Review of 2012 (bit late)

2012 saw the start of my blogging experience and my 2nd year of fruit and veg gardening and so many firsts in the gardening that my enthusiasm is still high even after what feels like 8 months of rain.

So the new items were the edition of fruit trees, a greenhouse, 2 more raised beds and my ducks – all of which are still alive and standing in the case of the greenhouse.

What grew well this year

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       Sweet corn.  This grew really well this year.  12 plants in 1 bed with some French beans and a courgette.  Got two cobs of most plants.

  
  


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       Carrots both my nantes and circular ones ina pot grew well and I had fresh carrots nearly up to Christmas

  
  


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       Kale.  Both my black and red Kale grew well and are both so pretty that they are worth having for that alone.

  
  


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       Runner Beans.  Slightly slower to get going this year but a good crop as usual.

  
  


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       Salad leaves mix from Vegetable seed company lovely mix grew well in beds and pots have ordered again.

  
  


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       Cucumbers in the greenhouse wonderful.

  
  


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       Tomatoes in greenhouse were late but tasty when they did ripen up.

  
  


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       Raspberries.  Good crop very tasty.

  
  

 

But not everything was a success.

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       Peas.  None this year, the slugs and snails got my early ones, and the rain got the 2^nd lot planted.

  
  


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       French beans.  Poor crop this year, none frozen.

  
  


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       Beetroots.  All varieties were small and none really grew past the marble stage -  not sure why.

  
  


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       Leeks – very small again more like spring onions.

  
  


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       Onion.  They all rotted in the wet beds.

  
  


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       Outdoor cucumbers failed to fruit.

  
  


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       Butternut squash also failed to fruit.

  
  

The other item of note was I grew Fennel this year to try and though I got a couple of good bulbs no one like it – so that will not be grown again.

I also tried sq ft gardening in two of my beds which worked ok, but needs a bit to much planning for my preferred ad hoc style.

 

But on with 2013, and the goals are

 

 

•       Fill that hungry gap

•      Use the greenhouse all year

•      Try some new veg – this include asparagus peas, Inca Berries (phylasis) and small cauliflowers.

•      Keep the ducks of the young shoots – this may need some planning

•      And keep enjoying the gardening.