A poor showing

Trying to run a garden business in this current ‘climate’ is somewhat challenging (to say the least). Still, I have to work with what arrives on a daily basis.

It’s fair to say I’m getting slightly (an under-estimation) bored with ‘the’ topic of conversation. It’s unavoidable unfortunately, being a gardener, but even I have to admit, there’s absolutely nothing I/we can do about it, and I’d like to change the topic please…

Managed to get to the allotment briefly yesterday to cut some grass – seems it’s about the only thing that’s growing successfully this year. As I looked at some water logged potatoes, and very soggy ground (2-3inches of standing water in some places), I mused on the state of various fruit + veg:

Broad beans – covered in black gunk (remnants of black fly)

French beans – not really growing

Runner beans – slow growing – although some flower blossom appearing

No carrots from 6 rows sown

A dozen or so parsnips from 3 rows sown

No strawberries.

Little to no blackcurrants

No gooseberries

Very poor showing on my 4 espalier apple trees

Main crop onions + shallots overwhelmed by weeds

Squash & courgette plants very slowly moving on

Since having the allotment (some 12 years or so), I think this is the poorest season I’ve ever experienced. The combination of a very dry March, followed by all the wet, and cool conditions isn’t going to help this year’s crops. Thinking about how this might translate to the ‘commercial world’ within the UK; I think we could be in trouble. Recent reports from Worcestershire on TV showed flooded fields of potatoes, and Lincolnshire farmers racing to try and get the pea harvest in – again flooded fields. Whilst the supermarkets may be able to order in extra if the UK can’t oblige – you have to think where’s all that lot going to come from? And at what price?