Last night we picked our first brussels. They were fabulous. Nothing like shop bought. I will be growing them next year. This year we planted 6 plants but one did not grow properly (we have club root and usually lose a couple of plants per year). And we have almost lost one to the bl***y mole. But the others seem to be ok. We are very pleased with the result.

I will have to look at the name of the seeds as I expected them to be ready at Christmas.

We also grew some rhubarb chard which we have started using which is also very very tasty. My OH has always shied away from eating this veg but this year it has been a success as he is now eating it and enjoying it.

Note to self grow more brussels and chard......

Our carrots have done very well this year despite having a bit of a hiccup with the weather, very hot and dry and very very cold and wet. We have tried quite a few different varieties and will be making sure that next year we grow some of them again.

Our carrots have done very well too Catherine, despite it being very very dry here, and they hardly got watered at all. The yellow ones seem to be the best (Jaune de Doubs? I can't remember at the mo).

We've never done well with sprouts

Our carrots have been the worse since we started growing them but they suffered from our exceptionally dry conditions - we just couldn't keep everything watered.

As for Brussels sprout the best for a while this year probably due to growing a variety that was reputed to be club root resistant - Crispus. We haven't dug a root up to see if it is free of club root but the tops seem to imply that it has lived up to its name.

We grew some club root resistant cabbage and cauliflower and the roots of those plants were perfect.

Hi Sue,
Could you please name the cabbages and cauliflower that were resistant to club root.
My Carrots have been amongst the best I have ever grown this year a great pity that we have had to lift them all because of continuous attacks from Voles. I tried Flyaway and find them totally devoid of any taste whatsoever!
The strange thing is that I have been away most of the year, all over the place, and regret that I have seriously neglected my garden.
Things have now calmed down for me and next year should be a pleasurable year.
JB.

The cauliflower was Clapton and the cabbage was Kilaton

We have, for the last three years grown our cabbage, cauli and broccoli by growing them on to good sized plants, then digging a hole and putting lime and a few handfuls of compost then planting the plants into the hole and watering well.

We have found that this works well for us as the plants grow to be good and strong and we only lose probably one plant per year to this disease.

I am going to grow more brocolli next year as these have also been successful. Unfortunately we went on holiday just before three heads of broccoli were ready and when we came back they had gone to seed.

Hi Sue,
Thank you for a speedy reply.
The reason I ask is because the top end of the next village has club root and they all have great difficulty growing any sort of Brassica.
Your information will be duly passed on those who suffer.
JB.

We've always grown our brassicas that way and it has worked up to a point with cabbages but sprouts are hungry feeders and are growing for a long period on top of which they were usually inundated with whitefly. I think the very less than perfect roots just prevented them getting enough nourishment from the soil even when we fed them.

I think if they browse other catalogues they will find other varieties too.

Haven't tried Rhubarb Chard yet - maybe next year. We have grown the white Swiss Chard for years, very good. - I posted a recipe on 20th August for Chard and Green Bean Soup, could be worth trying with your Rhubab Chard, but I think it might turn out an odd colour.

a-a

Hi Adam,
Swiss Chard was one of the seeds sent to me from my relatives in Canada
in 1943 and was the first seed I ever sowed on my own account.
Strangely I did not find Ruby Chard to my liking so I soldier on with just the white variety.
With the Chards I make a vegetable rue with Onion, Leek, Celery and slice the Chards Julien then cover with a cheese sauce and bake and then put grated Cheddar Cheese over the top and finish off under the grill.
Scrumptious!
JB.