the veg i have trouble growing is cauliflour only managed to grow 1 properly in 7yrs.
tried cauli's last year and got 2.5ft long leafs - not much else.
Turnips (swedes) - tried the last 3 years and not had a single root worth cooking
Cauliflowers
Carrots in the ground. I can only grow carrots in containers!!
Duke :)
celery :'( 2yrs failure
cauli celery celeriac and swead :-[
I'm also a failure at caulis. I grew a lovely one, it was all of 2 inches across. I think I am the wrong star sign, I'm a fruit sign. Have managed some very nice Romanesco though. Have problems with carrots in the garden but grown lovely ones on the allotment. Not good at cabbages either. Did ok with celery.
Cauli, except Purple Cape... over Winter... Carrots for a decade but got it now!
:)
Yikes this is reading like a list of what 1066 is going to grow next year for the 1st time - celery and swede! Also tried caulis for the 1st time this year, started off ok, got some small but nice heads and then left them (based on Mr 1066's advice ::) ) and then they went past their best!
Oh well, just as well I'm an optimist ;D
I also struggle with carrots, but now stick to short stumpy types and have had more success. But as for fruit, just don't mention melons........ >:(
Caulis of course - but also I don't seem to be very good with beetroot, how sad is that? ???
No probs with carrots or swede though ;D
Its leeks for me they never seem to swell like the one you buy. Trying again this year any tips for fattening them up?
swede, they end up full of dark brown crevices inside :-\
One day I might move to a place with `perfect` soil??
When on clay caulis,sprouts and swedes were no problem-carrots though!!
Now on very light soil carrots are easy but sprouts and caulis and yes swedes are at best pathetic
QuoteNow on very light soil
I have for many years put my lack of prowess in growing cauli to the soil. But two allotments over they grew fantastic cauli.
Quoteany tips for fattening them up
I found my leeks fattened up when they had a good feed. Think next year they will have a good helping of BFB at every stage. I have lovely tall leeks but not very fat. (about an inch) Am I right in thinking they are very hungry beasts.
Caulis definitely. Finally gave up on them (if I can't succeed after trying six times) and put all my cauli seeds in the seed swap. Never again. >:( >:( >:(
Leeks haven't been a problem, except for this year when they were attacked by the leek moth. Will cover them next year, just to be on the safe side. Ours don't get any special treatment, other than our home-made comfrey jungle juice.
Quote from: reddyreddy on November 10, 2009, 10:10:25
swede, they end up full of dark brown crevices inside :-\
Sounds like a deficiency to me ... (?) Boron?
swede :-\
That's interesting, my soil is clay, I think. Can grow sprouts, PSB and even a few small cauliflowers but not carrots. Also peas were OK. Going to try carrots next year in a big plastic bin. My beetroot gave up, but the plot next to me that he hardly ever comes to has enormous beetroot and he hasn't used them. :( :( :( But next year everything will be brilliant. ;D ;D ;D
i cant seem to grow a carrot bigger than my finger or a beetroot larger than a golf ball.
Quote from: saddad on November 10, 2009, 15:07:49
Quote from: reddyreddy on November 10, 2009, 10:10:25
swede, they end up full of dark brown crevices inside :-\
Sounds like a deficiency to me ... (?) Boron?
Seaweed extract should sor tit out then, it's probably the best organic thing for micronutrients..... but they're rarely that much of a problem on allotment soil... we rotate, it's never-ending m,onocultures that generally have that problem....
chrisc
Struggling with carrots!
Try to open up the soil and improve it with sand and perlite to get these blighters to grow.
I have have a good success with raised beds and soil improvement. My father could only grow them once he had opened up the soil. He like me has to contend with very heavy clay. good for nutrients but not so good when you have to get the roots to go down a ways.
Spent compost or rotted down waste clippings from the council are good too.
The things that give me trouble are the same as most of you, Caulis, brussels, and spuds this year. The crops have been small to nothing and I felt as though the plot was against me getting to grips with producing a good meal for the family.
I shall not change anything but rotate and hope that next year will be better than this.
A few less strawberries and more different veggies mixed in the borders will always go down well with the kids.
Butternut squash, globe artichoke, all the brassicas, florence fennel, beetroot, french beans, spinach.
Rhubarb is only just hanging onto life, but I did just about manage some nice carrots this year.
Poor rhubarb and good carrots would suggest you are on a free-draining sandy soil... poor brassicas as well... that's the trouble with gardeners they want to grow plants from a wide range of different habitats in a small area... :-[
Quote from: saddad on November 10, 2009, 17:45:49
Poor rhubarb and good carrots would suggest you are on a free-draining sandy soil... poor brassicas as well...
Blimy, Mystic Meg! You're dead-on with free-draining sandy soil.
If I can get the carrots to germinate then they're OK, but it can dry to dust in no time at all, and getting dung is getting so much more difficult. But the up side is that digging is easy and weeds don't have much to hang on to.
Aubergines. Small, full of seeds and tasted foul!
Celery aubergines. did manage a few peppers this year but not very succesfully
Brassicas (except Collards)
celery
carrots in the ground (ok in tubs)
beetroot
leeks
onions
garlic
Cauli's and swede, and Chriscross I hope your sor tit gets better. :o ;D ;D ;D
I used to reckon that leeks were easy, but leek moth has completely changed that, and I'm sure rust is more of a problem than it was 10 years ago.
Carrots, Caulis, Corriander and Celery/Celariac
Hang on there's a theme here... ;D
okra, might try again next year, sowing it a bit earlier.
I did get some flowers, but the bad weather came too early.
i found the brassicas all hard work to grow !!
if i'm to follow the rotation system, how can i do this if i ditch the brassicas ?
the only brassica any good was the turnip, had those in abundance
the only other veg that failed was carrots,plenty of tops on them but very small roots !!
Love it Cornykev, sor tits are painful. Off topic. ;D ;D ;D
I'm just trying to keep a breast of things Borlotti, Steve did you grow the carrots in manure, because it will feed the tops and not the root. ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: cornykev on November 10, 2009, 19:03:12
Cauli's and swede, and Chriscross I hope your sor tit gets better. :o ;D ;D ;D
I'm no doctor but I'm sure seaweed extract aint good for a sor tit - no matter how its applied. :-X
Quote from: cornykev on November 10, 2009, 20:21:17
I'm just trying to keep a breast of things Borlotti, Steve did you grow the carrots in manure, because it will feed the tops and not the root. ;D ;D ;D
i'm on my 2nd year kev so i'm learning all the time !!! i'll choose an unmanured bed next year ;)
okra, might try again next year
Advice I can give, inspiration on many things I can give
But okra??-go forth and may you multiply
and if you do drop in and let me know ;)
I'm in my 4th season Steve and still learning. ??? ;D ;D ;D