My year in the garden

Well wot a year i've had and sadly my poor veggie patch suffered. You see around July I seperated from my on off girlfriend and it hit me pretty hard so much so that i was diagnosed with the big D, and as a result my suffered because i couldn't be bothered. There has be some highlights my Parsnips, Runners and Potatoes. Anyway got the motivation today to get in the gardden and sort my wild loganberry canes out boy had they got out of hand lets just say i've got yhe holes in my hands to prove it but no gain without pain now i have a nice wall of Loganberry ready for the summer next season.

Anyway lets see how my veggies selection made it
Radish
Did really well, had some encredibly big radish and some not so impressive radish but we got enough to get by will be sowing them next season.
Beetroot - Boltardy
Absolute failure apart from 3 good roots. The slugs and mice got to them, didn't help that I let the weeds get out of control. Still undecided about growing these next season.
Carrot - Early Nantes 5
Total loss. For the 2nd season running my Carrots have come to absolutely nothing, loads of top folige but no root at all. So think i'll be giving them a miss next season. Not sure if its my soil or not.
Parsnip - Tender and True
Grew these on Ziggy's recommendation, and with a little help from some old boys tips they grew fantastic. I sowed 18 plants only lost 2. Pulled possibly to early but what flavour beats the supermarkets hands down. Will certainly be growing these puppies again. Looking to grow 3 times as much as my family prefers these to shop brought ones now. Thanks for the recommendation Ziggy.
Leek - Musselburgh
Well did what all the seasoned growers have told me inch and half to 2 inch wide hole pop in baby leek and water. The only problem was didn't expect the downpour of rain we got over a period of 2 weeks. Came back from holiday they had all rotted.
Onion - Forum F1
Grew really well, all thou not great lovers of the shade. Growing in the sun they grew huge and have a really great flavour not to strong and not to mild, and the smaller ones made a perfect encompanyment to a nice crunchy salad. Growing again next season.
Spring Onion - Ishikura
Despite what they said on the packet these did not like growing in the patio tub i popped them, might be choosing a different variety next season.
Runner Bean - Wisley Magic
Love this bean produces really long beans completely stringless and tastes fantastic. Will always grow these as you can't get enough runners now can you. Did to good this year more than i could consume
Potatoes - Various
Growing 7 varieties really did give me some food for thought. My 1st of International Kidney didn't go as well as i'd hoped not growing next season, Rocket didn't go as planned not sure about these next season. My 2nd earlies Blue kestrel produced so many the bag was bulging at the sides, Charlotte did enough to feed all 5 of us for one dinner. My mains did really well Blue Belle, Maxine and King Edward produced more than i thought just got to decide which one to grow next season.
Broccoli - Early Purple Sprouting
Not sure yet, really ravaged by the Cabbage Whites despite me squashing the eggs. Would have thought they'd have started to show head production by now or am i to eager?

Anyway got out to my garden this afternoon and relised how much work i've got aheadc of myself to prepare for next season, just look at the photo for evidence.

So any suggestions about the garden, i've got loads of dying leaves on the ground do i dig them in or clear them to the compost heap.

 

Parsnips


Potatoes
Blue Belle If i remember correctly


Maxine


Charlotte

 

That garden gives inspiration that i can do it well. I think the first thing i'm going to purchase is a good wall planner and set out tasks for each week maybe 1 a day only small to start. I must admit the first job i need to do is get the weed killer down and build my path properly. Weed matting and then cover with bark chippings or something similar then sit down and plan like crazy. Thanks for the kind words.

 

Glad to hear you're getting back into the garden firsttimer. Some good advice from Armandii there, take your time and create the garden you want.
You asked about your Early Purple Sprouting broccoli. Don't worry too much, they're fairly resilient and should recover from the caterpillar attack, so long as they weren't completely stripped of leaves. Watch out for pigeons though! If you get them in your garden, the plants will need protection through the winter.
It's a bit early for Sprouting Broccoli at the moment, Early Purple should begin to produce tasty new shoots around late February or March.

 

That cool just thought that with the mild weather they may be early and as for pigeon we have resident doves using the garden so yes they have got plenty of cover although i may remove if we get a forecat of snow.