[plum crumble]

can I just add that I also completely agree with the title of this thread, just as it is... 

[mumofstig]

sorry, but you've been crackers for years 

[plum crumble]

  moi?

[Growster...]

Growing parsnips smaller!

Please, I'm not being smug, but they got far too big, and impossible to lift without heavy digging and the ends breaking off! They had far to much room and were raised in paper pots in the greenhouse and planted out too early as well!

It's ridiculous, but we've got fed up with them because of that, so next autumn, we want them about 8" long...

As for celeriac, they were pathetic, and a golfball size was a struggle!

And I'll never bother with overwintering broad beans again either, so I'll try to plant properly in spring.

Cracking something changes every year though...;0)

[devonbarmygardener]

I haven't overwinter broads bean for about 3 years now Growster - they all rotted! And the spring planted ones don't take long to catch up anyway.
I've had almost every bean germinate from spring plantings and this year is looking just as good! :happy:

[Totty]

Growing Celery for only the second time this year. Tried it a few years back but didnt really look after it properly looking back and most of it bolted. Have some ultra rich soil for them this time so fingers crossed.

Totty

[Growster...]

I haven't overwinter broads bean for about 3 years now Growster - they all rotted! And the spring planted ones don't take long to catch up anyway.
I've had almost every bean germinate from spring plantings and this year is looking just as good! :happy:

It seems a lost cause every time I try it, Devon!

Like you say, the spring-sown ones soon catch up, and we can wait a couple of weeks for beans anyway! (We still have a couple of pounds in the freezer from last year...)!

[Growster...]

Growing Celery for only the second time this year. Tried it a few years back but didnt really look after it properly looking back and most of it bolted. Have some ultra rich soil for them this time so fingers crossed.

Totty

Growing celery is a real art, Totty. I have to admit to giving up after the first year, although I'd have loved to have cracked that task!

I'm afaaid that for a single pound coin, we can get enough celery from Twongos to last us a couple of weeks in whatever form, and that the time spent on growing the stuff is put to better use growing - say - leeks, or spuds or toms, which are a staple here!

[Totty]

Growing it for a chef that wants it though, so got n o choice but to crack it really.

Totty

[New shoot]

I haven't overwinter broads bean for about 3 years now Growster - they all rotted! And the spring planted ones don't take long to catch up anyway.
I've had almost every bean germinate from spring plantings and this year is looking just as good! :happy:

It seems a lost cause every time I try it, Devon!

Like you say, the spring-sown ones soon catch up, and we can wait a couple of weeks for beans anyway! (We still have a couple of pounds in the freezer from last year...)!

My overwintered broad beans were rubbish (again  ) so got pulled up the other day.  The wizard beans, however, have made it though unscathed and with no weather protection what so ever.  Think I shall be switching to them in future 

[Growster...]

I reckon -' we' reckon to be exact, is that the couple of weeks' advantage you get from over-wintered beans are just not worth the hassle. We still have beans from last year in the freezer, which were put down in bags within minutes of picking, and they are great - for us anyway!

My last lot of over-wintered were just silly, and we chucked them to grow new spuds which will really make a difference this year.

I think this is the key this particular year. There are several varieties of veg which may just struggle because of the long winter, and the spring is very slow - as is the light - , so, perhaps a re-think is in order for some stuff!

Nevertheless, if the subject of this post still stands, (and I think it's one of the best we have here at the moment)this year I will crack growing veg which will actually produce after such an awful start!

It's a great challenge, and I'm so looking forward to it!

[compostqueen]

Celery is really easy to grow. Honestly.  It needs manure down on the soil first as it likes moisture. Then water it at least til it's established. Same with celeriac.  Home grown celery is huge. I warn you 

[New shoot]

Celery is really easy to grow. Honestly.  It needs manure down on the soil first as it likes moisture. Then water it at least til it's established. Same with celeriac.  Home grown celery is huge. I warn you 

CQ I can cope with celery being huge honest    Tried it before, crashed and burned, so got some seedlings this year and hoping for the best 

And Growster old chum - wizard beans really are, well wizard    No fleece, no cloche, no faff and they have come through the worst the weather can throw at them. 

[angelavdavis]

I have grown monster celery the last couple of years - year one, I had never grown it before, so put far too many plants in and as a result, we were drowning in the stuff.  Year two, I decided I would give it a miss, but was given some seedlings by a fellow plotholder - I chucked fleece over it last year and it is still going!  It is only good for flavouring soups now though - too tough for eating!

Both times, I grew the self-blanching varieties.

I would like better caulis, brussels and parsnips this year - the first two were disasters this year and I haven't been able to grow parsnips since having my allotment plot!