Pushing up the daisies

Ah summer just whittled away unnoticed. It is now september, and the main growing season is over. I can honestly say it has been my worst season for reasons concerning myself and Mother Nature. the extremely inclement weather (3 months of rain then prolonged drought) combined with a lot of very busy periods where I could not sufficiently tend the garden led to disaster. The only good crop has been the spuds, which are coming out of my ears and to some extent the pumpkins which look good.
I had practically no courgettes except a few pattypans, no cucumbers, no tomatoes, no aubergines, very few beans (no Cobras at all !) although the runners were not too bad.

I found it really hard to persevere with the adverse conditions and very bad germination rates.
SO I am just digging over what remains, fertilising the winter crops and hoping for the best with the winter manure...
I have in the ground the brussel sprouts, sprouting broccoli quite a few leeks, some winter cauli a few cabbages and some swiss chard. I may try some late lamb's lettuce this weekend, the packet says sow till october... I will fleece it maybe.

Lessons to be learned:

• I need to mulch. I did not do it and this was a big mistake. I think it would have greatly helped the crops during the dry spell.
• I need to hoe more.
• I need to water more regularly.
• I probably need to spot fertilise more. 
• I also need to grow fewer things of each group but sow more often. I find that really hard to sort out. 
• I must cover more the seedlings, to keep them moist.