2010 was a busy year here at Two Chances Veg Plot. So which veg gets the awards this year? Here’s my round-up of the best and the worst……..and how they compared to 2009.
Top 3 Veg
1) Late Purple Sprouting Broccoli, we waited and waited and eventually it appeared and boy was it worth the wait. Fantastic eating and filled the March-April ‘hunger gap’. Very satisfying after the the 2008 pigeon disaster – net at all costs.
2) Parsnips “Exhibition” – better than 2009s Tender & True and just fabulous straight from the roasting tray. Yes they’re in the ground for 8 months+ but well worth the investment in time and space.
3) Courgettes “F1 Orelia & Black Beauty” – summer powerhouse veg, very little work other than remembering to harvest, and provided easy meals simply roasted or thrown into a pasta bake, souped, relish etc. Don’t moan about this profilic veg, you’ll miss them in winter.
2009 was Brussels, Cucumber and Courgettes.
Parsnips and sprouts were good this year.
And the worst……
1) Onion Sets “Radar” – pitiful golf-ball sized excuses for onions – not enough water spring / early summer?
2) Garlic “Purple Wight” – where did it go? Planted too late, no cold snap to break dormancy? Some has appeared this Autumn.
3) Carrots “Javelot” – had a crack at growing some long carrots which were pretty rubbish. Crammed too many into the bin? Will try again next year.
2009 was carrots (there’s a trend developing!), Parsnips and Leeks (I haven’t even seen my leeks since I planted them round the corner in a neighbour’s plot so can’t comment yet!).
My carrots were rubbish!
Best Newcomer
Sweetcorn “Sweet Sensation” – planted very early, survived the frosts under bottle cloches and juicy, sweet cobs were eaten through August – more please!
Veg I should have grown
The humble Swede………back on the list for 2011.
Biggest Mistake
Transplanting cucumbers from windowsill to greenhouse too early – lost my prized variety “Carmen” that did so well for me in 2009 and went for a non all-female variety as a back-up which wasn’t as good. Don’t sow too early.
Showing Success
I had a successful Summer Show at my local Horticultural Society show. Took cups/medal for most points veg and most points overall veg/flowers. I’d like to branch out a bit this year and do more local shows.
2010 list of veg:
In the greenhouse: Lettuce (Salad Bowl, Little Gem, Red Deer’s Tongue & Lollo Rosso), Cucumber (Burpless Tasty Green), Tomato (Moneymaker, Garderner’s Delight, Brasero & Tumbling Tom), Chilli (Fresno Supreme, Cayenne, Jalapeno, Scotch Bonnet), Peppers (Etuida, Californian Wonder, Yellow Bell Pepper).
Radish (French Breakfast, Albena), Beetroot (Detroit), Salad Potato (Charlotte, Juliette, Anya, Desiree, King Edwards), Broad Bean (Sutton), Runner Bean (Scarlet Emperor), French Bean (Cobra & Dwarf Ferrari), Courgettes (Orelia F1 & Black Beauty), Summer Squash (Scallop Mixed), Chard (Bright Lights), Brussel Sprouts (Maximus Hybrid), Cabbage (Golden Acre Primo), Carrots (Amsterdam Forcing, Javelot), Parsnips (Exhibition), Garlic (Purple Wight), Onion Sets (Radar), Shallots (Golden Gourmet), Broccoli (Early & Late Purple Sprouting), Kale (Dwarf Green Curled & Scarlet), Cauliflower (Snowball), Calabrese (Aquilies), Celery (variety unknown), Pumpkin (Rouge Vif d’Etamps), Leeks (Musselburgh), Sweetcorn (Sweet Sensation), Jerusalem Artichokes (variety unkown).
For comparison – 2009 list of vegetables:
In the greenhouse: Lettuce (Salad Bowl, Little Gem & Lollo Rosso), Cucumber (Carmen F1), Tomato (Moneymaker, Garderner’s Delight & Marmande), Chilli (Cayenne & Jalapeno), Peppers (Etuida).
Radish (French Breakfast, Albena), Beetroot (Detroit), Salad Potato (Charlotte, Juliette & Anya), Broad Bean (Sutton), Runner Bean (Scarlet Emperor), French Bean (Cobra & Dwarf Ferrari), Courgettes (Orelia F1), Summer Squash (Scallop Mixed), Butternut Squash (Cobnut F1).
Chard (Bright Lights), Brussel Sprouts (Maximus Hybrid), Cabbage (Golden Acre Primo & Savoy), Carrots (Amsterdam Forcing), Parsnips (Tender & True), Garlic (Purple Wight), Onion Sets (Radar), Shallots (Griselle), Broccoli (Early & Late Purple Sprouting), Kale (Dwarf Green Curled & Scarlet), Swede (Virtue), Cauliflower (Snowball), Leeks (Musselburgh), Jerusalem Artichokes (variety unkown).
29 comments
Comments feed for this article
December 30, 2010 at 8:15 pm
Darren
Your right mate, the long carrots look pitiful
The parsnips also need a bit of work (diplomacy response lol )
If you get a a couple of barrels or pipes as we discussed, we can try them together
December 30, 2010 at 8:18 pm
Damo
Will do mate definitely. Parnsips were better than last year though and they taste good! Although not anywhere near what I’d like. Carrots were truly dire though……….
December 30, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Darren
PS, this is my favourite post because we are now starting to see the veg
December 30, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Damo
Show me the veg!!
December 30, 2010 at 9:15 pm
Mark Willis
I also vote for Sprouting Broccoli to be in top spot. It takes a long time to grow, but it’s definitely worth the wait. I also had a lot of success with the Summer Broccoli “Tenderstem”, which produced a huge crop over a long period. I’ll be trying some of the new hybrid varieties next year – such as Brokali and Brukale (they MIGHT be nice…)
December 30, 2010 at 9:22 pm
Damo
I agree Mark broccoli is an all round winner. I hope mine has survived the recent weather.
December 30, 2010 at 9:30 pm
Darren
I prefer Cauli’s myself
I have had quite a bit of luck with them in recent years
December 30, 2010 at 10:46 pm
Damo
I like Caulies as well, we were on holiday when most of mine were ready this year, need to space them out a bit more this year.
December 30, 2010 at 10:00 pm
RobD
Another vote for purple sprouting broccoli from me too! It’s a real struggle to keep the pigeons off it, stop the netting from collapsing in the snow, keep the slugs off it, etc. but it’s so worth all the effort. Missed it this year (slugs) and struggling with it at the moment after the snow bought down the netting and then the pigeons had a good feed on it but hopeful of salvaging something from it. Very small plants still though.
No fruit? Or is that a different post. Cracking year (personally) for strawberries, apples, loganberries, etc.
December 30, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Damo
I don’t grow much fruit other than a few raspberry canes and a dozen strawberry plants and it was a great year for strawberries, we loved them. I’ve got a few more canes to plant out this weekend. I need to find space for more fruit.
December 31, 2010 at 12:36 am
Tracy
Great post Damo. My parsnips are a bit sad this year. I don’t think we had enough cold weather. Wishing you a happy 2011 and great fun in the garden.
Cheers,
Tracy
December 31, 2010 at 8:33 am
Damo
Hi Tracy, Happy New Year to you too and all the best for 2011.
December 31, 2010 at 7:06 am
Richard (Vegpatchblog)
Damoo
I’m getting 2 emails from you each time you post. I suspect I’ve registered using both my old email address and my new. The Gmail address is current, the Demon address will cut off on the 5th. Would you be kind and delete the Demon subscription and leave the Gmail one. Cheers. Richard
December 31, 2010 at 8:39 am
Damo
Hi Richard, finally found the relevant bit of my site to do that so I’ve removed your Demon address. Should be OK from now on. Thanks for your note and I’ve learnt something new! All the best for 2011.
December 31, 2010 at 7:28 am
Mo
I agree with Tracy – great post. Congratulations on your showing success and all the best for the coming seasons.
December 31, 2010 at 8:39 am
Damo
Thanks very much Mo, and all the best to you too for 2011.
December 31, 2010 at 8:47 am
The Idiot Gardener
I shall make a note of those courgettes; after the Trombonchino debacle I just want a mass-producing typical courgette!
A question on sprouting borc; whenever I have acquired it from the shops I’ve found it stringy and slightly blander than calabrese. What’s the story with it?
December 31, 2010 at 5:35 pm
Damo
The Black Beauty variety was from the free BBC DigIn pack. I’ve never bought purple sprouting broc from the shops, to be honest I only heard of it when I first started growing my own veg. I think it’s great steamed or fried in butter straight after cutting. Definitely worth growing and seems to be on most people’s lists. I find it has better flavour than standard calabrese.
December 31, 2010 at 10:39 am
Janet/Plantaliscious
Great post Damo, I love to see what people find really works. What was ‘Fresno Supreme’ like? I’m still trying to decide what chillies to grow, definitely jalapeno and scotch bonnet, but would like one other… Still have a way too long list on the tomatoes front…
December 31, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Damo
Hi Janet, they were OK, nothing special though, I bought them as plants from B&Q reduced at 20p each. I tend to stick with Cayenne, may be worth putting a question on the chilli lovers group on UKVG as there’s a few guys on there with loads of chilli experience.
December 31, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Sue
Bit like the New Years honours but with more desrving recipients
December 31, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Damo
You can’t beat a good list Sue!
December 31, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Jo
That’s an impressive list to say you haven’t got an allotment, Damo. Goodness knows what you’ll be growing once you get your extra space. The picture of the girls on your previous post is so cute, they’re growing at a pace. Happy New Year. Hope 2011 brings everything you wish for.
December 31, 2010 at 5:38 pm
Damo
Happy New Year to you too Jo. I am a bit of a jack of all trades growing a bit of everything, I probably need to trim down the varieties to the best ones for the family. Have a great 2011!
December 31, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Carrie
Wow Damo I could never do such an indepth and proper gardeny post – kudos to you. I totally agree about the psb, well worth that long wait and we tried ‘Gladitor’ in comparsion to ‘Tender and True’ this year and what a triumph.
Hugs to you and yours – Happy New Year!
January 1, 2011 at 9:51 am
Damo
Happy New Year Carrie. Thanks very much and glad you’ve had better parsnip results this year. Best wishes for 2011.
January 2, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Flighty
I’ve really enjoyed reading this post and all the comments!
Like Carrie I don’t think that I could run to such an extensive listing, although it has to be said I grow far fewer varieties than you do.
January 2, 2011 at 7:49 pm
Damo
Thanks very much Flighty, as both myself and Rachel like pretty much any veg I try to grow as much as I can. Hopefully if I can get some more space this can continue otherwise I’ll have to cut down a bit.
December 28, 2011 at 11:26 am
Review of 2011 « Two Chances Veg Plot Blog
[...] do I start? There’s been lots going on at the Two Chances Plot this year as there was in 2010. First of all a recap of the veg growing successes and [...]