Is it me, or has this years growing season been a bit odd so far? I have some things that are romping away, whilst others are just languishing at best, and I just don't get it - - take tomatoes for example, my Maskotka have gone a bit leggy and a bit scruffy already, where as the Delicious and Manx Marvels are right wee sturdy things with lush dark green foliage; both types on the same shelf in the greenhouse, both fed and watered at the same time, yet completely different. Dahlias - I am over-run with the things (seriously, I don't remember sowing that many seeds, but I obviously did! Calendula, dwarf annual hollyhocks, antirrhinum, nicotiana sylvestris, trailing petunias - - - all going bananas. Marigolds - barely a flutter of life. Outdoors its the same - Brussels sprouts just seem to get bigger by the hour, whereas spring onions are doing next to now't; lettuces are slow, but getting going now, whereas leeks sown a couple of weeks ago (indoors) have barely germinated (starting to think the onion family has something against me!) It all just seems really, really odd this year - - am I alone?
No (and I'm not even seeding this year!) ... the milder winter has brought things on, but, the colder night snaps are hindering other things which would normally respond very favourably to the milder weather. That's my take on it anyway
Its really frustrating @"M" - - I feel that some stuff (begonias) seem destined to come to nothing, where as others (dahlias) I just cannot move on fast enough.
But, isn't that just the whole (challenge) fascination of gardening? Some years one thing thrives and another year it is something different? For a classic example: I have lived here nigh on 4 years and thought I knew everything which grew here (prior to "M" landing ). Did I flub!!!! *This* year, I have some gorgeous flowers that have come up in the front garden which I have only ever seen last year in my rear garden - some sort of European gladioli (can't remember, but did ask for an ID last year). And, to cap that ... I emptied an old rancid half barrel tub, which I'd inherited with the property, into the copse end 3yrs ago ... and now? Blow me if a cordyline hasn't sprung up from that clump, without me even blinking! 'Tis "nature" my friend: all things are unfolding as they should Enjoy your bounty and don't mourn (for too long, anyway) those things which are not destined to thrive. You are doing a grand job, matey!
I inherited a couple of those when I moved here too. Why do people try to plant them up without drilling holes in them? They're designed for the transportation of liquids! Drainage holes in one and Tricyrtis and Hostas are romping away in that. The other I've left empty of soil, let water fill it up and dropped a basket of Iris in there which are also growing spectacularly! FC - don't the Allium family appreciate cold to get going?
@longk - no idea, but you might just have hit the nail on the head! I have never had any luck growing spring onions or even onions; my leeks did reasonably well last year though, but I just can't get the blighters to start this year - going to sow another tray tomorrow, give myself a fighting chance; I'll leave it in the shade for a bit, as that is about as cold as I will get (short of the fridge)
Good idea, and then maybe not sow them in a greenhouse that is getting to well over 20ยบ on a daily basis - - last year's were sown and germinated outdoors
Have to say it's not just you @FC , I have cosmos that are only in 3" pots in flower, last year they seemed like they were never going to bloom. Aquilegia that were in full flower last year are lagging well behind. As has been said, all the fun (challenge) of gardening....
I'm with you FC. Lots of stuff is romping away here. The fatsias are growing noticeably taller by the day and are well ahead compared to last year, same with the cardoons and ligularia. The sambucas are romping away too, again noticeably better than last year. Cannas are very slow, as are the heucheras.
FC, you will find that tomatoes tend to do something different every year. Mine are only just in there final planting position in the greenhouse, not even a foot high and they are showing flower trusses already. My Manx Marvels are outside hardening off before planting in a large trough. Cosmos are really slow to get going in there pots, Nicotiana were slow getting away too but have suddenly taken off in this last week. My dwarf irises didn't bloom at all last year and this year have put on the perfect display. Every year's different with plants.
Most things are doing very well , Canna bengals are a bit slow and my mange toute and sugarsnaps are only just showing after a month . Hopefully this warm spell will give them a push.
It does seem to be an odd season so far. As M rightly says, it is partly just the rich tapestry of gardening life, with some plants thriving each year while others seem to struggle or give up completely. Each year has its winners and losers, 'twas ever thus. Even so there are some decidedly rum goings on in my garden this spring. I've had unexpected total failures of sowings of sweet corn and lettuce, using the same varieties and methods I always use, normally with reliable results. In the greenhouse, the tomatoes are a picture of health and vigour, romping away and looking likely to produce fruit earlier than I've ever had before ...... and yet ...... the Gardener's Delight, which normally leaves all the other varieties standing, are this year noticeably slower and quite a way behind the rest. Meanwhile, in the same greenhouse the sweet peppers have suffered from an infestation of aphids, this in a greenhouse where I've rarely, if ever, had problems with aphids. Another aphid oddity I've noticed. A patch of foxgloves and a guelder rose in the back garden are both heavily infested with blackfly, these are both just a few feet away from two temptingly succulent rows of broad beans. Yet when I pinched out the broad bean tops in the time honoured fashion, I found virtually no blackfly on them. Outdoor sowings of spring onions, normally unreliable at best, have germinated well and are thriving. Meanwhile, the snails have ignored a temptingly tender row of winter brassica seedlings, preferring instead to munch their way through an adjacent row of spicy salad leaf seedlings, containing the likes of rocket, mizuna and mustard. Rum goings on indeed.
