I really miss my old Veg' Garden; Haddock's.
It was my 'pride and joy', and it produced huge amounts of vegs for decades. In fact it was amazing how much we ate fresh, put into the freezer, and bottled. There wasn't any time of the year that we were without something or other that came from there.
Haddock's is still home to an Apple tree, a Plum tree, a Cherry tree, a Fig tree, various Peach trees, and loads of Vines and Raspberries. It was a veritable production-line, that still continues.
I don't know how it happened, but suddenly, about 5 years ago, Haddock's began to suffer from diseases; the most virulent attacking my Tomatoes. I did everything I could to treat it, but to no avail.
Eventually I abandoned it, and tried growing things elsewhere around the garden; never very successfully. It was as if nature had ganged-up on me, and my great passion was denied me.
However, as we're there for three months in Summer, on arrival I shall plant a few Courgette plants, and maybe some Broccoli. Both are fast growers/producers, and I should get a crop from them. Watch this space.
Wishing you gardening success
ReplyDeleteI hope so too. I really wish it was as it was, but that's all in the past now.
DeleteGood to be planning.your French garden. It can't be long now.
ReplyDeleteJust 7 weeks away. We're already making plans.
DeleteVeg plots do get tired. Especially old allotments with pernicious weeds and Clubroot..
ReplyDeleteI quite expect if I gave it five years or more that it would return to being healthy again. Unfortunately (unless the EU see sense) I shall never live there full-time again, so it has become an orchard 100%. I shall plant more Peach trees this year.
DeleteWe had something similar in our old garden. After many years of successful potato crops we developed blight. I think a similar disease affects tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteI think that's what it was, it affected all sorts of things; not just the Toms.
DeleteI can't see any haddocks growing there. Besides, I thought they were fish that swam in the sea and not vegetables. Nice to look back on all those successful growing seasons.
ReplyDeleteYes, I loved my garden. You would hardly believe the amount of vegs I grew, just on that small plot.
DeleteThey are a big commitment
ReplyDeleteI understand that only too well…..there is a time to let them go
I loved the hard work, and the results, equally. Even with all my aches and pains!
DeleteI grew potatoes and mint when I was a child but now I have no luck at all growing my own. I would love to.
ReplyDeleteI can't see why you should have little luck growing. England is a much friendlier country for fruit and vegs than France. We always had late frosts, infestations of bugs, and deer breaking-in; it was a miracle I managed to grow anything. Of course if I'd used lots of chemicals it would have been very different.
DeleteWe were sorry when we moved to this bungalow and lost our enormous garden back at the old house.
ReplyDeleteHowever, we're starting to realise just how much work was involved in keeping the old place tidy and productive.
Our back garden here is average, but the front is very long and had been grassed (it really wasn't fit to be called a lawn) with no trees, shrubs, or even bulbs, so we're kept busy enough turning it into a living, breathing garden!
I still have my potatoes in the back garden though, and the drive is lined on one side with fruit bushes. The tomatoes will be in the drive too, I'm not giving up growing produce entirely! X
It's such a pleasure to grow-one's-own. I shall be planting a few bits here in our teeny garden, but it's more for fun than for a crop.
DeleteI expect you are really looking forward to getting back -especially to the pool and the garden. I am sure you won't miss the Brighton crowds.
ReplyDeleteYes, we're just starting to think about it. I expect there will be 'crowds' here this weekend.
DeleteThere is no better tomato than one fresh from the garden ripened by the sun to perfection.
ReplyDeleteI have a very good friend and neighbour who grows loads. He always tells me to help myself. I hope that will be the case again this year.
DeleteWorking in the garden is always rewarding. Harvesting is a joy. Adding to your orchard and growing veg will be great fun. 7 weeks will fly by and you'll be in France. Let's not forget your daily swim.
ReplyDeleteOpening-up the pool is always a bit of a worry. We never know what we'll find underneath the covers. Anyway, the thought of swimming every day is wonderful.
DeleteGood luck with any vegetables you plant this summer
ReplyDeleteI shall plant some Courgettes and some Broccoli on Day 1 when we get there. I'm sure we'll have plenty of good results. I'm also looking forward to going mushrooming.
DeleteIf you're going back in seven weeks, then you should miss the frosts, but isn't it a bit late to start some veg.?
ReplyDeleteI always say I'll grow some strawberries in a pot but never do, and the birds pinched most of the raspberries before the plant died on me!
As long as I can still find plants, I should get plenty of Courgettes quite quickly. And the Broccoli should take about 6 weeks to grow. We have Strawberries, Raspberries, Black Currants, and Red Currants.
DeleteDo you dig in some compost and/or manure before planting each season and do you rotate the crops to different beds so root crops are followed by above ground crops etc? Planting the same thing always in the same place is hard on the soil.
ReplyDelete