The ups, the downs and the insides out of growing your own in 2026!

greenbee

I've weeded one asparagus bed and edged it with some of the billions of strawberry runners. 

KajiKita

I’ve tidied, weeded and split the strawberries that were in pots last year and planted them at the end of the garlic bed.
Bought seed potatoes, French climbing and runner bean seeds, two dahlias and new secateurs 😊
Harvested a big handful of parsley for my mushroom soup today. 🌿

KK

zafiro1984

I really need to join in again and get inspired. I do so enjoy growing things; I just don't seem to have the time and certainly have less energy than I used to have but I'll give it a go again and see what happens.

The veg plot has changed this last couple of years, we're plagued by deer, to the point where the damage done is soul destroying, so last year all the outside beds were flattened and grassed over. I'm left with the greenhouse - currently occupied by geese -  a couple of polytunnels, plus a fruit cage overrun with brambles. 
I've decided to just grow a limited range of vegetables, start small and see where it leads me. Time available will be a huge factor in what I can do but I'll give it a go.

Kantankrus_Mare

Well my allotment year has been thrown into uncertainty. I love my allotment. Its my happy place but a recent horrendous 25 hr visit to A & E has resulted in gallbladder issues which apparently needs to come out. Just in the middle of scans and blood tests so not sure on what will happen and when. Can guarantee IF I need operation and 4 weeks out of action it will fall on busiest time on the plot but then looking at some area wait times, I could be ages waiting. I hate the not knowing and unable to plan. So frustrating!!

Suffolk_lass

Kantankrus_Mare said:

Well my allotment year has been thrown into uncertainty. I love my allotment. Its my happy place but a recent horrendous 25 hr visit to A & E has resulted in gallbladder issues which apparently needs to come out. Just in the middle of scans and blood tests so not sure on what will happen and when. Can guarantee IF I need operation and 4 weeks out of action it will fall on busiest time on the plot but then looking at some area wait times, I could be ages waiting. I hate the not knowing and unable to plan. So frustrating!!

@Kantankrus_Mare my husband had Acute Pancreatitis last February, which was turning into Sepsis when the ambulance got him to hospital so he spent a week being stripped of his biodome by the antibiotics and hydration fluids to stop it attacking his organs (and definitely saved his life) - he had to go fat free and clear that infection to have his gallbladder removed, which they like to do in 4-6 weeks. He had to wait 12 because of the infection. This meant they could do day surgery. Fingers crossed for you. We had a whole other issue after that, but that is not normal.

Kantankrus_Mare

Suffolk_lass said:

Kantankrus_Mare said:

Well my allotment year has been thrown into uncertainty. I love my allotment. Its my happy place but a recent horrendous 25 hr visit to A & E has resulted in gallbladder issues which apparently needs to come out. Just in the middle of scans and blood tests so not sure on what will happen and when. Can guarantee IF I need operation and 4 weeks out of action it will fall on busiest time on the plot but then looking at some area wait times, I could be ages waiting. I hate the not knowing and unable to plan. So frustrating!!

@Kantankrus_Mare my husband had Acute Pancreatitis last February, which was turning into Sepsis when the ambulance got him to hospital so he spent a week being stripped of his biodome by the antibiotics and hydration fluids to stop it attacking his organs (and definitely saved his life) - he had to go fat free and clear that infection to have his gallbladder removed, which they like to do in 4-6 weeks. He had to wait 12 because of the infection. This meant they could do day surgery. Fingers crossed for you. We had a whole other issue after that, but that is not normal.

Oh heck....that must have been so scary for you both! Yeah Im following low fat diet and not had any pain since but so scared of another flare up. Hoping by the end of this week I should know more as all scans and bloods been done now.

Suffolk_lass

Kantankrus_Mare said:

Suffolk_lass said:

Kantankrus_Mare said:

Well my allotment year has been thrown into uncertainty. I love my allotment. Its my happy place but a recent horrendous 25 hr visit to A & E has resulted in gallbladder issues which apparently needs to come out. Just in the middle of scans and blood tests so not sure on what will happen and when. Can guarantee IF I need operation and 4 weeks out of action it will fall on busiest time on the plot but then looking at some area wait times, I could be ages waiting. I hate the not knowing and unable to plan. So frustrating!!

@Kantankrus_Mare my husband had Acute Pancreatitis last February, which was turning into Sepsis when the ambulance got him to hospital so he spent a week being stripped of his biodome by the antibiotics and hydration fluids to stop it attacking his organs (and definitely saved his life) - he had to go fat free and clear that infection to have his gallbladder removed, which they like to do in 4-6 weeks. He had to wait 12 because of the infection. This meant they could do day surgery. Fingers crossed for you. We had a whole other issue after that, but that is not normal.

Oh heck....that must have been so scary for you both! Yeah Im following low fat diet and not had any pain since but so scared of another flare up. Hoping by the end of this week I should know more as all scans and bloods been done now.

If you don't get your appointment within six weeks, definitely get your GP surgery to follow up. Mr Sl was initially put on the wrong waiting list (elective, not priority). As you say, avoiding a flare-up is key, in the meantime. Thinking of you x

DD265

@leftatthetrafficlights I've grown Casablanca before - I do my earlies in potato grow bags but had no issues and from what I remember they tasted good. I tend to stick to Charlotte and Jazzy these days just because they're my faves.

Fingers crossed for good news @Kantankrus_Mare, and if it has to be something, may it be the least impactful and easiest to fix something.

My 2026 season has started… onion sets and elephant garlic cloves potted up in the shed to plant out in a few weeks - I'm hoping that the ground won't be quite as wet by then but they should get a helping hand this way. I'd planned to put the garlic in at Christmas but things derailed…

I've done a bit of work in my mini-orchard; a new cherry tree "Stella" planted (in a new spot) to replace one with canker, which I've removed, and two apple trees "Appletini" and "Golden Delicious" moved as things were looking a bit cramped. I ran out of horticultural grit and the clay banking is so wet, I've paused moving the apple "Summerred" and pear "Conference" until I've picked some more grit up. My pomegranate tree is planted in the greenhouse; again, there's clay under there and that corner can get a tad wet (I could only dig out about a foot of clay before it was impossible) so I cut the bottom out of a 42L trug with a broken handle and have basically put a raised bed on top of my 10cm raised bed. No idea how it'll do, but I like novel plants - if it does survive, I plan to espalier it with a 90 degree angle - it's in the corner. I got some saffron crocus bulbs from the garden centre and put those in the trug too - both like quite a dry, gritty mix.

I have space for one more patio tree, so I'm going to try again with a peach. I've settled on "Avalon Pride", as it is leaf curl resistant, and just need to find one on the right rootstock, which will be an online purchase I'm sure. I had wanted to add a cooking apple but am out of space on the banking, however, it has occurred to me that I could get a stepover one which opens up some other possibilities.

I've got a list of classes for the show in May, I'm not sure I'll do all of these but these are the ones I've narrowed it down to. Through sheer laziness and not clearing a bed, I have overwintered some spring onions, although they are definitely not in show condition!

• Class 29. Beetroot, 3 with tops. Any variety. 
• Class 33. A Container of Salad Leaves. Judged for colour. Maximum size of container 60cm x 60cm or 60cm in diameter.
• Class 34. Root of New Potatoes, entire root to be displayed with haulm and tops. Any variety.
• Class 35. Radishes, bunch of 12 with tops. Any variety. 
• Class 37. Spinach, perpetual, one handful.
• Class 38. Spring Onions, bunch of 12. Any variety, bulbs to exceed 15mm, leaves to exceed 25cm.
• Class 41. Any item of Garden Produce not previously listed.

droopsnoot

I planted various chilli seeds and put them in the bottom of the airing cupboard yesterday. I didn't bother marking which were which - I did that last year, then lost track of them while potting on, so I'll just go with pot luck this time. Last year virtually none of them bore fruit, so not knowing which one I was not getting chillies from didn't make any difference. I've kept one going over winter inside the house, but I'm not hopeful - it shed a couple of leaves last week and it looks like a palm tree - all the leaves at the top, nothing up the "trunk".

jivjules1

everyone’s doing well! I’ve put some compost on my main bed and brought a load of seeds from Lidl need to do a bit more on the bed and start some seed sowing soon!