I had started keeping records of what was sown/transplanted/potted on/harvested and when, however I became lax and forgot to keep this up. My father had allotments and we kept records over 30 years ago. The first cauliflower I grew on his plot was one called Canberra and it was massive. The weight was recorded in the logbook but unfortunately, I cannot find it.
If I kept up record keeping, I would remember what did well. I did, I keep this blog updated regularly in its early days. Having neglected it, I now can’t remember which spuds did well, etc., in recent years.
Notes from this year:
- Little Marvel is not as good/sweet/big as Greenshaft nor Douce Provence. They were sown in succession but were more or less ready the same time.
- I pre-soaked some French Bean seeds as I had patchy germination last year. I think my saved seed is old and not 100% viable. The one Climbing French Bean did sprout up, and after planting out, there are already baby beans on them.
- Leeks have been a success in most years but I sowed only a few this year, however the slugs and snails have eaten the seedlings.
- Onions from sets, many have bolted. I did sow some seeds but they were sown in April and aren’t all that big.
- Patty pans did really well last year but I have not sown any this. Instead, I have gone slightly overboard and now have many marrows-in-waiting.
- Sweetcorn is not very tall. Started in good time, it might just be one of those years. A commercial maize field had a maze attraction, but one year, they had very short plants by their usual time of opening in July – about 2ft high, and ours were around that height last month.
I was away again at the beginning of the sowing season, and practically all the toms/chillies I (or family) had sown failed. Cucumbers and watermelons are doing well, and we’ve had some cucumbers this year already. I have grown watermelons before but the fruit were not very big (about the size of a grapefruit, but that didn’t matter as there was flavour).
Have been away for a few weeks. I wonder how big the courgettes are. I have discovered a recipe for courgettes – they don’t taste all that courgettey if grated into olive oil/lemon juice/honey and poppy seeds.
