Great summer ! successes and failures.

[Benny&Co]

From my pots Bill - just wondering if the caterpillar and eggs are still there

[billnorfolk]

From my pots Bill - just wondering if the caterpillar and eggs are still there

They lay there eggs on the leaves ,then hatch into caterpillers them that eat yer greens will then find somwhere to hibernate and turn into a chrisaliss before next year arriving back at the veggie patch as a butterfly ready to start again.Your pot compost is fine spread it on your beds the birds will take care of any creepys, or put it in your compost bin


Hear is a picture of some layed earler magnified if you see them squash um,bit late now though

[jackian]

I usually save my compost, do you think I should throw it away?

If it is compost from the pots my chickens have it in their dust bath tub .

[Benny&Co]

Thank you

[Linda S]

Our bramley apple tree has this year been a huge success, so probably next year will be poor it seems to go like that, last year we had about 6or 7 on it.Iv given plenty away and have loads frozen and picked some unblemished ones for storing.
Our pear tree has once again been very bountiful with lovely juicy fruits and a better size this season
We have a golden delicious tree which was damaged by high winds a few yrs ago and we took all the branches off and were going to chop it down and never got round to it and this year we have had about 30 apples off it.
The only trouble with it is that the fruit always has brown marks on and always has had.
The rhubarb has been a runnaway success this year as always but we are digging it up and giving some roots to friends and container growing it next year
I planted 3 courgettes but only one grew but im still getting fruits off it now, there are 3 ready for picking and some tiny ones if they get a chance to mature.
Theres only me eats them and i like them as baby ones so i have been pleased non the less. 5 baby ones in sasdas were about £1.60 the other wk ridiculous you'd think they would be cheaper as they grow like wildfire you can get 4 big ones for a quid

Iv had a couple of boilings of beetroot, and a good amount of the ever reliable green beans and a fair few broad beans. Iv got 3 broccolli plants but i think they just seem to be leafy, but they will eat just as well.
I havnt done very well this year as everything was done late and half hearted but its the first time iv planted anything for a few years and will do more next year Lindaxx

[billnorfolk]

Our bramley apple tree has this year been a huge success, so probably next year will be poor it seems to go like that, last year we had about 6or 7 on it.Iv given plenty away and have loads frozen and picked some unblemished ones for storing.
Our pear tree has once again been very bountiful with lovely juicy fruits and a better size this season
We have a golden delicious tree which was damaged by high winds a few yrs ago and we took all the branches off and were going to chop it down and never got round to it and this year we have had about 30 apples off it.
The only trouble with it is that the fruit always has brown marks on and always has had.
The rhubarb has been a runnaway success this year as always but we are digging it up and giving some roots to friends and container growing it next year
I planted 3 courgettes but only one grew but im still getting fruits off it now, there are 3 ready for picking and some tiny ones if they get a chance to mature.
Theres only me eats them and i like them as baby ones so i have been pleased non the less. 5 baby ones in sasdas were about £1.60 the other wk ridiculous you'd think they would be cheaper as they grow like wildfire you can get 4 big ones for a quid

Iv had a couple of boilings of beetroot, and a good amount of the ever reliable green beans and a fair few broad beans. Iv got 3 broccolli plants but i think they just seem to be leafy, but they will eat just as well.
I havnt done very well this year as everything was done late and half hearted but its the first time iv planted anything for a few years and will do more next year Lindaxx

Think you have had a good fruit harvest this year Linda ,get some manure or copost into your ground for next year and sure you will see the benefits,if the ground hasnt been worked for a while will probaly benefit from a good feed

[Linda S]

Hi Bill and thanks for the advice we grow in planters that my hubby made from pallets at the minute but everthing is getting changed next year.
The planters are along side my nieghbours garden and they have a dog and ours are always jumping over them or on them to get to the dog. Also a lot of slugs come through from thier garden so we are making that part for the dogs and moving my veg up to near the house.
I have a lot of big black plant pots and other plastic planters and will be using thenm next year, that should be ok shouldn't it and i might not get as many weeds growing if theres notmuch room
Should i prepare the pots now then Bill or would you just empty grow bags into them, i still have about six i was going to empty in to planters before we decided to change things round Lindaxx

Forgot to say Bill we dont grow in the ground because we have that bLOOdy awful horse tale which has come from next doors jungle

[billnorfolk]

Hiya Linda

That horse tail takes some getting rid of ,roots go down for several yards,if you mush it up with your foot then give it a squirte of weedkiller it helps but not guarenteed.Pots are fine surpriseing what you can grow in them ,just need a bit more feeding than things do in the ground.No i should do the pots as you need them easier to store if empty

[Linda S]

Thanks alot Bill and i will heed your advice regarding the pots, although i will probably be picking your brains again come springtime Lindaxx

[billnorfolk]

Thanks alot Bill and i will heed your advice regarding the pots, although i will probably be picking your brains again come springtime Lindaxx

If there is anything i can help you with Linda will only be to happy to

[Richard]

Biggest success down the lane are Tomatoes, Tomatoes and Tomatoes.

I was worried back in late Spring, but never had so many. It's silly amounts this year and I'm still picking them now in late October!

Richard

[jackian]

I thought as I started this thread I would add to it .
It was a great year compared to last so I am really pleased .
My best overall by the end of October was the squashes and pumpkins . It was my first year at growing them on the allotments and I had not realised how beautiful they were ,and how many different coloured skins, sizes and types there were . The butternut squashes was not quite so good as the pumpkin but still good .I have an old wardrobe in the garage and the OH's bits and pieces came out and the pumpkins and what pathetic onions I had went in .. They did take up a lot of space on the allotment but well worth it and covered a multitude of sins like weeds .
From my first mention on here the worst was still my onions ,it was the first year that I had not grown winter onions as well and regretted it . I still can't figure out where they went wrong this year but have now got the winter onions in and they have taken well.
It also looks as if the leeks this year are going to be good ...so you win some and you lose some ..Roll on next year .

[Spreckly]

I humbly submit our veggie and fruit harvest:

Potatoes have done really well, main crop particularly, which we are still eating.
Carrotts - planted on the advice of either Bill or Bob, best we've ever had.
Onions have done better this year, all hanging in the greenhouse.
Leeks and cabbage have been a disaster, Cabbage was netted, but still ended up with holes.
Broccoli - what little we planted did really well.
Beetroot was disappointing.
Runner beans which are normally a good cropper were very poor this year.
Peas were not worth sowing.
Courgettes, both green and yellow have done really well. Used a lot in chutney.
Tomatoes in the greenhouse have been a good crop, some still ripening on a shelf.
Apples - we have five trees, some better than others. OH has turned an espalier into a normal growth, and moved its position.
Pears - an old tree which we inherited, not so good this year, pears still ripening in the summerhouse.
Strawberries have been wonderful, since moved to the front garden.
Rasps were a dead loss.
Rhubarb a reasonable crop.
Our green manure didn't grow! We have access to horse dung, which makes good compost together with the chicken poo.