warmth in it, at least it is better than outdoors.  So have started afresh with crops in pots and tubs - some will be ok I'm sure.  Can't bear the thought of a whole summer and autumn without my homegrown lovelies!

Has anyone else started afresh?

[LilacSandy]

I have resigned myself to the fact that I will not be self sufficient in tomatoes or pepper this year, last year I managed to put down enough sauce for my pasta dishes for 10 months, this year I will be lucky to put down enough for 10 weeks.  I have put some tomatoes and peppers in my new small polly tunnel in the hope that I will have a reasonable crop. 

I will not have any sweet corn this year and only have had enough peas for 2 boilings, however I have had a bumper crop of Broad Beans.  Tons of onions (although I will probably need to freeze most as they have bolted).  Loads of garlic despite the rust.  Potatoes are non existent as I could not get enough ground ready to take them, and the ones I put in I do not like.

I am lucky that I have 2 10 pole plots so that I have a very large patch of strawberries, lots of gooseberry plants and loads of room for my carrots and beans, because the way they have germinated so patchily i would be struggling in a small area.

[Yorkie]

I'm going to have to have another go at dwarf beans and, if there's still time, kale.

Might start another lot of beetroot off (greed, not failure!) 

[LilacSandy]

Why is it that I can grow beetroot by the bushel but hate the stuff     I even have some coming up from last years seed as I have not sown any this year.

[AlaninCarlisle]

I've given up on carrots and turnips outside and re-sown them in the polytunnel. Too late to start afresh with spuds but 10 x 10 metre rows are a write-off

[Growster...]

You make an interesting point Talullah.

I found myself sneering at some failing broad beans over the weekend, and eventually realised they were getting slugged!

There was still some life in them actually, so I then spent an hour strightening them up and tying them in place, as there were still flowers on the stems, and finally dosed them with slug pellets.

At least a quarter of a crop is better than none, so like a lot of the other veg just sulking, they may just be wanting to do that and moan a bit, and a spot of sun next week may just be enough to tip the balance in your favour...

Hope so anyway!

[Fisherman]

Well lets be positive - least we haven't had to do any watering

In a small plot its best to be able to control conditions with some form of protection where possible such as plastic cloches for vulnerable crops or with mesh to prevent pest infestation. Mesh also provides some protection from poor weather mainly during cold and windy conditions. A combination of a cloche when early seed sowing followed by mesh protection for young plants works well as timing of their use can be managed dependent on the conditions.

However protecting runner beans under a cloche is a bit tricky

[LilacSandy]

I think this year it is mainly a plague of slugs and snails, they have eaten all my peppers down to the bare storks, I seem to empty the greenhouse out weekly on a snail hunt and they are back the next day, it is very disheartening when I have nursed them from my kitchen table since February.

[ilan]

Well  have dusted of the watering can all fired up  again and ready to go as summer is due to arrive . just sown 30 climming french beans to replace the devestated runners loads of peas to put where the potatoes were turnips in pots and of course salads as well now just need the promised summer to arrive 

[Madame Cholet]

i'm on my 3rd lot of climbing french beans each time 1/2 survive so i'm getting there if its warm in oct will be going great. Ive managed to pull 6 beetroot, more coming, to pickle and have some good ow onions a little garlic and spinach resown as bolting.

The cougettes finally look if they are going to flower and the squash too. 2 tomaoes coming, its a start.
The atricokes look like triffids ther'e bomb proof thank god for something ooh and the 150 leeks are doing well. ooh and some carrots and parsnips coming. and some russian kale and brussels and purple sprouting and oca and huauzontle
Not so bad for my first year once you write it down.

[Growster...]

i'm on my 3rd lot of climbing french beans each time 1/2 survive so i'm getting there if its warm in oct will be going great. Ive managed to pull 6 beetroot, more coming, to pickle and have some good ow onions a little garlic and spinach resown as bolting.

The cougettes finally look if they are going to flower and the squash too. 2 tomaoes coming, its a start.
The atricokes look like triffids ther'e bomb proof thank god for something ooh and the 150 leeks are doing well. ooh and some carrots and parsnips coming. and some russian kale and brussels and purple sprouting and oca and huauzontle
Not so bad for my first year once you write it down.

Nice post Rachel!

If we get a warm autumn, we'll (you'll) be quids in!