Hi Jim I think everybody in the country are experiencing the same problems with vegetables, your doing your best,but I know how disappointing it can be to see your plants destroyed by slugs and other stuff. Don’t give up.😊

I feel so sorry for anyone who’s in their first year of growing. At least if you’ve had a good year you know that you can again.

Don't give up man, everyone i talk with are having the same problems.

Focus on SOIL then! Fill your empty compost bags with weeds & leaves to hasten their ROT and when you think of them again weeks later, they’ll have broken down. In two years, it’s free potting soil. I love transforming my waste into useful matter this way. Fill those empty bags!

I have an allotment in the Netherlands and all the other gardeners have experienced the same as you. Unfruitful year for gardening. Most of them encourage each other saying 'Next year will be a better year". So, I am letting things go easy while I take a break and not be thinking too much of a harvest because there is indeed very little to harvest. I will also say to you 'let's hope for a better year next year'.

You’re doing better than me this year. I planted out all my onions and spring onions (from seed) and then went away for a few days. When I came back they had literally all been eaten. I have never had issues with slug’s eating my onions before this year. My garden and vegetable area is like a slug apocalypse this year. They are even climbing up the front door 😮 trying to get in the house. Last night I went out at dusk and collected up 221 slugs in half an hour. OMG 😢

Im so sorry to see so many people having a terrible year. All that effort nurturing seedlings and young plants, to get very little or nothing back must be devastating. We all have the odd thing fail now and again and thats always a disappointment, but we accept it as part of gardening. But this year seems to be so bad for so many. Im definitely not gloating or trying to rub it in, but im having my best year yet, by far. Everything is doing well, except my melons becaise i planted them too late. I really think the success is due to my soil. Ive worked on it for 2 years (this is my 3rd year growing) ive invested some of the money im saving by being self sufficient, into good quality compost and manure for my beds and its paid off in dividends. My growing conditions are less than ideal, my garden is north facing and half of it is shaded by a really high wall (40ft) till 12 noon, in the height of summer. Winter the whole garden gets no sun at all. Also i cant rotate my major crops like onions, carrots, brassicas, because of the shade, my garden is basically divided into 2 halves, shaded and full sun (in summer) so this is my 3rd year growing everything in the same beds. I thought it would be a disaster, but it is quite the opposite. Despite all of this im self sufficient, year round from my 70m square shaded back garden. I credit my success to following steves seaside kitchen garden and allotment, here on youtube. Ive acheived things i didnt even know were possible thanks to steve. Check him out if you havent already and work on that soil. Hope things improve for everyone. The forecast is looking up next week.

Same here in north Lincolnshire, makes me wonder if the investment in just compost is worth it . There’s a lot of explanations for it on the net , chemtrails included , just look at the 10 day forecast , clouds , clouds , clouds . Plants go into dormancy if the weathers not warm enough , hence the slow growth . I’m more than disappointed with my garden , only harvested potatoes , which are really small , peas and strawberries, but nothing in abundance Can’t justify the amount of time and money I’ve pumped into the garden when there’s still produce in the supermarkets . Good luck . Hang on in there

You need Frogs young man YES Frogs. 🐸 Those lil green blighters are slug and snail hoovers . Give them two seasons and nature will retake control. It’s as easy as getting an old bath or pond filling it with rain water keeping it filled then “ relocating “ some frog spawn and let nature and your new green friends to do their stuff

Don't give up. In 30 years of gardening my tomatoes have died on me. Im just concentrating on my onions and beans now, thoroughly clean out weeds etc. Just praying for better next year. Did you see that report that a Met Office whistleblower said they are purposely spraying clouds for rain?

I think this is the third year that the summers have made growing crops difficult at some stage during the season. If this continues, maybe we will have to rethink how, what and when we grow crops to accommodate weather patterns. Today I saw my first Cabbage White Butterfly which seems late for their unwelcome appearance. Anyway, you are coping well against adversity and today it is sunny, warm and the wind has abated.

Having the exact same issues and thoughts. Last week me and my partner decided to move as much stuff as we could from the allotment into our garden green house and beds where the slugs are slightly more manageable. We work full time and extra time constraints this weather forces upon us means this could be our last year as allotment holders. I may just turn all the beds that ain't bogs into low maintenance potato and onion beds next year.

Would love to learn more about your blueberries. They look really good! Things like what variety, how many plants, what do you feed them, what size pot do you have etc.

It's a washout. I feel exactly the same, but we can't give up. I feel gutted. Put so much effort in. Just got to keep going ❤

Jim, go look at prices for what you're growing, even if it seems disappointing. You might be surprised at how much you ARE getting for the rewards of what you are doing. I did that and was astonished to find out a few pots of veg are saving me considerably money. Oddly enough, it might be worthwhile going for the "cool" crops if you start them now from seed. Unfortunately the weather will continue to be chaotic from now on. The upside is by using your allotment, your sequestering carbon, a net benefit for nature.

Hi Jim. I really feel for you. The slugs have been relentless and the herbicide damage was just awful. Your poor peppers. My tomatoes are struggling due to the weather. My cucumbers are pitiful and I lost half my main crop potatoes to blight. I only had one courgette plant survive and even it looks sickly. My peas, lettuces and by the looks of it beans, are doing well. I got some nice broccoli too. The rest is meh! We just need to keep ploughing on and take wins when we can.

After stumbling across & watching your video, I can honestly say you’re fairing better than most. Subscribing so you’d better not give up!😂 For various reasons, we’re up against people acting as Gods, whom came up with the idea of spraying the stratosphere in an attempt to fill in the hole in the ozone. As we’re now in the lap of these ‘Gods’, next year, concentrate on growing what did well this year. Everyone I know is having huge problems with slugs! These last few weeks, I’ve been out scattering (very thinly) bicarbonate of soda am now seeing a positive decrease. As for the yellowing tomato plant leaves, I believe they’re due to them being colder than they’d normally be. Anyhow, don’t give up. Good luck 🤞

I’m with you, to top it off our council are charging for green bins. Thinking of growing from home now.

Ive made loads of compost from my failed plants this year. Compost on toast for dinner.. 😅

the muliple holes in your pepper leaves is also indicative of flea beetles being present in numbers................brian

Plant crops that enjoy those climatic conditions. Keep striving! Don't win or lose, learn.

We’re all in the same boat this year it seems. We’ve had a feast of courgettes and cucumbers, I think we’re turning green! I have nightmares about slugs. Our allotment is 8 miles away so we can’t get down to collect the slugs but woodlice are eating everything on our plot, even our potato tops were stripped! Never known that before. We’re not giving up, we have no garden so Lotty is our only growing and sitting place. It is disheartening but what’s been eaten will fill the compost heap for next year. Oh forgot to say, here on the South East coast we’ve got the moth with the unpronounceable name that lays its eggs in the sweet corn, that arrived two years ago! Never give up, just plan for a bumper crop of celery or watercress next year! 😂😂

This video gave me a good laugh 😂 Yeah, I am struggling in a similar way. I’ve got ridiculous cucumber plants at the moment that are less than a foot tall with what look like cocktail sausage sized cucumbers on them!

So with you! Like you seriously thinking of giving up after 20 years - worst year ever. No gooseberries, blackcurrants, highly unlikely to have courgettes (can you believe it!). Runner beans coming, tomatoes just about hanging on but looking traumatised. Have quite a good crop of onions and potatoes so far. Lots of bindweed, my nemesis. Allotment is my happy place but this year just causing me stress. I just keep thinking, for me, it will not be until April next year that I can start sowing again as I don’t do winter crops, 9 months!! But then everyone is in the same boat. Good luck.

Hi, you are a very busy family man. You could try cultivating your soil for a year or two, and not give up your allotment. You have a nice garden with success and failure…..you should not give up💕

I had to laugh this morning I was painting the fascia on my bungalow and almost painted a snail that was tucked in a corner of the gutter gee whizz!

Thanks love for making this video. It’s a crazy year this year. I am 54 and I’ve never seen it so bad. I’ve started my over winter crops early as I’ve given up on an Irish summer 🤷‍♀️ it’s bad for everyone by all accounts so don’t give up pet 💚

Don’t give up. Just been to my allotment - only a month on this plot. Yesterday, I had carrots and lots of beans coming, today I have a wasteland. The slugs have eaten most of them (but not the Borlotti beans, so they will go on the list for next year). It’s cold and wet, but we’ll make it - there’s always next year!

Even the venerable C Dowding is having problems this year!

Oh lord Jim 😢 thank god for greenhouses and poly tunnels. It’s is an insane year for sure but don’t give up every year is different and let’s just hope next year is bumper. We are having the same problem but the other end of the spectrum it has been drought and insane heat weeks of 38c 🥵 and we could not even go outside. Chin up keep going we’d totally miss you if you stopped, Ali 🌞25c 🇨🇦

Hi Jim im from Northern Ireland and its the same here too. A disasters year. Next year i will be making changes as to what i grow. Keep the chin up mate 👍

Oh Jim Jim Jim. I feel ya, mate. As you know this is my first year growing and having nothing to compare with, I'm finding the effort doesn't seem to yield the rewards I'd hoped for. If every year was like this year I'd be paving over my garden. But you and others have inspired me to accept that this year is an exception. Previous years (and therefore future years) can be a completely different experience - hopefully moving forward a more positive experience.

You've got a lovely allotment such hard work it's all very disappointing though

It’s called geoengineering!

I think everyone will is in the same boat, it's very frustrating though. A lot of what I've planted has been eaten by slugs or is growing very slowly. On the upside, I've had loads of lettuce which escaped the slugs for some reason, and my cucumbers are doing brilliantly. Don't give up! I enjoy your videos and it is nice to see someone being honest about how difficult this growing season has been.

Gotta be honest been feeling the same the weather is killing my mood so much now!!!

Yes Jim we are all in the same boat. We had the heating on at home on the 8th. The few tomatoes I had in my polytunnel all turned black in the bottom. I was feeling just like you, all we need are a few sunny days to cheer us all up. 4 times I have sown courgette seed and the only one plant I have looks like it’s dying.

Several years ago, the weather was atrocious here in New Zealand, stinging nettle was up to my chest on the parh way crops had disappeared under the weeds, corn etc was not growing, nighttime temperatures in the middle of summer was 4 degrees.

Keep going Jim! This northern european weather is getting so many people down. As a proper newbie I have loads of great container potatoes thanks to your encouragement, lots of onions and garlic… However, 2 x tomatoes and 1 stunted cucumber so far despite a poly tunnel- this is all progress thanks to you! Love from a wintry County Clare ☘️

I have been allotmenting for 30 + years and this season is the worst. Never seen this combination of warm wet winter, followed by cool dry, then wet Spring. Though even summer 2023 was not exactly great. If you do get to the point of giving up, just stop, cover the soil with anything and give yourself a break.

Don't give up!!!! We are all in the same boat my harvest is the worst that I can remember in rural North Wales

don't give up man, same here in Belgium, had almost freezing temperatures in the morning in July. Yet I enjoyed my new potatoes the other day, the bits of spinach, strawberries. On the other hand it has been a bumper year for currants. Your harvests are amazing especially given the conditions.

Same thing over here in Washington state! Everything is so behind schedule and the snails are so abundant. It’s heartbreaking really

Don't give up

I feel exactly the same jim I'm gutted I've got no tomato beans or peas yet it's been rough this year I feel depressed going to the allotment I've got empty beds in JULY 😭😭😭 Don't apologise for having weeds WE ALL HAVE THEM keep it real show us the good the bad the ugly. Keep plodding along pal. ❤

Dont give up Jim it looks like weather will start warming up next week.

My aubergine looks identical to yours. Lots of flowers and healthy leafy growth, but any aubergine fruits are very small. Mine are growing hydroponically, so I'm fairly certain I've given them the right conditions, aside from the weather. In contrast, my peppers are thriving this year, against all odds. There is a handful of crops that do amazingly well in hydroponics for me, and not that great in the ground. Peppers and melons are an example. I've been harvesting a few ripe chillies every week now, and just beginning to harvest sweet peppers from my Lipstick plant. The Marconi long peppers in my allotment greenhouse are looking incredible, largest pepper plant I've ever grown, and the fruit count and size are looking very promising. If you like your peppers I strongly encourage you to try out a simple kratky system. Literally a bucket of nutrient-water with the plant suspended above, roots partly submerged. No pumps, no air stone, no expensive systems. Nutrient powders are a lot cheaper than compost too.

Hi jim things can only get better mate.🙏👌💪

Far better than me! There's no such thing as climate change, humans cannot change the temperature of the planet either!!

Don't give up, there are lots of us getting poor crops, slugs drive us crazy to. If it's going to remain cool plant peas beans and brassica instead, along with reddish lettuce. My tomatoes are in flower and I've seen 2 tomatoes so far. Nasturtium is also doing well.

Relax; we'll get there just as the first frost strikes!!!

Feel your pain up here in the North East

My best guess for the digging in your courgette bed is blackbirds- I use anti bird spikes to keep them out

It has been the worst year for me too. The only thing that looks promising are my tomatoes. To prevent snails and slugs getting to my peppers, I protect them using organza bags.

It's not just you. In my part of the US, we've had one issue after another. Too much rain. Insects. Instant heat and humidity. More insects. Not enough rain. (BTW - still more insects). This has been an extremely challenging year for gardening. But, I'm trying to keep plants alive and planning for a fall garden.

Hi James, I feel the same way, I've had my plot well over 20 years now and never known a year like it, well one year it was that wet everything was washed away, everyone got a free year the following year, Ive been off work and today was the first time this week I've been able to go, everything starting to shoot away but a month late, weeds are thriving so I'll be go over in the morning to get the beds tidied up, pleased your taking the flowers off the potatoes 🙂in the small greenhouse I noticed some leaves on the tomatoes were curled when you said lay off the watering, its there way of coping with stress, nothing to worry about, don't water them until they need it if that area gets wet, Don't lose heart James, as having an allotment we do get failures its part of it, we will get something out of it that's better than shop bought, 2024 has been a slug fest 2025 hopefully be a good year for something positive for our plots, take care... Steve

Gosh Jim your allotment is a hundred times tidier than mine lost my onions to leaf miner.peas to the pigeons and strawberries to the slugs. but ive had a great crop of early potatoes raspberries and early redcurrants.swings and roundabouts comes to mind.

don't hate me but my allotment is doing really well. Broadbean harvest was good. Now picking Peas, courgettes, onions, beetroot, lettuces, lemon coriander. I don't bother with tomatoes. I'm raiding the potato plants abit early and loving the flavour (wish I knew what I had planted!) Aubergines are a bit slow in the polytunnel but I've never grown them before so not sure what to expect. My biggest love is making compost. Cutting down the comfrey after flowering, chopping it up and putting it at the base of plants for mulch. I put wood chips on my paths and dig them up every couple of years and sieve the contents and add to the compost pile. Every time I go to the beach (not close to me) I bring back seaweed to add to the pile. Good luck everyone. We all have good years and bad years.

unfortunately it's the same for everyone I have had pretty much everything except tomatoes and potatoes eaten and that's doing a slug hunt 3 times a day! I have just reseeded beds in the hopes that we'll have a late summer and warm sunny Autumn I figured I've got nothing to loose if they manage to get themselves to harvest yippee if not I guess I shall be lining the pockets of successful organic growers this year lol I hope things pick up for you x

Diatomaceous earth is helping me as a slug deterrent.

Slugs eat onions and garlic in my garden.

Bless you mate 😇👍

James remember what you said to me after my disappointment with the poly tunnel..you said don't give up..

Omg you said it.... My squash is so small that I honestly think it's shrinking... 😮

So much better than how I'm doing! I'm ready to call time on everything that's clearly failing, cover the ground and prepare bits for late autumn.

I really do agree with you about cabbages and slugs 🤢

I was thinking the same today at my plot

I am really sorry to see you struggle with something there is litle you can do. Plants need temperature ,hours of light and water to activate themselves, yours it is obvious only have water. I have seen this week some alotments like you in northern spain (basque country )with the same problem whereas just a 100 Km down in Navarra province as temperatures are warmer they are already harvesting incredible tomatoes ,green beans,courguettes,onions are already fatting the bubs ... I hope you have more luck with temperatures next seasson , i know how frustraiting it can be after all the hard work and ilusion put on it

having the same as last year everything is behind

"El Niño and La Niña are significant climate phenomena that can have a profound impact on global weather patterns"

The globe is (also) being affected by "volcanic winter" caused by especially the Hunga Tonga HaiApai repeat magma chamber explosions when seawater entered . A (huge) volume of seawater was instantly atomised and vented straight into the stratosphere , the incidents were heard across the Pacific canada to australia it caused a tsunami to reach california at 0.5m or so. Heads up you want to grow what will grow and expect 2 more years of fallout upto to 20 to settle out. Magma/ seawater events arent common , or regular like elnino or seeding

My winter onions just died, my veg outside are rubbish, as for toms, chillis and peppers in greenhouse I might as well of sowed them in an igloo We have the worst summers in Europe now sadly here in uk

This year is not a year to moan about what you haven’t got it’s a year to be thankful for what have got.

My giant sweetcorn is 2 feet high and already making the pollen heads 😂 last year they grew about 11 feet tall!! Disaster this year for everything

I thought Scotland was bad but i see it's crap in England as well.

loads of earwigs about this year went out last night and there are loads over the brassicas eating the leaves

should be fine, its not climate change though, its El Nino I think is this one, this shifts the jet stream to be north, rather than south of the UK, Think it is like every 7 years and el nino and like el nana or something. always feels like the jet stream will never go back to normal, but it always does eventually, and should be back to normal. the climate change is more the super heat, or super rains when not dealing with jet stream issues. of course climate could have some effect, but the JS is our biggest issues at mo

One of the worst growing years in recent memory. I really have to wonder if the weather is being manipulated.

Hi Jim was the horse manure a fresh load , horse manure should be 3/4 year old i all ways use horse manure i store mine large bins

Being realistic is better!

Worst year ever! I’ve had almost nothing but weeds

Chemtrails

I just found channel of British guy in Russia. Its 40 *C over there 😂😂😂. It's called Plastic Russian

Mr negative or what . I’m in my first year and I don’t moan half as much as you . If we were all like you be no gardeners left . Think I will find I more cheerful channel . Jesus Jim stop moaning .

'WHY IS FOOD NOT GROWING?!!' kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gLt4qsd5l9C-pH0.htmlsi=IGySn5XNltmc6jcI

Never fear, just change what you are growing this season, There is still plenty of time to plant up a fall garden. Carrots, beetroot, turnips fall peas, late season cabbage and lettuce, kale, fast maturing potatoes, Asian broccoli, purple sprouting broccoli, sprouts. If you are worried about slugs you can mix in a sprayer Water, Castile soap and sodium hydroxide then go out and spray your plants and slug/snails directly WHEN THE SUN IS GOING DOWN and watch the lil buggers evaporate.