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Post by Tig on Oct 22, 2012 10:04:29 GMT
As we are almost at the end of the growing season for this year I have been looking back at what has done well and what has been a dismal failure this year.
The highs have been my hardy geraniums which seemed to love the wet weather. My penstemons have also done very well with nearly all of them surviving from last year and even my 'pushed in' early cuttings taking well! The dahlias didn't do too badly once they started flowering, and it has been a splendid year for clematis with most blooming for longer and with more flowers. The lilies coped well too.
Non-performers this year have been the eucomis bicolour - lots of foliage but not one flower. The ismene festalis did the same. The cobaea scandens was too late getting going to flower and a lot of the rose buds 'balled' and rotted before they had chance to open.
In the veg plots nothing really performed well apart from my spring cabbage. We eventually got a few courgettes, but nothing like the crops in previous years, same with the runner beans, they were slow to start and the harvest was enough for me and OH but I'd usually be giving them away in bagfulls to friends and family, not this year. The garlic was OK but nowhere near as plump as last year. The spuds had great foliage but not nearly as many potatoes below ground. The sweetcorn did ripen and were tasty but the cobs weren't huge. My beetroot were golf-ball sized. The turnips and swedes did provide a couple of meals but some rotted with the wet.
Lettuce didn't grow at all, just rotted or got eaten by s & s, the toms were slow in the growhouse but eventually provided enough to keep us going through late summer. The cucumbers did OK, not brilliant but enough for us.
As for my carrots - they didn't grow at all!
How did everyone else do?
x Tig
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Post by Rosefriend on Oct 22, 2012 11:39:57 GMT
The only things that really did well were my dahlias and the weeds...
Roses were poor with the rain and a lot of the blooms mummified... Rust, Blackspot and Co were and are rife... Sweetpeas were okish....died early though..
On the veg front - my spuds - from all the bags I only got enough for half a dozen meals and from two bags only one tiny tiny spud!! Beetroot didn't do anything, neither did my courgettes, lettuces bolted straight away or were eaten by S & S, melon plants died as did my cucs in the end but I had a lot off them but only one off the Crystal Lemon Cuc plant - gorgeous taste though.. The dwarf beans were very good and we had some good meals - I even managed to freeze a couple of bags.. Peas were enough to have a taste - never got into the kitchen though..
Toms and Peppers were better - got loads of beef and plum toms for cooking...less cherry toms though.
Peppers did well especially the very small ones - they grow and ripen quicker...
RF
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Post by Jilly on Oct 22, 2012 12:45:33 GMT
The garlic got rust, the tomatoes & potatoes got blight, the Beetroot have been in since April & are the size of ping pong balls & to add insult to injury I pulled up a dandelion in the veg bed & it had a bigger root than the Parsnips I was harvesting  However the Marmande tomatoes that we did get were delicious even OH noticed the difference. The Beans Runners & Dwarf did well & I've got quite a lot in the freezer & I expect the garlic will last us, just haven't got any to give away. The chillies didn't do anything much during the summer but I brought a couple of plants in & they are now ripening on the windowsill. Most of the flowers grew well with all the rain, but the Roses did ball quite a lot & some of the perennials, especially (& surprisingly) the Penstamons were very slow to flower. Dahlias are looking good, apart from one that was a slow starter that has only just got a bud i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/rolleyes.gif there's meant to be a frost on Friday night, so that will be a race against time i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/grin.gif I'm thinking that next year, I might do away with the bed I use for things like Beetroot & Parsnips and let the Dahlias have a bit more breathing space, it's really not worth it growing thinks like that in such a small space. Will leave a bed for the garlic though, as that usually does really well (if it every arrives from T&M so I can plant it i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/rolleyes.gif ) Jillyx |
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Post by Barbara on Oct 22, 2012 13:33:29 GMT
You should cut and bring the dahlias in Jilly I have before the frost gets to them. The plums were diseased , so none of those, the rhubarb was great as were the runner beans I've had loads and still have a couple of boxes in the freezer, the beet were fine and the red onions too, garlic was small but tasty, there are still some in the ground, lettuce was OK as well, potatoes from one bed were great, but ones on the other side where it's wet were tiny, the cucumbers were fine the melon only flowered no fruit too cold I suspect the pumpkins are ripening in the GH right now, hundreds of strawberry as well, I don't think any flowers suffered,the roses weren't great, but,  just the sweet peas slow to start, we know what happened next don't we I know it hasn't been a great year but most things tried, I think I've remembered everything there. |
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Post by bobbiek on Oct 22, 2012 13:40:43 GMT
With the drought and heat this summer, the only winners I had in the vegetable garden were my tomatoes. They are still producing! I also was very pleased with my onions.
In the flower department, while they didn't flower with the conditions, my day lilies showed themselves to be real troopers along with the hosta. While many of them looked like I had lost them completely, almost all of them have shown new life this fall. Looking forward to spring! Two other late plants, my Jasmine and Honeysuckle have done well taking root. I expect they will be winners next spring as well.
Lots of loss, but lots of learning as well. As I expected, this summer was a huge learning experience.
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Post by Auricula on Oct 22, 2012 14:11:29 GMT
Weeds did well  |
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Post by bobbiek on Oct 22, 2012 16:42:36 GMT
Weeds did well |
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Post by Barbara on Oct 22, 2012 16:50:10 GMT
Don't take any notice of her Bobbie, she likes a moan at this time of year. ;D
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Post by Ladygardener on Oct 22, 2012 17:11:04 GMT
In the veg garden the Broad Beans were fantastic, Garlic did well, especially Jilly's and the Spring Onions and Red Onions were pretty good. Parsnips and Carrots were a no show, I think they just got washed away and the Beetroot did'nt grow much more than golf ball sized but were very sweet and yummy. I got no Courgette, dispite having a few plants and the Tomatoes really let me down too. I had a good early start to the Peppers but they did'nt thrive as there just was'nt enough heat and sunshine. I did get some Peas, Hurst Greenshaft, my favourite as recommended by FB but none of my Runners gave anything and the bush peas did'nt fair any better. Charlotte potatoes, Rhubarb and Autumn Bliss Raspberries did well but other spuds in containers were rubbish.
I lost all my Lupins due to severe winds and rain. I think I've blanked out most of the things that got broken or rotted. Pests were a huge problem this year, Aphids and slugs being the worst. I'm trying to think what else did'nt do well flower wise and just can't think. The Angelface and Grace Rose did well for the most part but they too were eaten and some of the buds balled. Aqualegia grown from seed from Jasmine and Jilly a few years ago gave the most wonderful display before the sawfly ate they all. I'm hoping they'll come back next year and would be so sorry to loose them. Geraniums all did well I'm happy to say and provided the colour I was hoping for. My Hemerocallis got smothered in the border but I've moved them now and hope for better things next year. My Penstemon Hidcote Pink from Jas a few years ago has survived and even the cuttings I took and pushed in beside them seem to have rooted.
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Post by Rosefriend on Oct 22, 2012 17:17:40 GMT
ooo you've just reminded me LG - my onions were good as well - not as large as last year but very good nevertheless - they taste lovely...
RF
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Post by Jilly on Oct 22, 2012 17:40:35 GMT
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Post by Jasmine on Oct 22, 2012 17:46:46 GMT
The rabbits had a field day and I began to realise 2 things - one, that they're very smart except with their road sense and two, you just have to get on and garden round them.
Discovered we have honey fungus in the garden which nearly finished me off and I wondered why I bothered but then I decided I needed to keep things in perspective. If you're surrounded by ancient woodland the chances of having it are huge, it's impossible to get rid of so everything needs planting with that mycrocozil wotsit stuff and a lot of hope for the best. It's quite satisfying digging up and getting rid of the bootlaces so that could be classed as therapy of some sort! ;D
Not much did really well but stuff ticked along and we got some nice onions and raspberries and the leeks are doing well.
I gave up my lottie but decided to have a re-vamp at the bottom of the garden and am looking forward to growing everything at home next year...and sharing with the rabbits! ;D
I was really pleased with my new hot bed and have more plans for it next year, including making it a bit bigger..again!
Roll on next spring! I can't wait for the snowdrops and daffodils!
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Post by Auricula on Oct 22, 2012 17:51:01 GMT
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Post by Jasmine on Oct 22, 2012 18:15:20 GMT
Don't be sad Auricula...as soon as the clocks go back it's only 5 months til they go back the other way again!
It'll be daffodil time before we know it! ;D
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Post by Tig on Oct 22, 2012 18:24:08 GMT
I thought Barbara had been very generous in her comment, 'cos I'd have said she has a moan at least three times a week, and sometimes twice on a Sunday ;D x Tig  |
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Post by Missredhead on Oct 22, 2012 18:55:24 GMT
My spuds were rubbish but my dahlias are still in flower
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Post by isabella on Oct 23, 2012 5:05:32 GMT
My greenhouse veggies were very disappointing - tomato crop was much smaller than usual, some of the peppers got a 'condition' that made the growing tips die and flowers fall off.Aubergines from seed were pretty hopeless but i was impressed with the grafted ones. We only had 3 pears and 4 cherries but the apples were good except on the allotment - we had no apples or pears but we did have a wonderful crop of Victoria plums. Potatoes,all sorts of beans,peas,onions,shallots,cabbages,kale,fennel and asparagus all did well  Loads of strawberries , raspberries,rhubarb and tayberries Courgettes were slow to start but o.k in the end and we have a small crop of about 10 butternuts and a dozen Jack o Lantern pumpkins Flower wise the Sunflowers from the rogue plant from last year were gorgeous ,dahlias,alstro,gladioli ans sweet peas have been fantastic and I was very pleased with the front garden especially my wall baskets The Lilies were a disaster Roll on spring ;D |
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Post by Geranium on Oct 23, 2012 5:57:09 GMT
As you know, I don't grow veggies, so nothing to say on them. Flowers? Yes, geraniums have done really well, penstemons and salvias too - even though they're sunlovers. My Osteos weren't happy. I lost so many plants to slugs and snails this year though - all my lupins and new delphiniums as well as the old ones. Roses seemed to be selective - some were lovely, but others rotted before the flowers opened. 'Hot Chocolate' was the worst for that. Clems did very well. The weeds certainly did - especially bindweed! i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/rolleyes.gif My sweetpeas were a complete disaster, but mostly because I couldn't look after them. Lilies were great, but there did seem to be lots of the red perils around. Phlox pan. flowered well, but only lasted a very short time this year - same with the asters apart from 'Monch'. My containers didn't flourish. The best plants for shrugging off the weather were definitely begonias, although pelargoniums managed to produce some flowers in dryer interludes. Gazanias and Godetia were hopeless - snails again. |
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Post by carolann on Oct 23, 2012 9:38:44 GMT
Cauli's wonderful everything else veg wise was just a disassssster darling ;D not had a lot of damage from the S&S's or aphids for a change and no catapillers to speak of either oh I have sprouts which I'm just starting to harvest but some have not grown more than 12", flowers in the hanging baskets and troughs where wind burned the only thing that bloomed its socks off where the Orange and Lemons Calendula's from saved seed which I have collected again for next year, sounds like we have all had a bad year I'm going to give it one more year on the veg front then I just may give up all together on that side, Lily's have been hit and miss with far too many red devils around for my liking, Clems have liked the wet weather and the fireworks one has a second fluss of buds on it bet they dont do anything seeing as the weather is going to turn very cold at the end of the week, I still have flowerrs on the climbing rose schoolgirl bbut hardly any leaves on it the rest of the roses the water got to them and they refused to open till I went out and pulled some of the outer petals off them. There has not been that much of a scent off anything to be honest and what there has has been very weak. I just want to forget this year
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Post by Rosefriend on Oct 25, 2012 13:51:51 GMT
Definitely one of my highs this years - just got 25 wonderful apples off my little tree just before the frost.....the other 2 trees haven't got anything...  RF |
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Post by Mowhay on Oct 25, 2012 14:48:47 GMT
They look great RF. I got one pear off my tree and no apples off three trees
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Post by Ladygardener on Oct 25, 2012 14:50:28 GMT
Well done POD those look yummy.
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Post by Rosefriend on Oct 25, 2012 14:54:45 GMT
Thanks both - not bad for a minarette tree that is only about 2 metres high..
RF
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Post by Auricula on Oct 25, 2012 16:29:18 GMT
Wow, PoD, you've bucked the trend, they said it was a poor year for top fruit |
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Post by Rosefriend on Oct 25, 2012 16:41:37 GMT
Miracle if you ask me - wonderful..but the Minarette trees really are good value..
Love the avatar...
Rf
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Post by Jasmine on Oct 25, 2012 18:14:15 GMT
Smashing PoD! What apples are they?
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Post by Auricula on Oct 25, 2012 20:21:00 GMT
Thanks PoD. I might try a minarette apple next year |
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Post by Tig on Oct 25, 2012 22:39:22 GMT
Brill RF - they don't take much looking after either do they? I did well with my Coxs Orange Pippin and got nothing from the other one, the plum tree delivered nothing either. Just remembered today whilst wandering ... I didn't get any flowers from my tigridias! Plenty of leaves though |
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Post by isabella on Oct 26, 2012 5:31:30 GMT
That is a lovely crop of apples ;D We had good crops from our cordon apple trees but no apples or pears from the trees on the allotment  |
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Post by Rosefriend on Oct 26, 2012 5:45:39 GMT
It's been really odd this year hasn't it Isabella - next doors apple tree didn't have anything either.. Smashing PoD! What apples are they? I've got two minarette trees from Olaf - one is Blue Moon that has wonderful dark red skin and tastes a bit like a red delicious and then the Malini which I got so many off and that is a refreshing sweet/sour - they store a long time as well... Then I have a cooking apple tree (no cooking apples, like Bramleys in Germany) that Olaf bud grafted for me. OM sent me some cuttings/scions from one of his Crimson Bromley trees and Olaf grafted them onto the wonderful French Jacob Lebel apple tree, so I now have fruit from both on the tree. Had 10 this year. 6 got wormy and rotted, 2 fell off in a storm and the birds got them, one Jacob Lebel was rescued but was rotten in the middle and I have one enormous Crimson Bramley which is just ready for eating... Then I have a miniature cherry tree that had two cherries on this year - blackbirds got to them before I did.. Then a dwarf plum tree that only grows to around 2 meters and we had two plums - one was had by resident blackbird and the other I saved for OH and it ripened well and tasted wonderful he said. However nothing beats the minarette fruit trees - I would love a peach one but in this climate it would be daft....they take up so little room and can even be left in large tubs for a few years... and as you can see you can get loads of fruit off them.. Thanks PoD. I might try a minarette apple next year Have a look around Auricula - with your climate you could possible do very well...they are a tad expensive for good quality but well worth the money.. Just had a look at Ken Muir's site and he has 15% off Minarette trees - it's a good planting time!! www.kenmuir.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=171_173RF |
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just the sweet peas slow to start, we know what happened next don't we 
