The ups, the downs and the insides out of growing your own in 2024!

ElaniArtin

One amazing source of seeds can be found at your local Asian market: leaves like fenugreek, mustard, fresh stock of unsprayed and sprouting garlic, ginger, etc.

rtandon27

Suffolk_lass said:

...The autumn fruiting raspberries all need cutting down this month

Thanks for the reminder SL!  I was just thinking something along those lines this morning when perusing the garden for any wind-storm damage from yesterday.  I usually prune in late autumn/early winter but it's been so very wet, that the bare canes are still in-situ.  Last year's berry crop was incredibly successful, yielding a punnet of berries every other day!  Fingers crossed they repeat the feat this year.

The worst casualty from the storm was a rose trellis that got blown over, I'll have to reattach it to the fence & figure out a way to trim back the top-heavy growth which looks divine along the top of the fence throughout the summer.  I had grand plans of making rosehip jelly, but this did not materialize this year, so have been enjoying the beauty of the winter pops of colour.  It still has some hips on it that the birds love feeding on, so think I'll wait for them to finish feasting before giving it a haircut.

My lavender has recovered beautifully.  In 2022, my 'helpful' neighbours decided to mercilessly hack it back, cutting into the old wood.   (They didn't like the smell on the odd occasion they used the path to bring their bike through.)  This resulted in much of the plant just dying back from the shock.  Over the last year, I coddled and pruned the plant at least once a month and got a bountiful lavender flower harvest (for moth sachets).  The plant itself has now filled in beautifully with new growth filling in the gaps. 

Same neighbours also hacked back a climbing jasmine at the side of my house which tbh can't be dissuaded from growing and has returned with a vengeance.  I've trained it up the side of the house and over the path, using the roof of the summer house for support and now have a glorious green archway.  (As for the interfering neighbours, let's just say there were words, not of the polite variety & they were reminded that their right of way extends to only the path, which is kept clear at all times.  They just happen to be the proud owners of a plastic grass lawn, so that says it all!)

This year, I'd like to dig up the ugly vegetable beds that the former owners put in over lock-down and return that part of the garden to it's former Victorian glory with pretty borders.  I don't grow anything that requires constant tending, as I spend far too much time in the city and the OH is not a gardener and his involvement extends to mowing every so often.  I would like to keep adding to the perennial herbs & fruit trees that are already present.  I've heard of hearty vegetables such as perennial kale, so hopefully will be able to intersperse these into the borders.

Suffolk_lass

Good to see you here @rtandon27 - Rainbow chard looks very lovely, planted 15cm back from the edge of a flower border too. If you plant any of the mints, you are advised to contain the roots or it will take over (rather like the bronze leaved ajuga [aka carpet bugle] that is replacing our lawn at one end) - a pot or pipe with a missing bottom is good

rtandon27

Thank-you SL - I absolutely love chard, so will look into the rainbow varieties!

(I've been lurking on here for yonks, and thought a new year a good time to join in! 😊)

DD265

We have a tiny garden (house built 2006) but put a new bed in last year which was actually planned, as opposed to "that looks pretty". Lots of ferns and other shade tolerant plants, with a consistent colour scheme. I now want to repeat this planting elsewhere, so my remaining GYO - two bay trees, a peach and a nectarine - are destined for the allotment to make space.

I got the plot in 2022 and had a great first year, cultivating about half of it. In 2023 we progressed further to over 3/4 cultivated, plus added a greenhouse. The big jobs for this year are to get my shed put up and to clear the banking at the back of the plot so I can move the fruit trees up there. When the trees are moved, I'm going to put in a dedicated wildlife area and possibly a small pond.

Our favourite crop from 2023 was the sweetcorn, so definitely doing that again this year. We still have two cobs left in the freezer, ready to be boiled and smothered in butter. We had a good potato crop in 2022, but lost most of the ones in the ground to slugs in 2023. The earlies I grew in bags did well. We're struggling to find a good variety to make chips with (they all seem too "clean") but also suffer with scab, so I've specifically ordered scab-resistant varieties to try this year. We've had two years where the peas/beans haven't done great, so I have done away with one of the six rotating beds; I'll combine the peas/beans with something else if I want another go.

The garlic is already in but hasn't made an appearance yet and I'm worried that it might not, given how waterlogged everything is. I've heeled in some raspberry "Octavia" canes too; need to get my mitts on a pallet collar to increase the height of a raised bed, and the remaining canes I'm possibly going to put on the banking. I can't do anything else at the moment except feed the critters.We have lots of hedgehogs (a couple of smaller ones aren't hibernating yet, the bigger ones are starting to disappear) and I think at least 3 foxes that visit. I've got a trail camera but still struggle to tell them all apart.

Growing our own costs a fortune; I love a garden centre trip. It should get cheaper over time (she says).

bluesooz

2023 wasn't a good year for vegggies here - the weather really didn't help! -  and i rather lost my mojo with it all.  The greenhouse was producitve though with lots of tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet peppers

However 2024 is a new start so looking forward to a better year. 

Broad beans are in and all germinated and growing well,
leeks are doing reasonably well - won't be huge but will still taste good
Purple Sprouting broccoli are huge but struggling with the windy weather so I keep having to prop them back up - but already have florets formimg on some of them

ladybird1106

Last year wasn't too bad I suppose, we grew plenty and ate plenty. We are trying to use the plot more efficiently this year as none of us are getting a younger. Winter 2023 we covered most of one plot with plastic to stop soil erosion and prevent weeds growing. We also had to dig a channel to funnel the water from our very wet plot(only happens in winter). Hopefully less digging too. Plan is to just grow what we like. Need to get better at successional sowing to maximise our space. We grow alot of edible flowers, the bees and other insects appreciate them. Have a big problem with leek moth, any advice appreciated as long as it's not chemicals.
Love 🐞

ancientmum

Last year was mixed on the plot, tomatoes grew well, but the sprouting broccoli went straight to seed.  I've saved the seed to see if I have better luck next year.  I've still got leeks and kale.  The kale seems small compared with what I see on other plots.  Does anyone have any tips?
I've planted some garlic which is showing sprouts.  The new washing up bowl pond and it was used by a frog for a swim in summer, so hoping it comes back in spring.
So, starting to sort out seeds and deciding what is worth trying and how to best use the space.

debtfreewannabe321

Hi all, I hope you don't mind me popping in here?
I bought my new house in June 2022 with grand plans to grow my own. Renovations took place instead and I tried to keep up with growing my own this past summer, I succeeded on a handful of strawberries & peppers, I did pretty well on tomatoes & runner beans and had a success with a handful of raspberries umm that was about it. the garden is well established so I don't really know where to put new stuff, either make new beds (kids are older now so not interested in playing out there) or dig up established stuff which I'm a bit loathe to do (it is the first house i've ever had where I have a pretty garden already!).
I have lots of seeds I think. I would love to grow tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, aubergines, rhubarb (I have a crown from last year), and fruit such as raspberries & strawberries, so I suppose I should have a look as to when these should be all planted really. DFW321

ladybird1106

Visited the plot yesterday to view any damage due to weather. None, although we have acquired someone's tarpaulin. 
Harvested kale, sprouts and psb. Used onions and potatoes from storage to make tea. 
Love🐞