August Update: What are you growing in 2006? Tips for fruit/veggies/flowers

**purpleprincess**

Oh, forgot to say that I was planning on doing the potatoes in boyf's mum's garden!!

Lychee

annie-c wrote:

As the potato grows, you'll need to keep filling the bin with soil to cover the growing leaves. Then it will continue to grow 2-3 feet higher than the top of the bin. You'll need to have put holes in the bottom of the bin for drainage and then you'll have to have some way of collecting the drained water each time you water it.

is it too late to try growing potatoes? How long does it take for potatoes to grow?

Also, when do you stop filling the bin with soil to cover growing leaves?

all help much appreciated!! Thanks:)

annie-c

**purpleprincess** wrote:

Oh, forgot to say that I was planning on doing the potatoes in boyf's mum's garden!!

In that case, no it's not too late. Potatoes take 3-5 months to grow depending on the variety and the weather. Ideally you would use specially cultivated seed potatoes from a garden centree, but lot of people on the site have had success with a sprouted one from the veg bag. It's not a good idea to plant ordinary ones 'loose' in the garden, as they can spread potato disease, but if you are growing in buckets, then you'll do fine..

Here is a link to a post on the May Update thread, with a photo showing what you do when the potato reaches the top of the bucket:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=2086461&postcount=29

Mermaid

annie-c wrote:

Here is a link to a post on the May Update thread, with a photo showing what you do when the potato reaches the top of the bucket:

This has just reminded me about an item I saw on Gardener's World a couple of years ago. They grew new potatoes in a used compost sack with holes punched in with a garden fork for drainage. You start with the sack rolled down and then roll it up as you add more soil. You then split the side of the sack to get the potatoes out.

They didn't show you the end result, but mentioned in a later program that it had worked. If I recall correctly, they said that if you started the potatoes off in August, they'd be ready in time for Christmas dinner...

Happy gardening,

Mermaid

annie-c

Mermaid wrote:

This has just reminded me about an item I saw on Gardener's World a couple of years ago. They grew new potatoes in a used compost sack with holes punched in with a garden fork for drainage. You start with the sack rolled down and then roll it up as you add more soil. You then split the side of the sack to get the potatoes out.

Yes thanks for adding this, a few people on the earlier threads have used this method - there are photos somewhere of potato plants in grow bags.

The only thing with this method is that I don't know how stable the bags would be in freak weather - and this summer, along with all the lovely sunshine we have had one freak hailstorm and several torrential downpours - and my buckets have happily survived to tell the tale..... :T

cathybird

Last year I planted some potatoes in August and harvested them a couple of months later. The leaves seemed to die off more quickly than the spuds planted at the start of the year. Got a respectable crop tho. I love potatoes so much - easy to grow and so delicious fresh, a meal in themselves. I got quite a nice crop this year too. My only problem is I keep putting the damn fork through them when I'm trying to dig them up!

wigginsmum

I'm awaiting some Carlingford seed potatoes, and we'll be growing them as new potatoes for Christmas. Haven't decided yet whether we'll put them in the ground on the allotment or in a stack of old tyres up there.

Still picking loads of Swiss chard and tomatoes from the garden.

QueenB.

Wish i had found this thread earlier:rolleyes:

This year we have really been trying to get our large garden into some type of order, we only moved in last year and the garden tends to get left with just the odd mow now and then to make sure we don't lose the children:D

But as it is so big i really want to use part of it to grow my own herbs and veg and fruit, plus one day would like to keep some chickens.

Feel a bit sad that its too late for most bits now and i am not in anyway green fingered so i feel abit daunted by the whole gardening prospect, but at least i can spend the dark winter months reading through these gardening threads and getting all the tips for the coming year:D

pickledtink

QueenB. wrote:

Wish i had found this thread earlier:rolleyes:

This year we have really been trying to get our large garden into some type of order, we only moved in last year and the garden tends to get left with just the odd mow now and then to make sure we don't lose the children:D

But as it is so big i really want to use part of it to grow my own herbs and veg and fruit, plus one day would like to keep some chickens.

Feel a bit sad that its too late for most bits now and i am not in anyway green fingered so i feel abit daunted by the whole gardening prospect, but at least i can spend the dark winter months reading through these gardening threads and getting all the tips for the coming year:D

It's not to late if you hurtle out there and dig a bit over quickly. You could still sow a few things to give you some quick crops; Chard, Radishes ( leaves can be cooked and eaten like spinach) cut and come again salad leaves, Rocket, basil and coriander grow fast. Sow garlic, cabbage, carrots and onions which you'll be eating in March/April
You could always get some plug plants from some of the online seedling suppliers. Probably still time for some Broccolli, Kale etc. Leeks definately and onions.
Have a look here:
http://www.rocketgardens.co.uk/about-us.asp
http://www.organicplants.co.uk/

Dig over a bit of ground, fork out the worst of the weeds and big stones, fork in handfuls of fish, blood and bone fertiliser and get them in!
There are some terrific gardening/veg growing forums online with lots of helpful experts ready to give tons of advice. The Grapevine is one of my favourites. http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/index.php
Good luck and let us know how you get on!

pickledtink

Marshalls still have some plant packs you could plant now too.
http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/rkmain.asp?PAGEID=20671&ctl_cat_Code=M11013