We have had a poor growing year this year. The weather was awful but like all gardeners we are hopeful for next year. We will be spending the long evenings pouring through seed catalogues and ordering new varieties of vegetables in an attempt to grow bigger and better varieties for our dinner tables.
The tomato blight really hit us all hard this year, many even had tomato plants succumb under glass. A thorough disinfection of the greenhouse will be necessary before any attempt at growing tomatoes next year is made. All old and diseased plants will need to be burnt. Bonfire night will provide the ideal opportunity for this.
This time of year is very busy on the plot. We are all trying to complete clearing and digging so that all is ready for next season. This is generally hard physical work and like all such strenuous activity, the amount of time spent should be built up gradually.
The effort in collecting the green waste has paid off; the council has provided us with composted household waste to mulch our plots, and keep them weed free. This should be of great benefit to the soil and also in keeping the weeds at bay.
My plot is still providing me with root veg, parsnips, carrots and beetroot as well as the prospect of some winter cabbage; and the greenhouse still has some tomato and pepper plants that are still going strong. In the green house too, I sowed some radish lamb's lettuce and carrot seed as an experiment to see if I could get a crop indoors; as the weather is so mild the seeds of the lettuce and radish have germinated, but it is too early to say if they will produce a successful crop.
I look forward with optimism to 2008. And I wish all of you out there happy gardening, and success at keeping the slugs at bay.
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