[Lardman]

That would probably explain it.

March is way to early, they got cold and stunted and failed to recover.

Sown in March not kicked out into the greenhouse  then I started them with my peppers - as I have done for several seasons without problems.

Although you're probably right about the stunted growth, towards the beginning of the season there were huge day/night temperature variations in the greenhouse.   A product of my inexperience in greenhouse growing.

I refuse to post piccies of my swede.

Oh go on .. you know you want to really.

I've still got pictures of 4 month old spring onions and even a sickly blackberry to post for amusement later.

[shokkyy]

One of my courgette plants has finally started to throw off a few courgettes. They kept rotting, even when fairly big, so I put something underneath to stop them touching the ground. They still kept rotting. Then I discovered the ones that were rotting had tiny little nibbling marks from the vandal mice that have been ravaging my veggies this year. So far I've had one good big courgette and a few half courgettes to throw in stir frys (ones that started rotting) and that's my total harvest from six plants. Some years you just can't win.

[New shoot]

Here you go Lardman - my swedes 



and my red kale planted almost next door - go figure 

[lazza]

Eight courgettes planted - 5 in the greenhouse, 3 outside.

The greenhouse ones produced one courgette between them (a full sized one!), the outdoors ones produced 3 mini courgettes which refused to get any larger than my little finger, and that's it. I was away for 2 weeks until yesterday, and had optimistically hoped my neighbour might have the magic touch and I would come home to a profusion of courgettes, not a single one (although two look amazingly healthy and have a large number of male flowers on but only a small number of withered female buds).

[DD.]

That would probably explain it.

March is way to early, they got cold and stunted and failed to recover.

Sown in March not kicked out into the greenhouse  then I started them with my peppers - as I have done for several seasons without problems.

Although you're probably right about the stunted growth, towards the beginning of the season there were huge day/night temperature variations in the greenhouse.   A product of my inexperience in greenhouse growing.

I refuse to post piccies of my swede.

Oh go on .. you know you want to really.

I've still got pictures of 4 month old spring onions and even a sickly blackberry to post for amusement later.

My courgettes weren't sown until 2 months after yours. They're producing like there's no tomorrow and have even recovered from a visit by the marrow fairy.

I still refuse to post my swede pictures, imagine some like newshoot's but worse.

[Growster...]

"I still refuse to post my swede pictures, imagine some like newshoot's but worse." Clubroot DD?

[DD.]

Yup.

[Growster...]

That's sad news DD - I'm sorry to hear that. That b*****y stuff has just touched two broccoli recently, although I'd hoiked them out after they'd gone to seed. About 10% of the roots were swollen, but some where OK, so they thrived - just...

I'm following your advice next year and giving them such a head start, they won't know what hits them when they're planted out.

But growing swede like that isn't the same option is it.

[BabbyAnn]

I've potted swede on and planted out before now, and they have been fine    Add a little lime to the planting hole to increase the pH to be on the safe side.  Or go for a club resistant variety such as Invitation, Marian or Willemsburger. 

[DD.]

That's sad news DD - I'm sorry to hear that. That b*****y stuff has just touched two broccoli recently, although I'd hoiked them out after they'd gone to seed. About 10% of the roots were swollen, but some where OK, so they thrived - just...

I'm following your advice next year and giving them such a head start, they won't know what hits them when they're planted out.

But growing swede like that isn't the same option is it.

I tried paper pot sown swede one year and direct sown at the same time. Pretty much the same result - about 6 usable from a 32' row.

[Lardman]

My courgettes weren't sown until 2 months after yours.

Looks like a bit of confusion there , the cape gooseberries were sown March not the courgettes, no idea when they went in, definitely later rather than earlier though.

I recall your club root issues DD, seems to be the one thing I don't suffer from here  I assume you tried the resistant varieties as you have with the caulis ?

[DD.]

Yep, Invitation as mentioned.

Thanks for the thoughts BabbyAnn, but I've been at odds with it for 9 years now, so I've tried a few things.

Caulis, cabbage etc. can cope with it now, but swede is a no no, lime or no lime, resistant varieties or not.

[New shoot]

Can't believe anyone has got even more pathetic swedes than me DD, but club root is a beast.  Luckily I don't have club root problems, just weasely little plants that aren't moving  

On the up side my courgettes seem to be coping with a bit of mildew and are still producing and my cape gooseberries are going like the clappers (sorry Lardman)