I had A LOT of garden fails this year. I
recently posted about how my Mortgage Lifter tomatoes never grew, my corn stalks were either yanked out by garden pests as small shoots or gnawed down when they were almost ready to harvest, and I was only able to grow one
sunflower. We had so many issues with squash too. We ha a combination of cucumber beetles, squash bugs, and squash vine borers. Gross! This is another fail--watermelon. I love watermelon and would love to grow my own. We tried a couple of years ago, but with our crappy clay soil, the watermelon didn't grow well. So this year,
with the raised bed, we thought with the deeper, better quality soil, the watermelon might do better. Nope. We harvested two tiny melons, and they tasted and smelled gross. Boo.
I also tried an
experiment with two different varieties of bush beans in containers, Ferry Morse Bush Contender and Burpee Bush Lake. Sadly, they didn't do well either. When I
first posted this in July, the Bush Contender plant had produced some beans already; the other one had not. I liked that plant better, too, because of the pretty light purple flowers. By the end of September the Bush Contender had caught up in terms of bean production, but the beans that both plants produced were small and hard. And total bean production was so small that I don't even think I recorded it. Another fail. I'm not sure if it was the small container, the weather, or other issues, but beans just didn't grow for us. Every time something goes wrong, one of my friends says "Chalk it up to experience!" She says it in an affected voice, and it's a bit of a running joke between us (not just about the garden, but general life stuff too, because that's what your parents always tell you when something goes wrong), but it's true. Now I know--don't grow bush beans in containers.
Here's something positive. Our pepper plants seem invincible. We weren't able to grow corn, beans, melon, certain tomatoes, or squash, but we have plenty of garden-fresh peppers! Here's the most recent harvest of some Golden Bells. They're small--all 3 can fit in one hand, but we get a nice harvest every week and can add peppers to sauces and soups. I'm not even that big of a pepper fan, but I'll take what I can get at this point. Despite the cold temperatures, the pepper plants are still producing, and we're slicing up and freezing peppers to use throughout the winter.
How's your edible garden doing? What are you harvesting?
Well....you and me both in terms of garden fails this year. I'm in Liverpool in the UK AND HAVE HAD THE MOST dismal HARVEST ever!!! It has never stopped raining so all the plants in my veggie patch have been rotted by the water. I have had no carrots, parsnips, broccoli, cabbage, toms, parsnips, beets.....the list is endless. I have reaped plenty of fruit from the fruit trees and bushes though, so lots of apples, pears, plums and berries. My strawberries were awful though, small and tasteless. I've never know a year like it.xxx
ReplyDeleteOh that stinks! Nothing you can do about the weather, but I'm sorry to hear about all the rotted veggies. What a waste! At least you got some fruit though. I hope next year is better.
DeleteI grow bush beans in tubs sometimes but success is very variety dependant. Some don't work at all and some are fine. Shame your watermelons didn't work.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Liz. I might try beans in a pot again, or we may clear some of the precious little ground space we have for them. Our clay-like soil is awful though.
DeleteYou are not on your own in this we have all had a pretty awful year with veg, but don't let it put you off, next year has got to be better.
ReplyDeleteSee I can grow beans but not peppers..how strange...no harvest this weekend...I have carrots and greens under cover waiting to harvest later.
ReplyDeleteI think that's why I don't consider myself a very good vegetable gardener. Too many fails. Although, like your peppers, there is usually something that keeps me hanging on, thinking I'll do better next year!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about growing peppers next year instead of the ground cherries and now you have me convinced! I like easy plants. Try sweet potatoes. They are super easy!
ReplyDeleteI like the fact that you admit you're not perfect. You seem so friendly, honest, and approachable. This must have been a good year for Peppers. We had a constant supply of them from our CSA farmer--I'm glad I didn't plant any because we got so many from the CSA. Thanks again for your honesty. The Watermelons are so cute! :)
ReplyDeleteThe best advice I've ever received when I have failures in the garden (veg or flowers) is to remember "There is always next year!" I believe gardeners are the eternal optimists. P. x
ReplyDeletewell that watermelon would have made an intersting centerpiece carved....wwe dont have to eat all fruit!
ReplyDeletewe have 2 sad compost volunteer tomatoes, which I forgot to water. No proud harvest here.
ReplyDeleteWell, don't be discouraged. Every year it's a whole new game out there in the garden! I'm not harvesting anything now since it is pretty cold and pretty much winter. I do still have arrugula and lettuce growing but I haven't been out to the garden to harvest, it's been so cold. Thanks for the reminder to check and see if something CAN be harvested in November!
ReplyDeleteHarmless Mason bees will increase your fruit set by increasing the amount of pollination. I'm adding a mason bee house to my garden this spring. Here's a link for a local company: http://ournativebees.com It would be cool to add one to your balcony and then compare next summers garden to this year.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid in our zone 5 garden harvest has come and gone. Tomatoes were not good this year but like yourself our peppers were great. So were carrots and walnuts.
ReplyDelete