Requiem in P minor

I think I'm going to have to admit defeat in my quest to get a set of peas benched at Malvern this year. My hat goes off to anyone south of Yorkshire who can grow a set in late September as it really does seem to be an impossible task for me and proof if ever it were needed that peas are well worth all of the 20 points allocated to them in the NVS Judges' Guide. Many years ago Medwyn did a series of Garden News articles on the sowing dates top growers used for a late August and a late September show, asking 6 exhibitors from all around the country, and John Branham who lives in Aylesbury left the date for sowing peas for the late show blank as he considered it a complete waste of time trying. I now concur. The Scots are pretty much unbeatable when it comes to peas so I shall leave it to the last two years' champions to battle it out again, my pals Ian Simpson and Ian Stocks (below), who (along with his wife Linda) sent me and Leesa a lovely silver anniversary 'e-card' today. It's not actually until the 29th but appreciated all the same. And get your bloody hair cut before Malvern Ian!

Despite growing a mildew resistant pea called Dorian the plants are well behind what I'd expect them to be and are currently about 18" tall ....if that. They don't look particularly healthy either, although there is no sign of mildew. From now on I'm just going to grow some peas against netting the old fashioned way for eating purposes only in June/July and use the space for something else later such as lettuce/caulis/overwintering leeks. It means I will no doubt be subject to some not inconsiderable ridicule at Malvern but if you can't take it you shouldn't dish it out, as that means you're just a cunt and believe me there are plenty of those in the veg showing world. Don't forget the old saying.....

One veg I am starting to get the hang of growing are long beet ('Regar'), and I may well grow more than these couple of drums in future years. Biggest problem is hacking back the grape vine growing along the top of the fence above them...but that's another story.

I didn't sow these until early June as my early May sowing last year grew way too big, and the tops were like tree trunks come September. Thus far I have large healthy tops and the roots are a couple of inches diameter at the top and with 6 weeks to Malvern I think I might yet have a crack at staging a set of 5. If the colourful stalks are anything to by I'm on the right track.

Rather than growing them in drums of just free draining sand they are filled with a mix of sand, soil and compost that retains more moisture, and they are given a decent watering every three or 4 days. This should stop the twisting effect that I found 'Regar' prone to when I used to grow it. You don't want huge roots on the showbench, and roots about 3" diameter look more refined on the showbench, providing you can get the whole tap root out which is more of a task with long beet that parsnips or long carrots. However, I've been given some pointers on how to achieve this without snapping it so I'll report on that when it happens.



Gotta fly now....I think Jesus is trying to tell me something......