BE AWARE: I am going to moan!
I know it is not an easy year for anybody. Early in the spring I was very busy but I thought hey no worries I will sow lots of beans and squashes in June and everything will be just fine. So I managed to sow only chillies in February and plant the spuds outside in April. The spuds are now yellowing, which I suspect is blight and if they are not yellowing the snails are eaten the foliage. The peppers are doing well in the greenhouse and I think I will pick the first one later this week. Squashes outside are eaten by slugs and snails and so are the beans. It was just impossible to protect them, whatever I put around them the rain washed it away in 24 hours and they get to the plants with no problem at all. Okay I didn’t try copper rings which is the only waterproof method against slugs really, except chickens and ducks, but one couldn’t really place copper rings around 50 bean plants and 20 squashes.
I thought well you can’t have everything growing perfectly every year, so was hoping the tomatoes and beetroot and other root veg will do well at least. Planted the tomato seeds indoors in mid – late March and I sown the beetroot seeds direct outside, I do this every year at this time of the year. I found that beetroot will come up as the soil warms up and usually have baby beetroot by mid June. Well, look at my beetroot…
It could just could be my fault as well, as in the autumn I really should have got some manure on the plot, but hey it is not always possible, so what I am saying is that the soil could be quite tired, meaning there is no food for the plants in there to grow, but why the weeds are growing then?
I have about 50 tomato plants outside showing signs of blight and almost no growth because of the cold and windy weather. Sweetcorn is yellow because of the rain and wind damage. The only place where plants are doing well is the greenhouse. Tomato plants about 1.5 metres tall and first two trusses have fruits and the peppers are happy too so far.
Conclusion
If you are serious about growing veg then invest in a polytunnel or greenhouse, it will well worth it in the long run. Last summer was quite a disaster as far as growing vegetables outside concerned, but this year oh my… So protection is vital. Even in a small greenhouse you can have a few tomato and pepper plants which are will be more delicious than anything else shop bought. Put manure on your plot if you can, many of us have stony and clay soil which gets tired quickly; just because you had a good harvest the year before it doesn’t mean your soil hold enough nutrients for next year. Try container gardening: couple of courgette plants in a larger container, few tomatoes and peppers and even root vegetables and salads can be grown in pots or different containers and they will give you a decent harvest which will be enough for you and your family at least for a few days or weeks. DO NOT GIVE UP! This week I am going container crazy: leaf veg, beetroot, carrots and few courgettes will be sown in large pots, when the tomatoes will be finishing in the greenhouse in late September I can just put the pots in there and hopefully will be able to harvest something.
