[Irene]

Last year was my first in the U.K.. After many trips back and forth I arrived for the duration on May 23rd.

My husband had hired an individual to start the kitchen garden (my earlier visits were dedicated to clearing ground and ridding the property of debris mounds...you couldn't walk through the kitchen garden upon our initial arrival).

This gentleman did a wonderful job of making sure the garden was in progress when I arrived and through the help of the local garden centres we managed to have quite a successful first year.

...then I heard about "Club Root" and other problems. I met an individual in our village who has a magnificant garden and cannot grow brassicas. He stated to me that he believed that he brought the problem in through a purchase of a plant from a garden centre. I then learned that our neighbor, also a very accomplished gardener, had this problem, and also a problem with his raspberries that he believed was due to his purchase of new stock.

I made a decision that all plants, outside of our seed potatoes, would come from seed grown with one brand of compost. I emptied our greenhouse, sterilized it, and also sterilized all pots on the property before they could be used for new plantings.

My quandry is that there are times when purchasing from a centre would be more convenient...leeks and tomatoes (I'm short of both this year) being an issue.

The space I have to work with is large.. (my first post in my personal Garden Diary gives an overview of the kitchen garden situation..  http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=57855.msg679776  ) and I'm willing to keep working from seed...but I'm truly looking for insight from U.K. gardeners who have lived, ate and breathed this environment for years...Am I being too protective and should I relax a little or just keep going according to my plan?

[DavidT]

Irene, just because a couple of your neighbours think they have Club Root, doesn`t mean YOUR ground has it, Very often the problem IS NOT club root at all , it`s a pest called Turnip Gall Weevil. Raspberries have very few problems, so take that complaint with a pinch of salt. Trust the garden centres, they will not intentionally sell infected plants.

[Irene]

DavidT:

My garden DOESN'T HAVE IT. Am I being over protective trying to keep it that way? 

[digalotty]

its not the end of the world if your soil gets club root my lottie has it , and by starting things off in pots and getting a good root system first you can still grow most brassicas

[DavidT]

DavidT:

My garden DOESN'T HAVE IT. Am I being over protective trying to keep it that way?  

How do you know your garden doesn`t have it? And yes, you are being overprotective. Worry about the pests and diseases when you HAVE THEM.

[mumofstig]

if you buy plants in modules from garden centres they have been grown in potting compost so will not cause infection.
Do not buy in, or accept gifts of, veg plants which have been grown in earth.
You sometimes find these kinds of plants bundled up for sale at farmers markets and stalls, and they carry the infection from seed bed to your garden

Otherwise there is no need to worry about it.

[Irene]

digalotty (and by the way every time I read your nick I smile)..so its not an "all or nothing" situation?

Having heard so much about the problems it can present I've truly, as we say in the States "circled the wagons", but my leek situation is not looking optimum at the moment and if I felt I could safely bring in an outside source it would be good news.

[DavidT]

What`s wrong with your Leeks Irene? Remember, you are not in the States now, you are not competing with anyone here.

[digalotty]

club root is possible to live with as i said grow in pots to form a good root system and there is no reason why the shouldn't do alright, i have it ,  another thing is try and keep good crop rotation to stop any build up of any diseases, this will help more than anything really

[Irene]

DavidT:

I'm not trying to "compete" with anyone, I'm trying to be a competent gardener in a new environment and new challenges.

"What's wrong with my leeks?". That one is easy...they were started weeks late and look absolutely pathetic. I'm planting leeks where my new potatoes are and my new potatoes are ready for harvest. In fact, had the first servings for dinner the other evening...wonderful

I'm going to take mumofstig's advice...verify that any starts came out of compost and buy them from a reputable nursery...and stop stressing the leek situation.

There are bigger problems to worry about...like my relocating brassicas.

..and David, I found your comment a little hurtful. I understand I'm a guest of this Country. My experience with gardening here is that the knowledge and involvement is on a scale that we don't imagine in the States regarding family gardens. This site has changed my entire approach to my vegetable/fruit gardening and I only wish that I had discovered it while in the State's awaiting travel.

[Ice]

Just take mumofstigs advice. it is usually spot on.

[mumofstig]

Awwww  thank you.... takes a bow 

[Yorkie]

I didn't understand David's comment either Irene 

As for leeks, mine are always pathetic but somehow seem to make it to the being eaten stage (apart from last year, when the slugs got them as soon as they germinated!).  They will catch up - they've got months to do so.  In fact, I've no idea how others get them to pencil thickness or to an early thriving stage  :blink:

Mum does tend to know best 

[Irene]

Yorkie:

Thank you so much for that message.

Thanks to you and mumofstig I will now relax a little about not only my leek starts, but the fact that I may have to purchase some.

I must tell you that this year was the first time I had known about, and accomplished, starting onion from seed. Everytime I pass those two rows in the garden I smile. So much of this is a rather new and grand adventure

[Yorkie]

Cor that's well done, onions from seed 

My carrots and parsnips are a failure this year, at least the spuds seemed to have come through - we all have successes and failures each year.