Odd growing season?

BarryD2

Every year is different but this spring/ summer seems to have been odd. Take my shallots, very reliable year after year, save back about 100 bulbs and plant in Feb/ March, harvest in Sept after foliage dies down, get at least 6:1 return.

This year they were slow to come up, then put on a good spurt of growth with nice healthy shoots, good height on them - then all bolted one by one over the first couple of weeks of June. I don't know, maybe they were encouraged to grow by a decent spell in April/ early May and then when it turned chilly in June, they figured it was autumn. Pinch out the flower buds and will get a return but odd. Similar for our outdoor lettuce, the simplest thing, hard to get it growing this year. Anyone else find veggies troublesome this year?

macraignil

Yes. Found it a strange growing season here as well. Normally have no problem with beetroot but found mine were very slow to get established. I think there was a fairly dry period just after they were planted and I did not get out to water them so only a fraction of the seeds planted actually went on to form plants. Saw some evidence of birds using the area for dust baths so that might have contributed to killing some of the seedlings. Planted the leftover seeds in a window box which did get watered and so had some backup plants to put out in the vegetable patch I had cleared but in other years I found beetroot grew fine with a lot less effort. Had some other garden plants damaged and a few even killed by the late frost as well.

Graces7

all has been slow with the cold weather and winds. Just posted on the strawberry thread. Pollination affected as at least out here the bees could not get in with the weeks of southerlies. I watched day after day. and the broad beans were getting flattened. A few at the back are podding very low down and the others are now starting to flower again with the better weather . There is time yeet

I googled it all and yes, although bbs are self pollinating winds can affect and abort that

Also with the dry month I lost most of my early potatoes; add drought to winds.

Just is as it is. My peas are podding very well and kale doing well, but marigolds not setting seed.

west mayo offshore island.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

It got off to a slow start here but things have been really making up for it in the past month. Some growth has been almost too quick with lanky weak growth. But good potatoes, strawberries, courgettes, lettuce etc in the last couple of weeks.

fryup

yes slow start too, Re: my rhubarb thread

Graces7

It is really ramping up now. I have broccoli plants that did nothing last year but now are suddenly full of shoots, leaves, sprouts. Everything in a hurry to catch up

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

There seems to be a tenancy to bolt early due to the late growth spurt.