Usually by this time of year I'm really looking forward to next years' growing season
. This year I haven't got to that point yet. Maybe it's because I know I'm going to have to reduce what I grow even further. I've been going through my list of what I usually grow, and scoring each thing for 'do I like to grow it?' and 'do we actually eat it?' There is an additional group for 'does it feed those hateful spider mites and have to be burnt anyway ?'.
So - I love growing onions, they don't succumb to mites, but they don't store well at all for me, as our growing conditions are too wet. So they're off the list. I'll give shallots one more year. I've already planted the garlic and that seems to do well, and yes we eat it.
Courgettes and various squashes - I really love growing them but nearly all the crop is wasted and ends up on the compost heap. With just two of us we simply don't have room to eat all I grow. They are a bit susceptible to mite too. So sadly they're off the list.
Sweet corn - love growing it, love eating it, but it's one of the first things for the mites to attack - this year we had to burn the lot before we ate any.
Cucumbers - oh dear - I love growing them, love eating them, but they are the other plant most susceptible to mite - I think it has to be a no.
A few other things have gone too, or will only be grown outside (ghastly weather here most of the time, so will struggle, but we'll see)
So you see why I'm not as excited this year as I usually am. I need my veggie growing TAS friends to inspire me