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My blueberries have done so much better this year than the last couple of years. The bushes didn't seem to have many flowers at the start of the season so I wasn't expecting much from them, but the first bush has produced a worthwhile harvest and I've just harvested a first batch from the second bush. The third one doesn't seem to have many, if any, fruits on it at all, though it is still a young plant.
I sowed another batch of beetroot and spring onions a couple of weeks ago and they've all germinated. I may be far too late with the beetroot, but if the good weather lasts well in to autumn I may just be lucky. I'll be happy with some small ones. It's worth a gamble. The spring onions will be fine over winter if they're not ready to harvest this year, it will give them a head start so there's nothing lost there. I find it always pays to give it a go.
I think the late spring affected my shallots too Jo, they are about the same size as yours, but as you say, they are perfectly edible.
ReplyDeleteOh I love blueberries, especially for breakfast, lucky you, mine never do well.xxxx
I think most things can catch up from a cold start, but obviously, shallots aren't one of them. I've had a couple of years with lean pickings on the blueberries so it's nice to have a bumper crop at last.
DeleteI think our shallots are similar this year - they've divided happily, but aren't very big!
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They'll definitely get eaten though. It's just a shame that they won't last very long.
DeleteIf it's any consolation they're slightly better than my shallots which were even smaller!
ReplyDeleteMine probably look bigger than they actually are in that case. I don't think I could have used them if they were any smaller.
DeleteI don't grow shallots but some of my onions are smaller than I'd expect them to be.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like the blueberries have been worth the wait.
Both my beetroot and spring onion seeds didn't fare well in the cold spring and I didn't bother to sow more. Good luck with yours. Flighty xx
I haven't harvested my onions yet but I'm not expecting great things from them. I was surprised we got such a good harvest from the blueberries, but it was very welcome. I've enjoyed beetroot and spring onions all summer, I'm just hoping that I can extend the season a litte with my late sowing. It's a shame that your's didn't do very well, but there's always next year.
DeleteSo your crops have balanced out: good blueberries but poor alliums. I have good tomatoes but had poor Broad Beans, so it all evens out overall. My Blueberries WILL be better next year! I insist....
ReplyDeleteI think it's always a case of you win some you lose some. I've gone a couple of years with poor blueberries, but I've definitely made up for it this year.
DeleteRed onions seem a lot more temperamental than the yellows. The white varieties are the same.
ReplyDeleteI wish our blueberry bushes would produce a decent harvest - this year has been pathetic.
Which spring onions did you sow?
I've only grown red onions a couple of times but I've never been particularly successful with them. My blueberries don't give a huge haul, they're only small plants but it's still a worthwhile haul. I don't think my third plant is going to do much, if anything, this year. I always grow While Lisbon spring onions, they've never let me down yet.
DeleteHow strange - lots of experienced gardeners are complaining that they can't get White Lisbon to germinate. Which seed company produces yours?
DeleteI've just been to look and the ones I'm using at the moment are Suttons. It's got a black line through the barcode, which means I bought the packet in The Garden Centre Group sale for 50p at one time or another and the date on them are sow by June 2013. They've all germinated though.
DeleteIt's very interesting to see what others grow. I've not thought about us growing blueberries, but it must be rewarding to get a good harvest as they are delicious. More blueberry muffins maybe?
ReplyDeleteI'm so nosey and love to see what other people grow. I grow my blueberries in containers as they prefer an acidic soil, and it's been a few years since I've had a worthwhile harvest, but it's so worth it when it does come.
DeleteI tried to grow shallots from seed. Disaster. Next year I will buy sets. I am still groaning from your title..
ReplyDeleteGood tip re spring onions. I will have another go with those.
Sorry about the title, I agree, it is groan worthy. I've tried growing onions from seed this year and last year, yet I don't think either year has been good to take examples from. I always grow my spring onions in containers and they always do well for me.
DeleteI didn't grow any shallots this year, but the onions were surprisingly okay, although of varying sizes. Stick with the blueberry, mine have done better once they have had a couple of years to grow. And that's a good tip to sow spring onions and leave them in over winter for an early crop.
ReplyDeleteI shall be lifting my onions soon so I'm looking forward to seeing what they're like. They were also delayed being planted out so I'm not expecting much from them. I've had my blueberries quite a few years now. I've had some good harvests in the past but they dropped off over the last couple of years. Spring onions don't mind being left over winter and they're usually ready for harvesting much earlier than spring sown ones.
DeleteI didn't grow shallots this year, but my spring onions have really struggled, in fact I have been using my perpetual onions due to the lack of spring onions xxx
ReplyDeleteI always grow my spring onions in containers and they seem to do much better that way. They're one crop which I just sow and leave to get on with it, I haven't really had any failures with them.
DeleteI didn't realise that we still can sow beetroot seeds. I love them but don't grow any in my garden. I will sow some too this weekend. Traditionally we have borscht for Christmas Eve supper, so I might be lucky cooking it from my own beets. Good luck with yours!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's a bit of a gamble sowing seeds this late in the year, but I'm giving it a try. It would be great if you could use your own beetroot for borscht on Christmas Eve, it would make it extra special.
DeleteIt's weird reading about people's successes and perceived failures when you haven't grown anything one season :)
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, you'll be back in the swing of it next year. It must be strange not having your own veg to harvest this year though.
DeleteOh dear Jo but at least it sounds as if you know what the problem was with the shallots. You must be pleased with your blueberry harvest though :)
ReplyDeleteI'm very pleased with the blueberry harvest. All's not lost with the shallots, I've used some already and they're perfectly edible, there just isn't very much of them.
DeleteThat's a shame Jo, I found it a good year for them and had my best ones yet. I plant them in 3" pots in the cold greenhouse at the start of January and then plant out end of March and lift end of June. I do take mine down to 3 per plant though as I'm trying to get them larger for show. That said I'm always amazed at the size of some of the exhibits as they're twice as big as mine!! I hope you have better shallots next year!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear that your shallots didn't suffer this year. I start mine off exactly the same, in 3" pots in the cold greenhouse. The problem, I think, is that I kept them hanging around too long before planting out because of the cold start to the year. As you say, there's always next year.
DeleteMy usual shallots weren't too great but I got a good harvest from the 'longor' shallots, elongated shallots. It was a difficult start to the year.
ReplyDeleteThe elongated shallots seem to do better from what I've seen, I may give them a go in future. I think my shallots would have done better if they'd been planted out sooner.
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