Been a decent year here but I’ve failed yet again with aubergines. 3 plants and only 2 aubergines still not 100% ripe! I would have thought our climate is quite similar to yours here in NE Scotland - a little dried perhaps - but as I grow them in a wee tunnel I wouldn’t have thought it should make any difference.
I’ve had lovely beefsteaks for the first time this year - a Russian heritage variety which taste amazing!
I dont have an allotment (too much like hard work and none available near me!) but do utilise my garden to grow soft fruit and veg, unlike my lazy neighbours who have no interest in growing anything to eat. I'd agree that this year has been fantastic for good home grown harvests. When I moved home about 10 years ago I planted 2 apple trees. One in particular produces enough apples most year to supply a small supermarket. I also get abundant soft fruit especially blueberries. I have several mature plants now, in pots and freeze surpluses such that I have them available 365 days per year. In the greenhouse, this year, I grew melons for the first time, in grow bags and they did well considering I just left them to it. Peppers also did well in the greenhouse. I planted small bushy tomatoes in pots. The freezer is stacked full of them despite giving a few away to next door. Sweetcorn, chard, beetroot, round courgettes all did well in their raised beds. I love experimenting growing things from the seeds of veg or fruit I've eaten, especially if not usually grown in the UK commercially. 7 or 8 years ago I tried avocado. Out of 6 seeds (3 small, 3 large, the 3 of the large took off. 2 eventually gave up but the third and last one is determined to survive despite some heavy and prolonged frosts a couple of years ago. All the leaves were lost last winter but now - wish I could attach a picture, over 6ft tall! Regrettably I doubt I'll ever get fruit. Its in a pot and should be re-potted again. Trouble is it is so leafy it easily gets blown over.
Hi Jack, I'm sincerely happy for you and I love reading your blog. Down here in Hampshire (near Fordingbridge) I've had another difficult season, mainly due to heat. I thought I'd got ahead of sowing etc but once transplanted many of the transplants just stalled- not growing, not dying even with what I thought was a good amount of water. I have a no-dig plot and feed with my own compost each year but something stops certain plants thriving. I am at my annual "is this really worth it?" moment, although I am sure end September/October will find me planting garlic bulbs.
Best crops: Potatoes, dwarf beans, runner beans, courgettes, broad beans, apples
Worst: Garlic (planted last autumn, small bulbs), tomatoes (outside were better than greenhouse), spring onions (mine take forever, months), onions (small bulbs), pumpkins (very low fruit), peas (x3 lots did not germinate), florence fennel (did not develop bulbs)
And the mushrooms this year have been off the scale! It’s unreal
Fabulous aren't they! I love seeing them everywhere :)
All looks amazing, Jack. Well done you!
Been a decent year here but I’ve failed yet again with aubergines. 3 plants and only 2 aubergines still not 100% ripe! I would have thought our climate is quite similar to yours here in NE Scotland - a little dried perhaps - but as I grow them in a wee tunnel I wouldn’t have thought it should make any difference.
I’ve had lovely beefsteaks for the first time this year - a Russian heritage variety which taste amazing!
I dont have an allotment (too much like hard work and none available near me!) but do utilise my garden to grow soft fruit and veg, unlike my lazy neighbours who have no interest in growing anything to eat. I'd agree that this year has been fantastic for good home grown harvests. When I moved home about 10 years ago I planted 2 apple trees. One in particular produces enough apples most year to supply a small supermarket. I also get abundant soft fruit especially blueberries. I have several mature plants now, in pots and freeze surpluses such that I have them available 365 days per year. In the greenhouse, this year, I grew melons for the first time, in grow bags and they did well considering I just left them to it. Peppers also did well in the greenhouse. I planted small bushy tomatoes in pots. The freezer is stacked full of them despite giving a few away to next door. Sweetcorn, chard, beetroot, round courgettes all did well in their raised beds. I love experimenting growing things from the seeds of veg or fruit I've eaten, especially if not usually grown in the UK commercially. 7 or 8 years ago I tried avocado. Out of 6 seeds (3 small, 3 large, the 3 of the large took off. 2 eventually gave up but the third and last one is determined to survive despite some heavy and prolonged frosts a couple of years ago. All the leaves were lost last winter but now - wish I could attach a picture, over 6ft tall! Regrettably I doubt I'll ever get fruit. Its in a pot and should be re-potted again. Trouble is it is so leafy it easily gets blown over.
Hi Jack, I'm sincerely happy for you and I love reading your blog. Down here in Hampshire (near Fordingbridge) I've had another difficult season, mainly due to heat. I thought I'd got ahead of sowing etc but once transplanted many of the transplants just stalled- not growing, not dying even with what I thought was a good amount of water. I have a no-dig plot and feed with my own compost each year but something stops certain plants thriving. I am at my annual "is this really worth it?" moment, although I am sure end September/October will find me planting garlic bulbs.
Best crops: Potatoes, dwarf beans, runner beans, courgettes, broad beans, apples
Worst: Garlic (planted last autumn, small bulbs), tomatoes (outside were better than greenhouse), spring onions (mine take forever, months), onions (small bulbs), pumpkins (very low fruit), peas (x3 lots did not germinate), florence fennel (did not develop bulbs)