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Post by dianthus on Aug 3, 2015 21:19:37 GMT
I hope I'm not counting my chickens before they are hatched, Dai.
Considering the compost failure has meant no marrows or green courgettes, and the beetroot mostly bolted in that hot spell a month ago, the 50 tomato plants only got to 6" high, that any success is much appreciated.
Dai, are there still leek plants and caulis in the garden centres?
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Post by daitheplant on Aug 4, 2015 18:30:53 GMT
You may get leeks Di, not sure about caulis though. Do you have an allotment site near to you? If so, someone there may have a few plants.
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Post by dianthus on Aug 4, 2015 21:40:03 GMT
You may get leeks Di, not sure about caulis though. Do you have an allotment site near to you? If so, someone there may have a few plants. No veg growers nearby.... I think there is an allotment three miles away, but no way of getting there.  |
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Post by daitheplant on Aug 5, 2015 19:37:58 GMT
When I go to the plot tomorrow I will see if I have any seedlings left. If I do, you are more than welcome to them.  |
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Post by dianthus on Aug 5, 2015 21:26:13 GMT
When I go to the plot tomorrow I will see if I have any seedlings left. If I do, you are more than welcome to them. Thank you so much.  |
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Post by Tel on Aug 6, 2015 9:52:29 GMT
I hope I'm not counting my chickens before they are hatched, Dai.
Considering the compost failure has meant no marrows or green courgettes, and the beetroot mostly bolted in that hot spell a month ago, the 50 tomato plants only got to 6" high, that any success is much appreciated.
Dai, are there still leek plants and caulis in the garden centres?
Suttons will have their Spring veg plants in for despatch, late September, mail order, worth a look on their site.  |
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Post by dianthus on Aug 6, 2015 17:11:04 GMT
Thanks Tel , but I may have to have moved out by then.... not been given a date yet.  |
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Post by SueA on Aug 8, 2015 18:04:30 GMT
dianthus not sure if you have a B&Q near you but we were in there today & they had lots of veg. seedlings, caulis, leeks, broccoli, beetroot, cabbage etc. at £2 a pack or 3 for £5, There were about 10 or 12 seedlings in each pack & they looked good quality but you take pot luck with B&Q don't you on whether they have the staff who will look after the plants.
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Post by dianthus on Aug 22, 2015 17:44:11 GMT
I am very happy to report that the new variety 'Chicago' is very tasty, not floury, so probably has a dry matter value of under 20, has a good oval shape with shallow eyes.
It will be grown again next year |
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Post by roofgardener on Aug 24, 2015 13:51:03 GMT
So sorry to hear about your travails Dianthus. But REALLY happy to hear about your spudlinks ! |
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Post by roofgardener on Aug 24, 2015 14:41:15 GMT
Well, the moment could not be put off any longer. I have four Potato bins (literally kitchen swing-lid bins) of various sizes. In the case of Bin No. #1, I had long suspected that something was badly wrong. The foliage had died back TOO comprehensively; turning completely brown and shriveling. Then, one day, the main branch just severed at soil level. I suspected disease or parasites at work, and I suspected that they had jumped to the other three bins, as all THEIR foliage looked spotty and diseased. It was, therefore, with considerable apprehension that I spread my Small Plastic Sheet onto the floor of the roofgarden, and prepared to empty Bin #1 onto it. I inverted the bin, and dumped the "soil" out, wrinkling my nose in expectation of it being a rank and diseased carnage of runny blackened toxic slurry. But no.. whats this... it... LOOKS.. like just normal dry soil. And what are those little golden-yellow lumps a'peeking through ? Could they be...... SPUDLINKS !!!! As Moonshine might put it ......    
| OK... it doesn't look like a very LARGE harvest; that is because I gave a few away, and ate some others, so this is around half of the original harvest. But don't they look CLEAN
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So all my fears of disease where for nothing. The other bins are STILL supporting foliage, albeit browning rapidly and flopped over, so I am going to continue to water and feed them until they COMPLETELY die back, in the hope that this produces even BIGGER spuds. |
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Post by dianthus on Aug 24, 2015 22:21:45 GMT
If you intend to keep some for a while, Roofy, lay them out somewhere dry for a couple of days, i.e. your polytunnel, then bag them up in an old paper or jute sack and keep cool, dark and dry. This sets the skins and then they are known as ware potatoes.
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Post by roofgardener on Aug 25, 2015 14:47:21 GMT
They're in paper-lined trays, covered with paper, in a dark area dianthus |
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Post by daitheplant on Aug 25, 2015 19:39:22 GMT
Roofus, make sure the spuds in the other containers are properly covered in compost as the biggest one in your picture has signs of greening. Do NOT eat the green part.
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Post by roofgardener on Aug 25, 2015 19:59:01 GMT
Thanks for that Daitheplant. My mum made me aware of the dangers of green spuds. I think the "signs of greening" are just chromatic artifacts from the Feeble Camera.
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