Simply..failures....

30/7/2022

There have been many failures in the garden this year. I was going to photograph them, but who wants to see slug eaten dahlias, miserable stunted little cornflowers, pathetic trays of seedlings with about 5% germination. I even failed with 'easy' annuals like night scented stock!

The peat free composts available are just waste products, not soil, and I think they may be to blame....or is it just me?

The very inexpensive little fuchsias from the supermarket have done well and are prettying up the greenhouse and hiding the scrawny and feble schizanthus which are producing plenty of flowers at the end of the straggling stems.

There's always next year!

12 Comments

Sheena

31/7/2022 12:07:18 am

You are not alone, Freda, as I have struggled to adapt to peat free composts this year as well. I find it very free draining so incorporated some of my garden soil but as my garden is a bit weedy I have to weed my seed trays and pots. Oh well! Am just concentrating on the good bits and as you say " there is always next year".

Freda

2/8/2022 12:34:18 pm

I tried using my home-made compost but tje weeds came up like cress in the seedtrays!

Susan in Dorset

31/7/2022 01:07:04 am

Similarly for me, and my gardening friends, for flowers, veg and salads. Strange, since we've had a replica mediterranean climate here: enough rain, warmth and light. Herbs & salvias are flourishing and blossoming though.
I've been making compost from food waste in one fo those inverted bins for a while, and plan to use it with some chopped up (and soaked to remove salt) seaweed.

Freda

2/8/2022 12:37:10 pm

My compost does not get hot enough to kill the weed seeds. All very frustrating but comforting in a way to know it’s not just me!

Mary R.

31/7/2022 06:04:27 am

Simply Learning Opportunities …

Freda

2/8/2022 12:37:49 pm

A positive way to look at it...

Mary B link

31/7/2022 06:27:05 am

I think gardeners are born optimists! Yes , I have also had real problems with peat free compost and now mix my own .....equal parts soil , sifted leaf mold and home made compost plus a little wood ash. This year lots of things failed to germinate and those that did have struggled in the heat . Strawberry plants in flower shriveled in the hot sun no matter how much watering. The sweet peas flowered beautifully but all the leaves are scorched . The tomatoes got blight before producing a single tomato !! I wonder what the effect of high temperature will have had on the seed for next year ? Yet as a born optimist I think....always next year .

Freda

2/8/2022 12:39:33 pm

Yes, definitely optimists. Everyone seems to have had a tricky gardening year in spite of great effort.

Gail

1/8/2022 03:24:03 am

My garden is not performing well, all around us gets rain regularly, but not us. I’m blaming the lackluster performance on my garden watching too much news and being affected by piss poor performance they witness (dont know whether to sigh or laugh)

Freda

2/8/2022 12:40:59 pm

Well, let’s just laugh! Who knows what influences fart...

Liz

2/8/2022 12:54:11 am

Oh I agree, Freda. This year my sweet pea seedlings would have looked good in The Borrowers garden. Minute.

Freda

2/8/2022 12:42:02 pm

I was beginning to think I was losing my touch, until I heard everyone else’s problems! Sort of comforting.

Simply..failures....

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