I hate to say it, but another unproductive year.
 

Brassicas have wilted. ALL of them. I don't think it is cabbage root fly
because I have taken precautions, such as collars around them.
No Brussels sprouts this year, again.

Is there still time to have another go at it this year?

Baz

I hate to say it, but another unproductive year.
 

"Baz" wrote .

Brassicas have wilted. ALL of them. I don't think it is cabbage root fly
because I have taken precautions, such as collars around them.
No Brussels sprouts this year, again.

Is there still time to have another go at it this year?


Have you got a proper old nursery near you that grows veg plants? When I
have a failure, savoys and winter cabage this year we go and buy the plants.
Our local one does strips of 12 for £1.50 so it's hardly worth doing it
yourself anyway considering the cost of seed etc..
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

I hate to say it, but another unproductive year.
 

On 18/05/2013 17:55, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Baz" wrote .

Brassicas have wilted. ALL of them. I don't think it is cabbage root fly
because I have taken precautions, such as collars around them.
No Brussels sprouts this year, again.

Is there still time to have another go at it this year?


Have you got a proper old nursery near you that grows veg plants? When I
have a failure, savoys and winter cabage this year we go and buy the
plants. Our local one does strips of 12 for £1.50 so it's hardly worth
doing it yourself anyway considering the cost of seed etc..

You might also find some at a car boot sale.

I hate to say it, but another unproductive year.
 

On 2013-05-18 17:55:24 +0100, Bob Hobden said:

"Baz" wrote .

Brassicas have wilted. ALL of them. I don't think it is cabbage root fly
because I have taken precautions, such as collars around them.
No Brussels sprouts this year, again.

Is there still time to have another go at it this year?


Have you got a proper old nursery near you that grows veg plants? When
I have a failure, savoys and winter cabage this year we go and buy the
plants. Our local one does strips of 12 for £1.50 so it's hardly worth
doing it yourself anyway considering the cost of seed etc..

Amazing how many people are now growing their own veg. At Tucker's
particularly, the sales of veg plants are outselling the ornamentals.
Perhaps it's the dire cold start to the year that's prompted a lot of
people to give up trying to get their own going and to buy baby plants.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

I haven't sown mine yet

I hate to say it, but another unproductive year.
 

On 18/05/2013 18:14, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-05-18 17:55:24 +0100, Bob Hobden said:

"Baz" wrote .

Brassicas have wilted. ALL of them. I don't think it is cabbage root fly
because I have taken precautions, such as collars around them.
No Brussels sprouts this year, again.

Is there still time to have another go at it this year?


Have you got a proper old nursery near you that grows veg plants? When
I have a failure, savoys and winter cabage this year we go and buy the
plants. Our local one does strips of 12 for £1.50 so it's hardly worth
doing it yourself anyway considering the cost of seed etc..

Amazing how many people are now growing their own veg. At Tucker's
particularly, the sales of veg plants are outselling the ornamentals.
Perhaps it's the dire cold start to the year that's prompted a lot of
people to give up trying to get their own going and to buy baby plants.


Well I bought a pack of 6 tomato plants in Lild yesterday, I must say
they were the best Tomato plants I've seen for a few years, a good 5 to
6 inches tall, stocky and not dry.

I hate to say it, but another unproductive year.
 

"Bob Hobden" wrote in
:

"Baz" wrote .

Brassicas have wilted. ALL of them. I don't think it is cabbage root
fly because I have taken precautions, such as collars around them.
No Brussels sprouts this year, again.

Is there still time to have another go at it this year?


Have you got a proper old nursery near you that grows veg plants? When
I have a failure, savoys and winter cabage this year we go and buy the
plants. Our local one does strips of 12 for £1.50 so it's hardly worth
doing it yourself anyway considering the cost of seed etc..

Yes we do. But I wonder if its too late now?
I know what you mean, plants v seed. I like to grow from seed, it interests
me, don't know why.
I will buy some plants and see how it goes.

Thanks, Bob
Baz

I hate to say it, but another unproductive year.
 

Sacha wrote in
:

On 2013-05-18 17:55:24 +0100, Bob Hobden said:

"Baz" wrote .

Brassicas have wilted. ALL of them. I don't think it is cabbage root
fly because I have taken precautions, such as collars around them.
No Brussels sprouts this year, again.

Is there still time to have another go at it this year?


Have you got a proper old nursery near you that grows veg plants?
When I have a failure, savoys and winter cabage this year we go and
buy the plants. Our local one does strips of 12 for £1.50 so it's
hardly worth doing it yourself anyway considering the cost of seed
etc..

Amazing how many people are now growing their own veg. At Tucker's
particularly, the sales of veg plants are outselling the ornamentals.

It IS amazing. Fresh veg. are far tastier than shop bought ones. I am glad
that folk are comming around to this. We,(family)at home can never go back
to shop bought stuff. Only during winter.

Perhaps it's the dire cold start to the year that's prompted a lot of
people to give up trying to get their own going and to buy baby
plants.

Yes, that could be it! And I, for one, have done it already this year. It
has gone belly up. Another go is on the cards. Fingers and toes crossed.

Baz

I hate to say it, but another unproductive year.
 

It IS amazing. Fresh veg. are far tastier than shop bought ones. I am glad
that folk are comming around to this. We,(family)at home can never go back
to shop bought stuff. Only during winter.

It depends a lot on What you buy more than where you buy it.
I have been buying English tomatoes the last couple of months from
Tesco, very good flavour but cost more than imported, but well worth it,
same for Asparagus, buy British against imported from somewhere like Peru.
Then in season why but runner beans from Zambia or Zimbabwe when there
are British for sale.
the message is READ THE LABEL.

I hate to say it, but another unproductive year.
 

On 2013-05-19 13:09:38 +0100, David Hill said:


It IS amazing. Fresh veg. are far tastier than shop bought ones. I am glad
that folk are comming around to this. We,(family)at home can never go back
to shop bought stuff. Only during winter.

It depends a lot on What you buy more than where you buy it.
I have been buying English tomatoes the last couple of months from
Tesco, very good flavour but cost more than imported, but well worth
it, same for Asparagus, buy British against imported from somewhere
like Peru.
Then in season why but runner beans from Zambia or Zimbabwe when there
are British for sale.
the message is READ THE LABEL.

One of the things I find irritating when shopping online is that Tesco
rarely put the country of origin on produce. They do tend to say
"British" if it is, though. British asparagus beats all others hands
down, imo. The last we had was from the Wye valley, David and I can
recommend it highly. ;-) Our own crowns, planted as two year olds
last year have disappeared entirely. I assume they just rotted away.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

I hate to say it, but another unproductive year.
 

On Sun, 19 May 2013 Sacha wrote:

One of the things I find irritating when shopping online is that Tesco
rarely put the country of origin on produce. They do tend to say
"British" if it is, though. British asparagus beats all others hands
down, imo. The last we had was from the Wye valley, David and I can
recommend it highly. ;-) Our own crowns, planted as two year olds
last year have disappeared entirely. I assume they just rotted away.

I sowed some asparagus seed two years ago and planted them out last
year. They grew but the stems were very thin. Would that be normal?

We're just about to go over to Normandy to see how they're getting on
this year. I wonder if they'll be strong enough to harvest.....

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK

I hate to say it, but another unproductive year.
 

On 19/05/2013 16:49, David Rance wrote:
On Sun, 19 May 2013 Sacha wrote:

One of the things I find irritating when shopping online is that Tesco
rarely put the country of origin on produce. They do tend to say
"British" if it is, though. British asparagus beats all others hands
down, imo. The last we had was from the Wye valley, David and I can
recommend it highly. ;-) Our own crowns, planted as two year olds
last year have disappeared entirely. I assume they just rotted away.

I sowed some asparagus seed two years ago and planted them out last
year. They grew but the stems were very thin. Would that be normal?

We're just about to go over to Normandy to see how they're getting on
this year. I wonder if they'll be strong enough to harvest.....

David

They will take 2 to 3 years to produce good sized spears, and will
continue to provide larger ones for several years

I hate to say it, but another unproductive year.
 

On 19/05/2013 16:49, David Rance wrote:
On Sun, 19 May 2013 Sacha wrote:

One of the things I find irritating when shopping online is that Tesco
rarely put the country of origin on produce. They do tend to say
"British" if it is, though. British asparagus beats all others hands
down, imo. The last we had was from the Wye valley, David and I can
recommend it highly. ;-) Our own crowns, planted as two year olds
last year have disappeared entirely. I assume they just rotted away.

I sowed some asparagus seed two years ago and planted them out last
year. They grew but the stems were very thin. Would that be normal?

We're just about to go over to Normandy to see how they're getting on
this year. I wonder if they'll be strong enough to harvest.....

David

Give them time, it is a slow season for a lot of things.
I don't know how slugs feel about Asparagus, could they be having then
as they break through?
Did you build a raised bed for the Asparagus?

And even when they're producing thick spears, they'll continue to produce some thin ones too.

I hate to say it, but another unproductive year.
 

On 18/05/2013 18:14, David Hill wrote:
On 18/05/2013 17:55, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Baz" wrote .

Brassicas have wilted. ALL of them. I don't think it is cabbage root fly
because I have taken precautions, such as collars around them.
No Brussels sprouts this year, again.

Is there still time to have another go at it this year?


Have you got a proper old nursery near you that grows veg plants? When I
have a failure, savoys and winter cabage this year we go and buy the
plants. Our local one does strips of 12 for £1.50 so it's hardly worth
doing it yourself anyway considering the cost of seed etc..

You might also find some at a car boot sale.

Or where ever your local good causes run stalls and do bacon butties and
coffees on a Saturday morning for fund raising. In our local market town
this is in a hall underneath the council chamber. Different good cause
every week and booked up for about 18 months in advance!

Always worth a quick look in case some interesting rare plant is on
offer at a knock down price. Vegetable seedlings are common too. Some
village halls also have a trade or swap your seedling plants day.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown