Diary of a veg virgin

[andy]

Well it's getting on for mid summer and i'd like to do progress report for my first season growing veg. This is all from memory so i've forgotten one or two variety names and i will report back for further updates.

Strawberries Have 4 varieties....Elsanta, Cambridge favourite, Sonata and Symphony. Grown in the ground with little maintenance. Produced loads of big bright sweet fruit on all varieties throughout June and early July and coming to a halt now. Will definately be growing more next year.

Peas Hurst greenshaft and mangetout grown in large tubs. Bit disappointed with quantity. Quality superb. Will probably not bother next year unless i can grow enough to produce a decent amount.

Courgettes Grown two plants of soleil and possibly black knight in tubs. Just picked my first soleil but had quite a few green ones and they're delicious. Blackfly and powdery mildew is a big problem so might grow in greenhouse next year but definately worth it.

French beans Grown speedy in a trough and blue lake ? (from dig-it) in a tub. Have loads of sweet beans every other night....absolutely love em and will grow more next year.

Lettuce Grew Iceberg in a trough. Got a bit lazy with this one and grew far too many of only one batch. Ended up throwing most although the ones we did eat were lovely. Need to grow about 4 plants a fortnight next year.

Beetroot Variety bolthardy drown in a pot. As with lettuce....need succession but the beets i do have are growing well and will need cropping soon.

Potatoes Grown aaron pilot (i think) and Charlotte in tubs. Well worth the effort for both varieties....had loads of delicious spuds. Need to grow more for next year.

Runner beans Grown 2 tubs of scarlett emperor in tubs up 8 foot wigwams. Picked my first ones today but lots of beans to come. They seem to drop their flowers....maybe i dried them out a bit and blackfly are a big problem. Definately more next year.

Carrots Grown 2 pots of Chantennay. Need more succession next year and some different varieties. Those that we have eaten are wonderful.

Spring onions Just grown one pot of white Lisbon. Just about to harvest....they look superb but more succession needed next year.

Large onions Grown about 50 red and 50 white from sets in the ground. Looking good....can't wait for these as we eat loads of onions.

Tomatoes

Aisla Craig Growing well in the greenhouse. Got 6 plants and each have 5 good strong trusses. Not ripened yet so can't comment on flavour.
100's and 1000's Grown 2 pots in the greenhouse. Gone absolutely mad....probably at the expense of the fruit. just moved them outside and trimmed them up a bit but not many fruits.
Sweet millions grown 2 pots in the greenhose. Looking good and has some stunning vines of fruit on....can't wait for this one.
Berlotti Grown 6 pots outside. Only grown to 8" but they have an amaizing amount of fruit on which has just started to ripen.

Chillies and peppers Been a bit of a disaster as they've been neglected and the slugs have munched most of them.

Cucumbers Grown 4 pots of a variety whose name escapes me. Producing some lovely friut now....first crop should be ready this week. Plants growing like mad....wouldn't mind growing some other varieties next yeat

[bagpuss]

Thanks for sharing that Andy, a very interesting read.

By the sounds of it, you've got the bug now! ;D

Look forward to reading more.

[carolann]

Well done Andy you have got/had a lot on the go this year, when my Strawberries finish producing I cut all the leaves right back and I have had fruit on at Christmas but its too cold and dark up here to ripen them but you may be lucky down there. Dont give up with the Peas I always get enough off mine to last right through the winter and spring did you grow them in tubs? if so maybe you could not put as many in but have a couple of more tubs instead. Looking forward to reading more.

[Tig]

Brilliant start Andy, it is very rewarding growing veg, even if you don't get massive returns from things you nearly always get something back for your input.

Did you not grow sweetcorn?

x Tig

[andy]

Jul 15, 2010 10:53:10 GMT Tig said:

Did you not grow sweetcorn?

x Tig

I started it Tig but never potted it up due to lack of space. I ended up throwing it. Next year maybe

[Tig]

You can always stick them in threes in the flower borders Andy, they are quite architectural and should pollinate if planted in a triangle

x Tig

[snowowl]

You have done well Andy better than me i am useless at growing cuecumbers and spring onions.
Still i can still grow lettuce and tomatoes so im not completely useless ;D