Doom and Gloom
If you have been wondering why I haven't posted for a long time at what should be the busiest and most enjoyable season of the growing cycle, it is because of sights like this poor cauliflower which have left me considerably downhearted ....
This cauliflower went from promising beauty into rotten mess in just eight days, I had a rotton cold and didn't visit the plot for a week and when I returned I was gutted.Nothing appears to be growing - apart from weeds, if things are growing they are stunted - like these cucumbers which have been in the ground for seven weeks and have put on one paltry leaf - I have checked and they are supposed to be an outdoor variety !!
The potatoes are suffering so all the ones that look yellowy and sorry for themselves have been dug up and are being dried out in my kitchen.
This a full length shot of the plot - even my beans cannot cope with this silly weather we have been enduring - and after I went to all that trouble creating a wig-wam for them to grow up - they haven't even manged to get two foot high.
I am really disappointed with the lack of success - but I feel that a lot of it can be attributed to the weather and I will certainly not let it stop me trying harder next season.
I have decided to write this year off and begin planning now for next year, soil preparation and improvement, weed control and removal, and above all regular attendance should see me in good stead.
Oh well its all part of the fun we call lotty-ing and I did get some absolutely stunning strawberries !!!!
posted by welsh girls allotment @ 7:57 pm
15 Comments:
I sympathise! just remember we bloggers do not always take photos of our failures and post them on our blogs! My onions are overgrown and the size of conkers, and my beetroots have some sort of virus. There will always be failures. Try more horse manure next year!
Matron - to be honest there is little else to report on apart from failure hence the lack of posts, I am going to be brave and go to the plot tommorow with sandwiches and a flask and spend a good few hours weeding and rescuing !!!
Well, it has been an extreme year, but it's a bit too early to write off the season completely. There are still plenty of things that can still be sown - radish, lettuce, salads, baby carrots etc., and also still time for sowings of French climbing beans to give a harvest if the autumn is mild.
Plus there are late cropping potatoes that don't even go in for another month (see http://fothergills.co.uk/en/plant-bulb-potatoes.aspx for some varieties) and spring cabbages can be sown now for harvesting next year.
Even though it's high summer (sort of) autumn is just around the corner in gardening terms so it's as well to plan for autumn plantings of garlic and sowings of broad beans that can be harvested next year, along with planting fruit trees - how about some step-over or cordon apples? Check out http://www.kenmuir.co.uk/shopFrame.htm for what's available.
And if you really do want the throw the towel in until next year, at least sow some green manure first: http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_51
Let's hope August brings some sensible weather!
Hello Anon ! I sowed some beetroot, carrots, radish and lettuce about three weeks ago and they still haven't deigned to show themselves, but I am seriously looking into green manure for overwintering, I am off to the plot tomorrow and shall work hard all day trying to pull things back into shape !!
I'm sorry to see that your vegetables haven't done too well. I can completely sympathise because my veg patch was flooded for a week in the recent Yorkshire floods and when the water subsided most of my vegetables had died.
You seem to have a positive attitude and a renewed vigour for next seasons growing. Good for you.
Sara from farmingfriends
Keep at it. The weather has been bad for anyone in agriculture. But be encouraged you are making a difference. The world needs you.
I am sorry things are not doing so good for you. Mind are not growing much either not dead just stunted I am hoping if some warm weather comes the allotment will come more alive. I am still planning on doing a few more things still. Tricia
It's definitely the weather. Don't feel bad! Everyone is suffering this year. I've had many, many disasters. And I think there are more to come!
If you've got any successes at all, however tiny, please enter them for my ASBO award 2007. I'm trying to find the funny side of all this tragedy...
Apols, Welsh Girl: have tagged you for 7 random facts if you can bear to do it:
http://www.soilman.uk.com/soilmans_allotment_blog/2007/07/7-random-facts.html
Yep, I'm with you there, pretty much given up for the year - a total harvest of 3 pods of peas was about the last straw ;>( Oh for beans above 6 inches tall... Oh well as you say, there's always next year.
I join in with sympathy and hope you'll continue to try, everybody has sucesses and failures and gardening in itself is good for you.
Stop thinking that the glass is half empty and think it's half full.
Go back to your September 06 postings and look at the brambles you had to cope with.
Now look at what you have had since then, Strawberries, cabbages, potatoes, onions, peas and broad beans.
Yet to come are your carrots, leeks, tomatoes, red sprouts, cabbages and onions not to mention a beautiful display of dahlias.
So what's a few weeds and 16" rain fall - It's a British summer after all!!
Keep at it girl your doing great from the Genie
Yep, a miserable, miserable year. I still haven't been able to get up to my newly acquired allotment and I imagine the brambles are even bigger now.
Still let's persevere and see what next year brings.
All the Best, Shirl
just discovered this great blog. V useful for newbie like me, just starting another one in cardiff. Keep it up!
Hi,I liked reading your blog.Don't be discouraged by failures ,keep at it.I am in Australia but had the same problems in my first three years of vegetable gardening.I learned these things and now have a great garden.My soil looked good but obviously was not.I mulched with alf alfa Hay or lucern Hay and discovered my first worms in the garden soon after.I now use lots of manure and compost as well as lucern mulch in the summer..Buy a three pronged old fashioned hand cultivator, they are surprisingly good for easy weed removal and firm your seeds in to the soil with a good pat or step gently on them, this improves germination by helping them contact tightly with the soil. Happy gardening ...jane
Post a Comment
<< Home