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Variations in the weather, the soil, pests and diseases can all affect your crop

SEASONED GYOers often say much of the addictive appeal of vegetable gardening lies in its unpredictability and in the discovery that although you may have successfully grown flawless onions, blight-free potatoes or monster-sized pumpkins this year, it should oh-so-not be taken as a guarantee that you’ll always (or even ever) do so again. The biggest reason for this is that growing conditions vary hugely from one year to the next – rainfall amounts, soil moisture levels, light levels, minimum and maximum temperatures, late frosts and cold/strong winds are just some of the variables plants have to contend with during their life cycle, and they can have a dramatic effect on their growth and vigour.