Jeane wrote ..
According to today's Telegraph, gardeners have been disappointed with
their veggie crops this year.

Well not me - it has got to be the best year for a long time. Broad beans,
runner beans, carrots, sweetcorn, leeks, celery, shallots and onions (plus
tomatoes in the greenhouse) - they have all been magnificent so we are
having a busy time freezing/pickling/soup making.

We are in South Cheshire so were affected by the hosepipe ban - or not as
the case may be as it seems to have hardly stopped raining since the ban
was introduced.

How have other gardeners in other parts of the UK fared?

Some good and some disappointing...
Brassicas are excellent except the Kohl Rabi split.
Toms are beginning to crop well.
Shallots (Jermor) were excellent.
Onions half and half, Sturons were good whereas the Stuttgarter Giants were
rubbish, rotting internally, and we threw most away (are Stuttgarter Giants
prone to white rot?) Shall not use those again.
Chillies are superb, even better than usual, just need some to go red (Thai
Dragon, Inferno and Punjabi)
Florence Fennel went to seed almost immediately.
Currants did very well except the white currant which again had no fruit.
Spuds are a mixed bag, Orla (FE) was excellent but Premier (FE) were
rubbish, covered in scab. Mayan Twilight are good, Kestrals, some have a bit
of scab others are fine but the crop looks good. MCs not looked at yet but
the hulms of Victoria and Setanta look superb.
Peas did well but then we did the old gutter trick to avoid the usual mouse
problem. (Early Onward)
Runner Beans have been good provided they are watered, the "new" salmon pink
flowered one Celebration has again proved the best.
Climbing French Beans have done well too so lots in the freezer for green
bean bhajee.
Dwarf French beans, of a row planted only one survived to grow, presumably
the mice again.
Lettuce good.
Carrots small but good with no sign of root fly ATM.
Butternut Squash, we will be overloaded with them come harvest.
Loganberries, Boisenberries, Gooseberries all did well and so did the
Blueberries surprisingly although the mice have eaten all the fruit.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17 miles W.of London. UK. Soil an acid clay/silt.