[JayG]

I have no greenhouse, so for several years have been trying to grow tomatoes outdoors. I have either had lots of green tomatoes (summer ran out!) or more often next to nothing (blight).

This year I tried Red Alert in a deep growbag in an all-glass cold frame raised off the ground on breeze blocks. They are a bush type so no pinching out was done which meant a lot of tying up to stop the stems breaking under the weight of fruit. Watering and the usual feeding was done via upturned plastic bottles (minus bottoms) to avoid wetting the leaves, and I went to great lengths to separate the stems and trusses to avoid creating a blight-friendly humid microclimate. Result; no blight (although I know luck plays a part as well)

I have so far picked 9 lbs off just the 2 plants (see pic); and I estimate there is about another 4 lbs left to harvest. Happy man! 

[scabs]

As a first-year newbie, simply harvesting so many goodies on so little knowledge has been my achievement.

Thanks to everyone on here for their advice!

Next year, my greatest achievement will be to keep all the pests of my grub! 

Probably.

[Sideways]

Broad Beans. Why?

When I got the plot last Oct it was my first attempt at working an allotment. I got to work clearing and building my first beds. I planted three rows of broad beans to grow over winter (a hardy variety).

This generated a few raised eyebrows from the other, more established plot holders.

Not only did nearly all of the plants survive and grow to an impressive size, I was the only one picking beans for a good month before others were able to pick theirs this summer.

Several of the plot members have remarked about following my lead and planting their own in October.

See, you can teach an old dog new tricks.*




*Or maybe it was beginners luck!!!

[Pompey Spud]

2nd year of growing.

Did a pumpkin patch for the first time and had great success with Turbans, Pumkins and BNS.

Largest pumpkin was 78lbs. The smallest, 20lb.

[NASH]

My massive Swede.

[MOLUSC]

Winning allotment plot of the year 2009........even though i have only had the plot a year and its my first attempt at growing anything .
I put it all down to advise from this forum tho.

[lottienewbie]

Hiya,
Being our first allotment year we have had a blast growing our own, but the highlights so far have been the new potatoes we loved the maris bard, and we grew kestrel which were not quite as good but still better that the stuff you get in the shops, the raspberries just keep on coming too .
but most of all many thanks so far for all the help we have had from the kind people on this site.

regards Neil + family

p.s we got 2nd place in the best kept  lottie, not bad out of 170 plots, bring on next year as 1st place is with in our sights lol

[veggirl]

Clearing most of a 21' x 134' allotment during the year. Managing to get crops when I didn't get it 'til late April, and having SO MUCH FUN!

[aelf]

building my greenhouse - 10ft x 16ft. And in it i grew 15 Kilo tomatoes and have loads of different peppers and chillis ripening as we speak. Very happy!! 

[sclarke624]

This year I tried Red Alert in a deep growbag in an all-glass cold frame raised off the ground on breeze blocks.
I have so far picked 9 lbs off just the 2 plants (see pic); and I estimate there is about another 4 lbs left to harvest. Happy man!  

I tried red alert Toms for the first time this year, they are great aren't they, start fruiting and ready to pick earlier than most of the othersl. Good taste as well.  Defo on my forever list.

[DD.]

Growing decent caulis other than over-winter ones.

[bigginge]

Going from this



to this



and this


in 6 months, with a bit of help from family and friends. We've had lots of courgettes, salad stuff, beetroot, sweetcorn, potatoes and onions, just starting to pick runner beans and sprouts. We love the peace and quiet of the allotment, and the friendly, helpful people we've met. I often pop down for lunch (it's a 10 minute walk away) and my wife and I go down for a picnic in the evenings sometimes.

[corynsboy]

I have to cast my mind back to spring and my PSB.  I had a forest of the stuff and the world was a happy place.

See blog entry below.

http://growingyourownveg.blogspot.com/2009/03/purple-sprouting-majestey.html

My Dad's greatest achievement (I share one and one half plots with my parents) would be building the green house.  It's brilliant.

http://growingyourownveg.blogspot.com/search/label/Greenhouse

[Yabba]

My biggest achievement has been filling the (huge) space I had to play with this year .... not always successfully, but I'm chuffed all the same

Roll on next year

¥

[JimS]

As a first year newbie as well, I have to say that it was growing our first potatoes.

I ended up with a sack full of Arran Pilot as well as a half a sack of Pink Fur.

And who can resist homegrown Beetroot? aah Delish 

Also did pretty well in the Onion and Shallot department, only was, I didn't grow enough of them. Will do lots more next year.

Oh, and Runner Beans. I planted from seed and we have had them coming out of our ears 

All in all, not too bad for a first year methinks... Roll on next year