veggies

ok, so the growing season is nearly over in Northern Ireland... some might question if it ever really started?  Anyways...

Things that worked this year:

• beetroot (normal)
  
• beetroot (spicy - cylinder shaped stuff that has a kick)
  
• cabbages (eventually)
  
• peas (yum)
  
• runner beans (climbing up the fence and everywhere)
  
• shallots (small but mighty!)
  
• spuds (in containers so they didn't leech everything out of the soil)
• parsely & thyme (nice big bush of these things now)

Things that half worked:

• carrots (interesting as I had lots of colours - purple, yellow, orange)
  
• onions (didn't get very big)
  
• strawberries (still green! not enough sun)
• thai basil (basil doesn't seem to like growing outdoors)

Things that didn't work:

• purple sprouting broccolli
  
• parsnips
  
• sunshine (just not enough of it this year)

I think one of the major issues was that I didn't make the beds deep enough for some of the root veg and they suffered as they soil deeper down is quite clayish, so they kind of expanded out... rather than down... I had few curiously shaped carrots.  

The parsnips just didn't take at all and the broccolli, while taking up tons of space and growing like mad... decided not to sprout at all... so I think it affected the growing of some of the beetroot, as it was quite small.   The very wet weather over here this summer didn't help either... plenty of rain, but just not enough sun to make the things grow.

We also got some curious mushrooms that were never planted... my dad maintains they were 'magic' but we have no evidence to support this as eating random mushrooms is typically not a good idea.

And the leafy veg did get heavily attacked at one point by crawly buggers that decided they would prefer the stuff for their dinner.  Hmm... spray spray... die crawly bugger.

Anyways... worth doing!  The stuff that we did get was excellent anyways and I enjoyed it!  

Plan for next year:

• deeper beds, probably at least a foot high.
  
• better soil
  
• veg: carrots, parsnips, beetroot, potatoes in containers
  
• fruit: strawberries in baskets, tomatoes in baskets
• berbs: basil, thyme, parsley, rosemary

Now I just need to pull the finger out and get to building the beds up higher!