What are you NOT growing in 2016?"

[Guest]

Oh I forgot I have turfed out summer squash. The odd tromba may creep back in a year or two, but that is it.

[Aberdeenplotter]

I am so not trialling anything. Mind you, I say that every year

[skeggijon]

Chard is out - very pretty, but none of us are that keen. The jury is out about sweetcorn at the moment, due to the space needed and no broad beans because I'm the only one that likes them and I'm always being moaned at about growing things that nobody else likes.

[elleme]

I might not bother with radish as I don't seem to have the knack of pulling it out at the right time before it goes woody. Is it true that daikon/mooli are less likely to do that?

[Lumpy]

Elleme - mooli are really winter radish because they bolt like little boogers if they get too much sun and heat. They are best sown (in my opinion) starting in mid to late Aug and if you shove a bit of fleece on them they will carry on for months.
I have never had a woody one although be prepared because they can grow very, very large roots and are a lot spicier than the summer radish.

Try pulling your radish when they are smaller and it does help stop the woody core.

[roitelet]

Cucumbers 'cos they take up too much room in the tunnel and are just too productive. When they are in full flow I can't even give them away!!!

[noviceveggrower]

I am not bothering brassicas. It doesn't matter what I do they are just a disaster. The seeds I have trouble germinating, those that do usually wilt and die. Last year I even bought some plug plants and they didn't do any good either.

[Dalrimple]

no shallots or sprouts for me iv'e got two lots of kale for next season ,i am going to grow broad beens this year because i'm the only one that likes them and in the past i haven't bothered but one row won't take to much room .

[Chippy Minton]

Main crop spuds - don't have the room to spare

Celeriac is on it's last chance and only then because I have some left over seeds

Aubergines - lovely plants, lovely flowers, stooped aubergines

Runner beans maybe - love them, they're too prolific though and they end up on the compost

[Guest]

Cucumbers 'cos they take up too much room in the tunnel and are just too productive. When they are in full flow I can't even give them away!!!

Runner beans maybe - love them, they're too prolific though and they end up on the compost

Ok. I am in shock, never thought plants could produce too much fruit or veg.

Roitelet can you not just nip then ends of the plants after 5 leaves to keep it in check? Also cue soup is nice

As for runners is it worth drying and shelling the beans for winter use?

[Alison]

As for runners is it worth drying and shelling the beans for winter use?

Yes, eat masses of dried beans although it's mainly French beans (bolotti type) and large runners (Gigantes)

[Penellype]

I am not bothering brassicas. It doesn't matter what I do they are just a disaster. The seeds I have trouble germinating, those that do usually wilt and die. Last year I even bought some plug plants and they didn't do any good either.

Brassicas are a bit tricky because they don't like being too hot or too wet. When you have seedlings in modules or small pots there is a very fine line between too wet and too dry, and in hot weather it can seem impossible to please them. I have lost numerous PSB plants that I have been trying to grow on in pots over summer, waiting for spaces to plant them out. Last year I found a solution. Use a self watering tray under the pots. You can either buy these (a tray, a shelf and capillary matting) or you can get some capillary matting and make your own - all you need is a secure shelf to stand the pots on and a reservoir of some sort that is lower than the surface of the matting. I've used a large drip tray with a blowaway greenhouse shelf as the surface, which worked well. Make sure the compost is in contact with the matting through the holes in the pots and you are away.

[Chippy Minton]

As for runners is it worth drying and shelling the beans for winter use?

We've swapped the runners for Borlotti's. They're nicer as a dried / frozen bean.

[4390evans]

I dont think I will be growing cabbage neither or lettuce, the lettuce never looks or tastes like it does in the shop.

[skeggijon]

^^^ to me, one of the good things about growing my own is precisely the fact that it doesn't look or taste like the ones in the shops