Grow your own Christmas Challenge 2020

[Bren In Pots]

I've got a fair bit for this years dinner but no potatoes so I'll join in to get those on next years plate.

sprouts,
carrots in a Bucket,
parsnips
kale
and assorted lettuce in the GH border/buckets

[Penellype]

I don't do Christmas dinner as I don't have anyone to share it with. I therefore won't be doing the challenge, although I usually have potatoes, carrots, parsnips, leeks and winter salads anyway. I don't grow red cabbage or sprouts as I don't eat them.

[veggiechicken]

I don't "do" Christmas dinner either - my traditional dinner on the big day is beans on toast, with cheese or an egg to make it special!!
Next year, I'll do this as a challenge to myself, just to see if I can. It still won't have turkey and all the trimmings on the plate, or a tree, cards and presents nearby.

[Bren In Pots]

No tree here either VC now days some just holly and candles on the mantle piece. it does look festive though.

[broadway]

Always wanted to do this and as I now have the allotment there's no excuse, count me in VG��

[Chippy Minton]

This year's attempt was thwarted by all sorts of pests...
Spuds - 10 late planting suds in a pack, 6 went in the ground and were eaten by the badgers, 1 went in a potato barrel, the other 3 in pots in the greenhouse, yielded just enough for Christmas dinner - let's call that a score-draw
Parsnips - only about 4 germinated, ones at home dug up and eaten by the badgers (badgers 2-1), one germinated up at the plot, see below....

Sprouts and kale up at the plot, a marauding herd of cows managed to get in and chomp their way through all brassicas! The pests are getting bigger Cows 2-0
Apparently cows don't like beetroot so we got that Cows 2-1

So count me in, number one daughter (18) only eats homegrown sprouts. This time next year Rodney...

[veggiechicken]

Thanks for that, Chippy
Most encouraging.

[veggiechicken]

This is the plan (sort of!)

March - April.
Sow leeks, red cabbage and sprouts in modules for planting out in May/June

April - May
Sow parsnips direct

July
Sow carrots in pots
Plant spuds in pots

August - September
Sow Oriental leaves under cover.
Sow Land cress, Lamb's lettuce and Claytonia outdoors.

Sounds simple.

In case anyone is buying seeds soon, these are the recommended varieties (other seeds are available!)

Carrots
A quick-growing cultivar - Early Nantes 2, Sugarsnax 54, Purple Sun for finger carrots in December

Red cabbage
A late-autumn cultivar (not easy to find!) Granat, Langedijk Red Late 2, Lodero.

Parsnips
Buy fresh seed in spring. Gladiator, Javelin, Tender & True

Leeks
A cultivar for mid-winter cropping. Blauwgroene Winter, Bandit, Toledo.

Brussels Sprouts
Mid-season cultivar - Trafalgar, Brodie.

Potatoes
Buy cold-stored tubers in July. Charlotte, Maris Peer.

Just reminding you that we start sowing in March/April.

[Bren In Pots]

Thanks for the reminder VC
I've got my seeds ready and will be growing everything apart from leeks and red cabbage.

[ghexton]

Like the sound of this i will be jumping on the wagon.

[Chrissyteacup]

Count me in too had my own spuds and parsnips last year my carrots failed despite multiple re sowings, sprouts aren’t my thing but the last couple of years we’ve been gifted a stalk from a girl in the oh’s Office and they are so much better then shop bought! But then I’ve not had much success with brassicas so maybe not them!
On a side note I’ve sown my parsnips in February the last couple of years and had a good result have I just been lucky?

[PyreneesPlot]

I'll join you on this foolhardy venture
I've grown all of these in previous years, but abandoned spuds about five years ago (slugs/blight) but have been considering trying again. They were good when they were good
I do grow sprouts every year but they almost always blow (undermined by moles/voles and not firmed in enough in the first place, probably) so get very few, and I've tried red cabbage for eleven seasons and never yet managed one, even when buying plants !
(And funnily enough, the red brussels were an utter failure too, but they did look pretty.) Perhaps this is the year?

[Plot12c]

Yep I will be in for this one too! Looking forward to the challenge. Can we include frozen? Runner and green beans and peas?. Will try to grow as much fresh as I can though!

[veggiechicken]

You can include whatever you like..........but they're additions to the basic list of veg.

Ooooooooooo I'm 'ard.

[Plot12c]

Lol will have a look at the list!

Recommendations on red cabbage varieties to grow?