[aelf]

Growing is a game we play with Mother nature. Sometimes she lets us win, sometimes she doesn't, usually she allows a mix of successes and failures but Mother Nature is always in charge of the rules Next year will be different, good or bad, I don't know but it will be different  

As Grannie suggests, we have to adapt. It is annoying when some crops fail and we can complain about it (I often do   ) but that's life and part of the joy of being a gardener is that we always have next time to try again.

[upthetump]

onwards and upwards my friends

its gonna get better

I agree (cant get any worse !) crossing fingers I am hoping September  might be better change of seasons and all that. I think the spiders think its autumn keep finding them in doors 

i think my body clock is the same, we had sausage casserole last night and had central heating on. at least in my little polytunnel my tomatos are ok  

[Aunt Sally]

If you were in my shoes I think you would take a more realistic look.

That's the problem me dear - you need wellies in this weather 

[andyf75]

I know it could all change next year, but as we've had a few wet summers now, I'm going to assume the worst case scenario that our summers are not what they used to be.

Personally I'm intending to get a big greenhouse or polytunnel for next year and grow all warmth loving stuff in there. I don't see the point in trying to grow sweetcorn, peppers, chillies, french beans etc outside any more in this climate, its just too depressing!

[Goosegirl]

It might be easier and less stressful for you to pack it in

DON'T YOU DARE DO THAT!! I know full well the heartache of losing crops to whatever in the past, and this year has been particularly strange weather-wise too, which hasn't helped at all. It has helped me seeing everyone on here in the same position and knowing that if we get anything to harvest, we are lucky - some may have nothing at all. Just be philosophical and write this year off, but use the experience to arm you for next year. You haven't forgotten the joy of sowing, potting-on and planting even though it may have come to naught? If you give up, you will lose that joy. You need a great big hug! From Goosegirl to Hubballi - here it comes!  :happy:

[Auntiemogs]

And from Auntiemogs too ((((((((hugs)))))))). 

[hubballi]

Thanks  :happy:

It's nice when some here encourage instead of telling you to get your coat and pack it in(even though ironically we need coats in this weather)

[Yorkie]

Thanks  :happy:

It's nice when some here encourage instead of telling you to get your coat and pack it in(even though ironically we need coats in this weather)

Well, you do often say that you think you might be better off packing it in - sooner or later someone is bound to take you seriously!

[shokkyy]

How can you be surprised that we amateurs are having problems with crops this year? Large parts of the farming community have already given up on field crops this year, even straw and hay. They can't even drive a tractor on the ground while it's as wet as this, never mind bring in a harvest, and a lot of their crops have just rotted in the fields.

[mickbrov]

after 3 years of trying ive grown 3 onoins out of 300 ,two small carrots out of 200, no tomatos out of 50 plants ,not one chilli in 3 years ,i did however grow peas de provance pretty well and have had a few meals with them ,this year .so i bought j harrisons book and now ive clicked on where im going wrong.
i also bought a soil tester and tested all my soil ,result its all got a ph of 2 .and thats mainly raised beds with compost and manure in .should i buy some topsoil and renew the beds ,because the have quite a bit of manure in , im not giving in  roll on next year.

[Plottered]

This is my 1st year with a proper allotment and its only a third complete as in building raised beds and planning layout etc. I dug 12 holes for fence posts on a nice dry day last week and not been able to do anything since as theyre now full of water. Tried bailing one out and 5 mins later it was full again  I reckon the only way now is to give serious thought to investment in a poly tunnel ...at least then we can guarantee dry conditions and control the watering.

[mickbrov]

also ive tried growing potatos in massive pots and they all got blight ,so bye bye spuds,its costing me so much to try and grow things i can buy for pennys ,but i wont be beaten
.ive also got a plastic walk in greenhouse but i cant regulate the tempreture ,so plants are up one day and down the next ,frustrating

[Yorkie]

after 3 years of trying ive grown 3 onoins out of 300 ,two small carrots out of 200, no tomatos out of 50 plants ,not one chilli in 3 years ,i did however grow peas de provance pretty well and have had a few meals with them ,this year .so i bought j harrisons book and now ive clicked on where im going wrong.
i also bought a soil tester and tested all my soil ,result its all got a ph of 2 .and thats mainly raised beds with compost and manure in .should i buy some topsoil and renew the beds ,because the have quite a bit of manure in , im not giving in  roll on next year.

Adding / renewing with topsoil will definitely help (so long as the topsoil is of good quality  ).  In the short term you can also use lime to help make the soil less acidic.

Did you use a test tube or metal probe soil tester?  The metal probes are less reliable than the test tube ones.  For the TT ones to be most reliable, you should take small samples from quite a few " down into a number of test holes, mix them up, and then test the mixed sample.

[Yorkie]

also ive tried growing potatos in massive pots and they all got blight ,so bye bye spuds,its costing me so much to try and grow things i can buy for pennys ,but i wont be beaten
.ive also got a plastic walk in greenhouse but i cant regulate the tempreture ,so plants are up one day and down the next ,frustrating

Oh dear 

[LilacSandy]

Is is just that the gulf stream is stuck at the moment making our weather weird.  Last year I grew a great set of muscles draging water up and down the lotty and some days it was too hot to work. 

I am sitting in work at the moment and it sound like thunder on the roof but it is torential rain, everyone has rushed to the window to look at it.  Global warming !!  Global drowning I think.  Where is Noah when you need him. 

We are gardeners, but we also need the Buldog spirit.