Things not to do again

[suee]

The first mistake I will not be repeating this year is to throw tomatoes on the compost heap. I have tomatoes shooting up all over the place and it wouldn't be so bad but I have no idea what kind they are.
Sue.

[jacob marley]

Well plant them out and find out jacob

[suee]

Didn't need to plant them out Jacob - they came with the compost and are part of the landscape!
Sue

[rustylady]

Could be a really good new variety - I would lift a few and pot them up and see what happens.

[suee]

Hello Rusty Lady - I think they'll grow fine where they are when the torrential rain stops and the sun decides to shine, but I'll maybe need to get a market stall as I've already got this year's crop well on the way. If I get a new variety, I'll save you all the seeds rather than putting them back on my heap!
Sue.

[JanieB]

I found one tomato plant growing in my compost that I was growing peas in. None of the peas survived but I've replanted the tomato. I'll be intrigued to see what grows. I've four other varieties that I know about - two because I like them and two experimental.

I have to say that the accident was the last to germinate but seems to be the most sturdy.

[nick the grief]

Decide to take on another plot - I knew this was foolish but still alowed myself to be swayed

Normally I grow about 3 or 4 toms and it is more than enough for use (we I am a guru so you 'd expect them to be productive ) this year I had a few "spares" and have ended up with 13 in two greenhouses and there's still 12 more spares left!!

[noidea]

Not allow the 3 year old to take off into the garden with a packey of broad bean seeds. I am pulling them up every other day from all over the place.

C

[SarzWix]

Not assume that assume that the newly taken on allotment will be ready to grow everything in the same year that you aquire it, and order enough seeds to plant up about 4 plots....
Also, not assume that OH will build new greenhouse when he says he will, and have about 20 tomato plants, 20 chilli & pepper plants, 4 cucumbers, 12 sweetcorn plants, 4 courgettes and 20 french bean plants all vying for light in a cold-frame, a porch and a 6'x4' grenhouse, with only 1 bed ready on the afore-mentioned allotment....
Will I ever learn??!!

[Percy T]

ditto to most of yours sarzwix but would just add dont allow a 3 year old to help you sow seed.

ended up with 320 lettice, 400 parsley and 80 celery whoops,

lettice,parsley or celery soup anyone!

[Hazel at the Hill]

Do not make up your own sowing distances in the mistaken belief the you, the novice gardener, suddenly know more than current gardening gurus, respected growers and hunter gatherers from time immemorial put together.

You are wrong, they are right, and I have the 'impossible onion weed bed' and 'the single potato row the entire width of the plot' to prove it.

[OverWyreGrower]

Don't plant an entire packet of pepper seeds thinking that some won't grow, otherwise you'll be left with 30 pepper plants, all terribly healthy and growing like weeds....

Peppers anyone?

[noidea]

I made that mistake too!!

C

[Madasafish]

I echo the tomato in compost heap one.. I ended up last year with tomatoes in a hanging basket: small but quite tasty but very late in the year.

Never attempt to cut down a tree when it overhangs a pear tree... eventually part of it WILL fall on the pear tree..
(and broke a branch which I splinted.. and this year the branch is full of pears .. but still splinted... think it will be a prop up job to survive.)

[Seahorse]

I am with OverWyreGrower and noidea on the peppers! I have given away 20 and will probably have to dispose of more still. Or buy another freezer!

I think my biggest failing this year is that I've tried to cram too much into too little space. I can already see that some things really need a more vigorous thinnning but I'm finding it hard to do and keep trying to save everything!

Oh - and I should have been better at successional sowing rather than planting everything in a big rush!

Claire