What can I say, this year has been tough, like really tough! The first couple weeks of June the weather improved greatly and things actually started growing! What a relief. But the damage done by slugs and snails for many plants was too much.
Second sowings of beans and peas have been eaten, as have the carrots and most of my brassicas. It’s painful to see.
At the beginning of the month we had a morning out at Helmsley Walled Garden which was just lovely. The veg garden/community growing space was looking the same as mine veg wise but my attention wasn’t on the veg, it was on the amazing display of hardy geranium Magnificum!
I loved this display and the mass of pollinators buzzing all over it so much that I actually ordered 6 plants, 4 for the allotment and 2 for at home. I’ve decided to add more perennial flowers to the beds on the plot to help build more diversity and decrease the amount of empty space during the colder months. Hopefully this time next year I’ll have a buzzing display just like that one.
The tomatoes have grown incredibly this year, I’ve actually never known them to look quite so good before. They seem to have doubled in size in a week! I always plant my tomatoes into the ground in the greenhouses. This way I don’t need to worry about keeping on top of watering every day or two. A good soak once a week or every 10 days does just fine.
I had planned on growing each tomato plant with two main stems as usual but they’ve grown so well and so strongly that some now have 3 or even 4 main stems! Going forwards I’m being much stricter with nipping out sideshoots.
As the month goes on some things are growing, some things are not and many things are eaten. Initially I looked at the funny side of it all. My skeleton potatoes, invisible carrots and absolutely thriving (non existent) beans. I shared this with everyone on social media and the response was incredible! So many growers saying how relieved they were to know it wasn’t just them. Some of the messages made me teary, people telling me how they thought they were failures and rubbish at growing. Telling me of all the plants they’ve lost and how heartbroken they were. But also messages from people thanking me for being honest and sharing the truth about how awful a growing year it’s been.
What amazed me was how many people from all over the world were having the same problems! France, Spain, Germany, Holland, America, all struggling with rain, cold temps and pest damage.
Into the 2nd week of June I planted out pumpkins, courgettes, leeks and beans. by mid month it all got too much.
I’d been struggling with a horrid cold for several weeks, a real tickly cough that turned into a chesty cough and then moved into my sinuses too. I was exhausted, run down and sore. 3 weeks of this cold and then I developed an agonising pain under my ribs (pleurisy I believe) and so I rang the Drs only to be told they couldn’t see me for at least a couple weeks.
That evening I went to the allotment and was horrified to find my pumpkins, tomatoes and brassicas wilting . After closer inspection I realised Mr Mole was back and was tunnelling under all the beds!! Just as the slugs were starting to die back a little then this happens. I’ve had mole problems for the past 3 years which I’ve tolerated but this year it was just too upsetting. However it gets worse. That evening I went home and put some garlic bread on for dinner (I know, I know) and I ended up burning it. Well, the straw that broke the camels back and this was it! My goodness did I cry. I cried because everything was just too much. I suddenly hated my plot, I hated growing veg and I hated the fact I felt like a complete failure.
I’ve decided that this year in order to save my love for the plot I have to take a step back from it all. I’m not worrying about what’s growing and what’s not anymore. I’m not worrying about the weeds and going over every few days. What will be will be this summer. I’m going to the plot when I want to and just focussing on the good. It should never feel like a chore and the only way I can enjoy the space this summer is to worry less and enjoy the small wins.
Instead I’m focussing on building my wildlife pond and some bug houses. Come Autumn I will start clearing areas and planning for next year. I’m enjoying this more relaxed approach already.
We were invited to Newby Hall & Gardens mid month and it was lovely having a walk round the gardens with head gardener Laurence. So much to see and new ideas to take home. We chatted with Nick Smith about plans for the Harrogate Autumn flower show which will be hosted in Newby’s grounds this autumn and I can’t wait to see it all. Will you be going?
We ended the month on an absolute high! We were invited to BBC Gardeners World Magazine weekend at Warner Hotels Nidd Hall and it was an absolute treat. The hotel and grounds were gorgeous and the evening entertainment was on point. But the best part was meeting some incredible gardening icons including my idol, Frances Tophill!!!
We enjoyed talks by Adam Frost, Frances Tophill, David Hurrion and Joe Swift, WOW! what a treat. I was able to chat with each of them and of course had to get a picture and a signature too. Absolutely amazing. We learnt so much and it was truly fascinating listening to each gardeners story.
One lady commented to me ‘That might be you up there next year’. Now wouldn’t that be incredible.
Steph’s Allotment 