Summary of my first veg growing year

It's not easy!

Firstly the cold spring stopped the seeds to germinate and it also killed off the young seeedlings I bought from the garden centre. In the middle of May, staring at the brown soil in the kitchen garden, I regretted very much pulling off those herbs that had been growing so well in previous years; for they would have been covering the ground sufficiently. I got heavy clay soil. Rosemary, lavendar, sages, oregano, mints, lemon balm all grow happily without much attention in the sunny garden at the back.

I sow again second batch of broad bean, runner beans, french beans and eventually I got 2 broad bean and 3 runner bean plants, peas are more reliable most of them survived on the east facing patch, the west facing patch stubornedly refused to pop up. The soil could be the problem; it never had any sand added to, also there is a mature vine and cherry tree in it. Perhaps all the nutrient was sucked up by those two root system?

Snails, slugs, little birds ate all my pak choi seedling, so painstakingly raised from the seeds. so most of the vegetables planned to grow died before maturity. There was no glut, but small ration of peas, rocky leaves, lettuces, chilli harvested far between during the summer. I did have several full pods of giant peas, which made me burst into laughter at their enormous size, I however prefer them smaller, sweeter. Peas never made to the kitchen, they were eaten long before reaching the kitchen garden gate.

From my photos you can see French beans and runner beans are in flowers and doing ok. I love the taste of home grown vegetables, especially knowing how difficult for them to survive all the ' evil forces' throughout their tender lives :)

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Comment by Jade Hwang on September 3, 2010 at 8:42: My first blog here. Hope to get suggestion & advice for better rate of success from experienced gardeners .

Comment by Flighty on September 3, 2010 at 11:54: In many ways it's rather surprising that we actually end up with any vegetables at all. I have plot neighbours who do everything to stop the evil forces and end up no better off than others who do little or nothing!
The ever changing weather makes every year different for growing and what we end up with. You'll find that year on year you'll have successes and failures and that it's a never ending learning curve. Above all enjoy what you do and stay optimistic!

Comment by Melinda Que_Linda on September 3, 2010 at 12:50: Jade, do you compost your kitchen and garden waste? I think your garden will love you for adding lots of nutrient rich home made compost. It will help break up the structure of the heavy clay soil. Dig in as much as you can.

I also have a heavy clay soil, its naturally filled with nutrients, but it would have baked hard like concrete this summer if it hadnt been well conditioned with compost and manure.

Comment by Jade Hwang on September 3, 2010 at 17:15: Melinda, I do compost and I also added some shop brought compost to the soil, but it seems to need much much more. I got 2 full compost bins and many hedge clippings which are taking their time to break down. Someone told me to add some cow manure but I never know where to get them. If anyone knows please let me know.

Comment by Melinda Que_Linda on September 4, 2010 at 10:29: You can pick up horse manure very cheaply at any local stables. Its £1.50 for a bin liner of poo at my local stables. You do have to let it rot for a year though.

Alternatively, speak to your local parks department or environmental services. My council composts Christmas trees and kitchen waste and has vast mountainous piles of compost which they sell back to residents for a few pounds a bag.

Comment by Jan Willetts on September 4, 2010 at 22:18: I think you've done really well for a beginner ! I've been growing for a few years now and have some good crops and some bad, even with the same treatments. Mange tout peas this year have been good healthy plants but only three peas every few days! They never made it to the kitchen either. Most veg like good levels of sunshine and deep rich soil that drains well. Home made compost or bought in composted stable manure from the garden centre will benefit your soil-spread it in autumn and let the worms do the work over winter. My pak choi did well under a tunnel last year and lasted the winter before suddenly all flowering at the same time in the spring-it definitely needs protecting from pigeons round here! Have another go next year.