Early retrospective of 2008

Just thought it was worth recording this year's lessons learnt, if a bit early.

I still have lots to learn and to do better. However, I did manage to grow a few things this year than I didn't manage last year including parsnips and artichokes (globe and Jerusalem). Blight was the major downer of the year taking all my tomatoes (even the ones at home on the patio). Though it didn't really hurt the potatoes, it got me worried.

Some things I should have done:

- sowed more broad beans;
- sowed more parsnips;
- planted Brussel sprouts a lot earlier;
- used wigwams not rows for the peas.

Specific issues

Potatoes

This year, I used a bulb planter to put the seed potatoes in. This meant that the job was relatively quick and easy which was important given that I was getting them in so late (mid May I think). The disadvantage was that many of the potatoes were on the green side. Not a big deal unless you eat one or two with the skin on without realising. It is a really horrible, sickening bitter taste. Next year, I really have to get them in the ground earlier, to get them to good maturity by the time blight comes around. I should also dig trenches for them. And grow slightly less of them.

Onions and garlic

I have planted out onion sets and garlic cloves in the Autumn twice now. The results, particularly in the case of the onions, have been a little disappointing. Onions have be small and few. In heavy clay soil, which gets quite hard over Winter, it probably restricts growth until later in Spring. It is nice to have something in the ground over Winter but I will try waiting until Spring before planting onions out.

The garlic has tasted fantastic but the bulbs have generally been a little on the small side. I may try preparing the ground more thoroughly and continue to put these in in late Autumn.

Sweetcorn

One weekend, I heard from others that "The Badger" was on the rampage. I thought to myself (God knows why), "next weekend, I put some chicken wire up around that sweetcorn to protect it". Of course, between that moment and the next weekend, The Badger paid a visit. Next year, I should plant the sweetcorn in a tighter area and should put protection up as early as possible.

Everyone blames The Badger. I find it funny to think of a single badger terrorising the whole site. I am sure there must be a whole gang of them.

Pests

The netting tunnel cloches I bought seemed to help hugely in keeping brassicas safe from cabbage white and rabbit(touch wood). I have been pinning these down with tent pegs too which I think help to make it harder for anything to burrow under them. And the bright blue organic slug pellets you can buy also seem to be effective so I should continue with them.