Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi everyone

I am a new veg grower as in the last 2 years i have been experimenting however this year i planted some desirree potatoes in large green bins, they have been int eh soil now for almost 20 weeks and are just about the size of eggs, the foliage has drooped over the sides and the majority bar a few leaves are green, i am watering them well everyday and in the hot days, morning and night.

Am i doing ok?

By the way as my ground is very bad (house and gharden was built on an old army base and if you dig down more than 2" you hit rubble) is there anything that i can grow well in pots, i currently have in pots - onions from seed, broadbeans, tomatoes, celary, and savoy cabbage, allthough not all of them are growing well they are at least growing

but any help is wanted

20 weeks is a long time..

the ones i have take 3 months from start to finish

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I have the same problem in my garden, i've spent the last 3 years adding compost and stuff to make the soil deeper, the back is pretty deep now, in the places it needs to be, so now i'm starting on the front, you might want to think about making raised beds if just adding extra to current beds, isn't an option,

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im also just stated on veg in the garden the last few years im doing it all in pots and grow bags i did spring onions early in the year in pots worked so well ive now got leeks and beetroot growing well at the moment also sweet corn ,peas cauliflower, hot and sweet pepers all seem to be working out well i even got 2 blueberry bushes last year that are fruiting now . im working it thru as i go if it gos wrong this year its a learning curve for next year

Hi there,
pretty new to the garden scene and 'forum' scene myself. Have been growing potatoes in a barrel that have only been for the last six weeks - am I too late. Am also growing rasberries, onions, carrots (not sure how they'll turn out) peppers, tomatoes and a fig tree -all in pots. I have also got onions and potatoes growing directly in the ground which do not appear to be doing as well - thought it would have been the other way round?

What size are the bins? How many seed potatoes are in each? Most maincrops require three to four months, earlies a ready 2 to 2 1/2 months. The closer the spacing the smaller the potatoes, wider spacing and the there will be fewer, larger potatoes.

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The bins are the same as a standard garden bin, probable about 1.5' diamater and about 3' high, there are 4 seed potatoes in each at about 10" from the bottom and then have had 2-3 earthing ups, i can feel and pull out small egg sized potatoes about 1' from the top, so am not entirley sure about what tey are like in the bottom. the stems of the plants are hanging over the sides and are almost touching the floor and i am considering cutting them down, but am unsure if this would increaes or decrease the sise of the potatoes.

Help please

If you get hold of a copy of The Lazy Vegetable Gardener by John Yeoman there are some good ideas for growing in such difficult soil.

i use rubbke sacks which are basically same size and only put 2 taties in each,,,thinks you have overloaded...try next year with 2 in and check the results

right, i have decided that i will dig up all of my tatties next saturday although i read somewhere that you should leave them untill all of the foliage has died, what is everyones thought on this? should i dig up or leave till the foliage dies?

Your potatoes seem to be doing alright. Don't worry about the length of time they have been growing. If the plants are healthy and the potatoes are not as large as you want then leave them to grow on.

Ian

I would recommend raised beds rather than trying to improve what you have underground,once made they are easier to maintain and you can vary the soil conditions to suit the crops requirements easier.Pots are just smaller raised beds as are grow bags(which when used can be added to your garden as a soil conditioner)You could use the "rubble" to your advantage and grow stuff that likes good drainage in the ground,most herbs and of course alpines.