What lessons have you learnt from this years growing

[HeyWayne]

For me:

Broad beans are a waste of time. We rarely eat them.
I should sow more carrots successionally (sp?)
I should sow more parsnips successionally
Mark potatoes better
Sow/planting times aren't always 100% accurate
Beetroot seeds don't last that well
A petrol strimmer is a must-have
Rhubarb can't be left alone in dry weather
Squashes don't grow if you don't sow them

[Florence Fennel]

That no matter how long you've been growing things, there's always a lesson to be learned.

[Jono]

Having been keeping a rough record of how much what I'm harvesting is worth, I've learned a lot about what I'd concentrate my efforts on if I ever found myself in a small space and growing purely to save money; e.g. squashes and toms are great, potatoes are worth very little.

Also tried growing parsnips in flower buckets, as suggested on here. For the first time ever, I seem to have a good crop. Can't remember who's idea it was but thanks for that.

[Jardiniere]

Never ever turn your back on the garden for more than three days at most............cos you turn round and there is a thicket worthy of the one surrounding sleeping beauty's castle .........

[SarrissUK]

I've learnt we LOVE chard but really dont like "furry" runner beans
My daughter loves French beans more than I do.
Digging and weeding is bingo wings' worst enemy
Friends will tease you and call you a granny for having an allotment (I am 38!!) but will love your fresh veg.
Ten year old girls lose patience with bramble weeds quicker than me.
To be patient. Veg growing is not a race and not every veg has to be planted THIS year

[singleseeder]

............. that I need a second freezer and I should have saved/scrounged/wombled more glass jars.

[Arthur Pounder]

Strimming a slug isn't as funny as you thought it might be.

[mothhawk]

If it doesn't say "bush" variety on the squash packet, the plant will be in the next county by the end of the month.
Don't let sweet peas grow into the runner beans thinking it will encourage the bees - the bean stems wrap round the pea flower stalks and the sweet peas hide all the beans that are ready.
Interplanting early potatoes with broad beans seems to hide the beans from the blackfly -didn't get any this year.
Fifteen feet by four isn't enough space - I need a LOTTIE!

[Piggle]

don't grow beans up wigwams .... can't find em . I cam across a nest of runner beans which must have been about 1ft long.

[hamamelis]

If you do decide to not plant so many courgettes as last year, the slugs will scoff the lot- 4 plants, not a single one survived.
More beans!
Don't leave planting until it's too late, and if you get no seeds from a packet germinating, open another packet, don't just keep trying more of them until it's too late.

[lettucegrow!]

grow more bee flowers, and make a habitat they like. Nothing has suffered for want of pollination this year.
the rain will batter beds into rock hardness over winter, so lightly dig and put more compost on specific places rather than all over, depending on what was grown in them.
Preparation, get your seed packets in monthly order and keep a separate lot for succession sowing.
take the time to actually eat what you're growing, I've only just started eating salads this year, the lettuce have bolted but the toms are just ripening.
don't stuff too much in the greenhouse because you wont be able to reach to pick ripe things without knocking off flowers from other things.
Never grow any cucumber that needs male flowers removing, grow the italian one which is full of prickles, but never bitter.

Same here! I didn't know about the male cucumber thing and they are really disgusting! Don't know how missed that info :/

[OverWyreGrower]

My most important lesson....

You don't have to do everything at once! For various reasons, mostly illness and weather related, I didn't plant onions, garlic or potatoes this year. Whilst I missed them very much, I tried not to beat myself up over it.

I have managed, however, to build a lovely raised bed in my polytunnel, and will be attempting to get my second one built this autumn.

[witchwoo]

and that no matter what you do mother nature will come along in one form or another and bu**er it up lol you should see my snapped tomato plants and sweetcorn this morning lol

[jacob]

1. I am terrible at thinning things out -- come up with a better sowing technique for carrot to avoid micro-carrots.

2. Squash will not grow here -- either try in the greenhouse, or don't bother.

3. Cucumbers *are* nice after all -- grow them again!

[dave_norm_smith]

I neither have the space or the need for 132 tomato plants! (Repeat until thick head takes in info)