Gardener's World - Demotivating?

newsgroup_monkey

Much as we love Gardener's world, am I the only person that watches Monty with his fantastic Tomatoes, Cabbage and so on and gets completely demotivated?

Some of our Toms haven't even flowered yet and his Beefsteak ones are well on their way!

And his cabbages are half grown etc.

OK, we aren't fortunate enough to have a real greenhouse, but sometimes I just look at my lot and wonder where I'm going wrong.

On the plus side, I have Turnips the size of Swedes (again). They're pushing themselves out!

Lotus-eater

Actually I was thinking, thank goodness his tomatoes are only that big! About the same as mine. Otherwise I would feel demoralised tbh.
And I work with harder conditions than he does

newsgroup_monkey

Ok, I'm off hibernating for the winter now

J_J_Carter

>we aren't fortunate enough to have a real greenhouse<

Well he has several AND a full-time gardener @ Longmeadow so don't beat yourself up!

DaftyDuck

... and, of course, he only shows you what HAS worked! I bet his huge compost heap is full of all the seed trays he "forgot to water", the carrots that are fly-ridden, and cabbages that shot. Well, that's what I choose to believe

newsgroup_monkey

OK, I'll buy into that theory

Mee

DaftyDuck wrote: »

... and, of course, he only shows you what HAS worked! I bet his huge compost heap is full of all the seed trays he "forgot to water", the carrots that are fly-ridden, and cabbages that shot. Well, that's what I choose to believe

That's the kind of programme I'd like to see - what went wrong and how to avoid it...To be fair to him he does refer to some problems and mistakes etc
I just watch as an aspirational (and orphan) gardener - it's "garden !!!!!!" for me (sorry to lower the tone...).

Farway

DaftyDuck wrote: »

... and, of course, he only shows you what HAS worked! I bet his huge compost heap is full of all the seed trays he "forgot to water", the carrots that are fly-ridden, and cabbages that shot. Well, that's what I choose to believe

That is what I like about RHS Wisley, the veg area has holey cabbages, the sunflowers in the maze [last year] were half the height due to drought, grass was brown, just like home, but bigger

Sambucus_Nigra

No offence to Monty as I think he is a decent chap - but what pes me off about GW is the 'and here are the ***s that I sowed last month' when there was no mention of sowing them last month. For newbies - it is very misleading and that's why they get motivated.

Each week there should be a 'this is what you should or could be sowing/potting on/harvesting now' section...so that people don't get left behind....

And - why do they STOP GW during the flippin summer when people need the most help with P&D

And during the winter when [believe it or not] you can still grow stuff and things like frames, raised beds, mulching, no dig gardens, crop rotation - all need sorting out.....

It's only really the second half of November and the first half of December that things are quiet in our garden; as soon as the 21st kicks in it's time to start sowing again.

*jumps off hobby horse

lostinrates

Last night I was looking at his pretty bare flower beds and turned to dh and said ''There, I don't feel so bad now''. Ours is a first year border, and at the good end it was ''fuller'' than his and to my taste, nicer

I do love any things about his garden- and I like him a lot, and t inspiring, but I would like more basic instruction too. I grew up watching Geoff Hamilton and wish DH could have seen those episodes.

irnbru_2

DaftyDuck wrote: »

... and, of course, he only shows you what HAS worked! I bet his huge compost heap is full of all the seed trays he "forgot to water", the carrots that are fly-ridden, and cabbages that shot. Well, that's what I choose to believe

I find Beechgrove is good at showing its failures.