What have you learnt now that you wish you knew then

Principia_2

Thanks for the ideas on earthing up I had thought the potatoes needed the extra nutrients but maybe they are like underground pumpkins and only the roots need to be in earth? Mine are in bags so earthing them up with lawn cuttings would work.

Another thing learned - pumpkins are prone to powdery mildrew so it is definitely not a good idea to plant them under hanging baskets that need watering daily. Two things learned for the price of one

Primrose

I've also learned that two courgette plants are perfectly adequate to supply our household, so goodness only knows why every year I fail to resist the temptation and plant a couple of extra ones in case of failures. I always end up with a surplus. Neighbours walk on the other side of the road if they see me bearing courgettes and by the end of September I also usually have half a dozen huge marrows to store in the garage "for winter consumption" which end up slowly rotting because they never get eaten.

bof_3

I've learnt not to pinch out the top of the cucumber plant thinking it was a side shoot- it's taken a month for new cucumbers to appear.

I've also learnt that I really should get netting for my strawberries unless I want the local birds to enjoy the fruits of my labour.;)