What you really need from your patch...

Quote from: allotmentann on July 27, 2012, 08:00

Hi Growster, I will definitely give kale a go and see what happens with the flea beetle. It is odd as the plot directly behind me does not get flea beetle at all - not a single one! My rocket, beetroot, mizuna and green manure mustard were riddled with it. The beets recovered, but rocket and mizuna were inedible. Good job I didn't want to eat the mustard! Kale will perhaps out grow it, if it does get attacked - I think they only like the young leaves.

Hi Ann,

I found that I started suffering after I bought some farmyard manure onto the plot - I think it must have been full of flea beetle eggs.  I didn't suffer from it until then.  Just a thought that it might be the source of your problem?

Was it local farmer's poo Angela?

We're checking suppliers at the moment...

Might even buy some, but not at what they quote!

Does the 'bulb' form underground like - say - a parsnip?

I can't see much of a 'bulb' as yet, but then I'm impatient, and having seen the ones our chum sells in the shop in the Collonade here...

It's a fat stem jobby, like a leek 

AllotAnn - you never really get let down with kale, but it is a bit boring...

But 'Boring' is great in winter though isn't it!

ANYTHING is great in winter!

Quote from: angelavdavis on July 27, 2012, 09:06

Quote from: allotmentann on July 27, 2012, 08:00

Hi Growster, I will definitely give kale a go and see what happens with the flea beetle. It is odd as the plot directly behind me does not get flea beetle at all - not a single one! My rocket, beetroot, mizuna and green manure mustard were riddled with it. The beets recovered, but rocket and mizuna were inedible. Good job I didn't want to eat the mustard! Kale will perhaps out grow it, if it does get attacked - I think they only like the young leaves.

Hi Ann,

I found that I started suffering after I bought some farmyard manure onto the plot - I think it must have been full of flea beetle eggs.  I didn't suffer from it until then.  Just a thought that it might be the source of your problem?

Was it local farmer's poo Angela?

We're checking suppliers at the moment...

Might even buy some, but not at what they quote!

A local farmer delivered it - it was rotted cowshed contents.  It was £30 for a flatbed lorryfull (about 1.5 tonnes) delivered from Redlays Farm in Westfield.  Apparently the pile filled two thirds of his yard so i am guessing it was a breeding ground for all sorts of insects.  I am now sticking to free horse manure collected from local stables.  There are a couple of places advertise in friday-ad.

Thanks Mums - the largest is about the size of a golf ball at the moment - maybe not as big as I'd hoped, but definitely there doing something...

Why not grow Sprouts & Kale, as you only pick what you need and let the plant keep growing.

Yes I was wondering about kale, I think if you can just cut what you want I might do that (I don't think I would ever eat sprouts - I have tried many times to like them but just don't. They are only veg I  have ever found that I don't like). Would I have trouble with flea beetle at this time of year? They seem to love my plot!
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Leeks stay in the ground all winter on my patch & I'm digging the last ones up after the next years babies are being planted out.  Also garlic & Broad Beans (under fleece) overwinter well - I've heard they can rot if the soil is too wet, but mine gets really soggy in winter & they are fine - I think you just have to plant early enough for them to be established before the really bad weather comes.  Also spinach lasts a surprisingly long time if it's given a bit of protection.

How do you eat your sprouts?  I hate them boiled but they are one of my favourite veg when steamed or stir-fried, so it might be worth trying a different cooking method before abandoning them forever!

You can see them bulbing up, as you can with beetroot    When you see them bulbing up you are supposed to remove some of the lower foliage but I can never be bothered 

When you see them bulbing up you can start feeding them

Thanks CQ, we've been feeding them quite a lot already, as I thought/hoped/feared that they might respond like celery does.

It makes a cracking good slaw, and as the swede seem to have sulked all summer so far, celeriac will be a great option, as long as it grows properly of course!

(We also make a slaw (remoulade) from salsify, which you have to make in 0.0035 seconds as it goes brown even if cleaned under a gallon of lemon juice, preferably applied through a 3" diameter pressure hose...;0)

We sowed some Kohl Rabi (another first for us this year), and that got the hump quite early on, especially as the slugs attacked it with some vigour - quite a lot actually, in fact, one heck of a lot...! I sowed some new seed last week, and it's away already! I'll be making slaws out of that hopefully...