Grow Your Own Magazine

"Plant more mint early on rather than waiting until we're well into Pimms season to realise we don't have nearly enough"

I put Borage flowers in the Pimms too - just pull off the blue petal bit, rather than the hairy stalk! Easy-peasy to grow from seed; don't sow any in subsequent years, you'll have millions of self-sown. No idea what else they are good for, except that the oil costs-a-fortune.

"I'm growing Blue Lake this year"

Yup, that looks like a proper French bean - circular cross section. The Limka are very flat; we had some seed ages ago that purported to be a Chinese Bean, or somesuch, but I'm sure was the same as Limka - so the family call them Chinese beans! Anyway, they are flat like a runner, but cut & cook like a french bean.

Next year I will not grow anything I don't like just to see how it grows! - And then run out of space for the things I do like!

Oh and . . . .
Next year I am going to break out from the bottom of the garden and into the main bit of garden by planting some veg in the flower beds - don't tell OH - he won't know the difference anyway!

Excellent thread Wren xx

Next year I will be selective in what I grow. Instead of growing 40+ tomatoes I will grow 12 and look after them properly. I will grow again potoatoes, broad bean, strawberries, herbs, lettuce, cucumber, cabbage. I will not grow beetroot (takes too long to cook), or so many garlic or onions (they were a bit on the small side).

kwa 50
CraftChallenge.co.uk - Home

I won't replant seeds that I've dropped on the floor, when there's more than one variety on the tray!!! (I have trailing squash where I thought I would have bush courgettes!!!)

I will also remember to label better, and include the planting date.

I will try to plant seeds at the right time, and to plant them out earlier.

So true. I am also guilty of this, but I'm learning ...

One experimental crop at a time is now my limit.

I will get myself into gear earlier. A change in job meant I got behind on everything, and whereas this time last year the allotment was bountiful, this year it's rather bare

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http://inelegantgardener.blogspot.com
Updated 13th September

Next year I'm going to say no to the cricket team that need a scorer, coach for the kids or tea made and go to the lottie much more.

"I will also remember to label better, and include the planting date"

I write the date on the [remains of the] packet, which I keep indoors. I fine that more convenient to refer to, rather than going out to the veg garden and pulling up the label. Only really applies if sowing the whole packet though, doesn't work so well for weekly successional sowings!!

Just thought of some more. Next year:

- I will make sure that all the planters have drainage holes in, so I don't end up with blossom end rot on the tomatoes from them being alternately too wet/too dry
- I will not leave plastic cloches on everything on sunny days if I'm going out (just got back from the park with the boys and have had to dump all the chillies in the paddling pool to stop them keeling over)
- I will make sure that plants are suitably protected from the boys. I'm sure a 1 year old and a 3 year old are capable of doing just as much damage as the slugs and caterpillars combined!

Mrs J

Next year I will not leave the fruit un-netted, thinking the blackbirds will only take a fair share and I'll have plenty left.

I will label everything.

I will plant more overwintering stuff and keep it covered up until mid-May.

I will not stick to my plans!! I had a plan and more or less threw it away this year, and I've had the best year so far!!

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Dwell simply ~ love richly

Next year i will be more fussy about what i put in the compost bin and i will 'NOT' compost the seed heads from the pesky 'Love in a mist' flowers.

Every time i use a handful of my lovely home grown compost round my veg, lots of ' love in a mist' seedlings spring up from it too.

Its keeping me very busy with the hoe

Wren

I'd just let'm grow!!They're pretty!We've got loads of self seeded Godetia around the plot~if it's in the way we move it or plant around it!
THINGS I'LL DO DIFFERENTLY:~
As many others label all seedlings AS SOON as sown!
Not wait til July to decide I need to sow more parsnip~but I'v been saying that for 4 yrs now!
Ensure all slugs/snails/catterpillars are removed from lettuces BEFORE bringing into kitchen & let them make a new feeding place in the fridge!!
Steal Mrs Dobby's idea of caned water bottles at each & every courgette/pumpkin.
Not need to move house whilst really I should've been preparing the ground ready for overwintering manure & be in pristine shape for spring.
Sure there's a million more so will prob be back!!

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the fates lead him who will;him who won't they drag.

Happiness is not having what you want,but wanting what you have.xx

"Steal Mrs Dobby's idea of caned water bottles at each & every courgette/pumpkin."

Wot'zat then please?

Hopefully next time, I'd like to see how I get along with a budget, also probably more water collection, introduce a few mulching ideas and try increasing the compost amounts.

My translation would be:~when planting said squash half bury an upturned plastic bottle(lid off & bottom cut off!)near the root,then pop a cane inside with a can on top to make locating easier once the squash have done their major growing thing,hence being able to water & feed in the right place as opposed to what I do & struggle amongst the mass of prickly leaves to try & work out where the monster originated!!(& then end up guessing!)
Cheers Mrs Dobby for the idea & hope I've Explained/translated it right!!

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the fates lead him who will;him who won't they drag.

Happiness is not having what you want,but wanting what you have.xx

Yep, thats the idea andi&di, but its not my idea, I'm sure I read it on the vine somewhere!

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Blessings
Suzanne (aka Mrs Dobby)

'Garden naked - get some colour in your cheeks'!

The Dobby's Pumpkin Patch - a blogspot work in progress!
Last updated 26th November2008 - more new piccies!

Next year I will get the bird scaring devices in the garden BEFORE the starlings have most of the apple crop

I will also tell the OH where I'd planted the mint before he strims it.....

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Growing in the Garden of England http://www.kentvegplot.blogspot.com

I too will invest in a marker pen and millions of those label stick things! I will also not plan zillions of brassicas because "half of them are bound to fail" - when they don't you're overwhelmed with cauliflowers. I will stagger plantings of beans - I do love them but I don't want frenchies and runners all at the same time - I will plant more lettuce and fewer carrots - oh so many lessons to learn.

next year i will get more orgnised and also put more stable runner bean supports as mine have just blown over and lost most of the plants!!!

THIS year, I will ask for garden centre gift vouchers for christmas so that even though I'm on a tight budget, I can still afford to buy seeds, compost etc when the time comes.
Next year I WILL cover my brassicas to stop caterpillar damage. My poor swedes!!!

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Do it! Life's too short

Next year I will Try to be more organised
I will not kill my strawberry plants by putting tomato food round them
I will try and get some protection for my cabages from slugs, snails, catapilars and butterflies.
I Will try not to plant too many things in pots
I will try to plant at least 1 item in the ground
I will plan to put my strawberries in hanging baskets
I will plant more potatoes
I will visit the Vine earlier
I will plant things that grow quick that I Like

next year I will remember to succession sow, instead of being too pleased with the first crop and not realising til its too late that there aren't anymore!
Next year hope to move out of pots and have a couple of raised beds.
Next year, aim to do the research and info gathering, before the seeds go in!!