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Author Topic: Seeds  (Read 6676 times)

oor wullie

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Strathnairn
Re: Seeds
« Reply #15 on: March 21, 2018, 03:53:17 pm »
I had to dig a terrace across a slope to site the polytunnel so the side that is dug into the hill is down to concrete like subsoil that hasn't even grown weeds despite being left exposed for the last 3 years.  That will get raised beds eventually but not this year.  The result is that I will be forced to restrict growing to under half of the tunnel this year - undoubtedly a good thing if it helps keep things manageable.

Maysie I can totally see how raised beds can make a big job seem more manageable and contained.


Interestingly, in the North and North East potatoes are seen as something well worth growing, particularly by the older generation.  It is mostly because traditional types are much more dry and floury than those sold in supermarkets and can be hard to find.  I know men (and it is nearly always men for some reason) that grow potatoes and nothing else!

Maysie

  • Joined Jan 2018
  • Herefordshire/Shropshire Border
Re: Seeds
« Reply #16 on: March 21, 2018, 04:09:29 pm »
I think the older potato growing obsessives are the from the same school as those who grow the giant veg for shows. 
I grew all of my 'designer' spuds and Jerusalem artichokes in loads of huge 40 litre tubs last year and installed an automated dripper hose watering system too. 

Shame they nearly all got scab from the compost I bought to fill the pots......... ::)

Terry T

  • Joined Sep 2014
  • Norfolk
Re: Seeds
« Reply #17 on: March 21, 2018, 06:07:41 pm »
The bacteria causing scab is found in most soils - it’s usually the growing conditions which cause it to become a problem. Scab is reduced by irrigation and getting spuds up early also reduces damage.

pgkevet

  • Joined Jul 2011
Re: Seeds
« Reply #18 on: March 21, 2018, 07:58:37 pm »
I've never had scab affect spuds as much as it does here.. and I'm in wales so water isn't an issue and I often have to lift early to avoid blight starting (weather again). It's got to the point where I;m not going to grow spuds.. the cost of seed spuds, physical effort of planting, earthing up and digging out and then throwing 1/3rd of the crop away for the cheap price i can buy a sack of spuds... not worth it.

As above I've also reduced the size of my veggie patch..getting older and it hurts more to crawl around weeding. We have no passing trade options here so my x/s was given away to friends and neighbours.. let them buy their own and save my back.

Maysie

  • Joined Jan 2018
  • Herefordshire/Shropshire Border
Re: Seeds
« Reply #19 on: March 22, 2018, 02:00:39 pm »
I have never had a problem with scab on spuds before, but last year (as mentioned above) it was awful.  It was the first year I had  grown spuds in tubs, all in 100% bought-in bagged compost. 

I wont do that again.

cloddopper

  • Joined Jun 2013
  • South Wales .Carmarthenshire. SA18
Re: Seeds
« Reply #20 on: March 27, 2018, 09:13:32 pm »
I've never been a great gardener but having acquired a big polytunnel I now understand the attraction of reading seed catalogues.

I am going to order some seeds from Real Seeds but there are a few things that they don't have so I will have to order from somewhere else as well.  Where do people recommend for seeds and for strawberry plants?

 Buy some strawberries you find you really like NOTE WELL some supermarket strawbs are irradiated and thus sterile .   Peel off the seed skin & mush it up in a glass of clean cold water ... leave it on a window cill stirring it gently every four days ,  the seeds will sink to the bottom . Pour off just over half of the liquid mush each time then top up with clean water again .  By day 12 you should have a lot of seeds in fairly clear water .  Pour the water off & gently put the seeds on some triple folded kitchen towel  . dry them overnight in the airing cupboard , Then sow them in damp peat the next day . cover with 1/8 inch of fine soil.
Cling film the tray , lift the film &  check every day to see germination then take the film off & put the tray in a warm room but out of the sun . keep it moist but not too damp .
Those plants will be ready to flower in June ..... if you plant them out till they are about five inches tall , lift the plants then put the bare rooted plants in a polybag in the fridge for a week then re plant them in the final site .
 To get good roots don't harvest any fruit in the first year  clip the flowers off so the plant forces down a lot of roots .  Next year you should have a harvestable crop .

 Buying four month old potted runners is  another way to go & the quickest way to get fruiting plants .



 You should then make your own runners each year ,  burn the old plants & plant out in ground that hasn't had strawberries in it in the last four years ... done to starve out any strawberry root fly maggots which will decimate any plants left in the same place or infected ground .
Strong belief , triggers the mind to find the way ... Dyslexia just makes it that bit more amusing & interesting

cloddopper

  • Joined Jun 2013
  • South Wales .Carmarthenshire. SA18
Re: Seeds
« Reply #21 on: March 27, 2018, 09:31:20 pm »
The bacteria causing scab is found in most soils - it’s usually the growing conditions which cause it to become a problem. Scab is reduced by irrigation and getting spuds up early also reduces damage.

Dry scab or also called common scab

Most severe in light soils in dry conditions . Dig in plenty of compost  & do not lime before planting , try growing scab resistant varieties .

 Powdery scab a darker colour than common scab & it becomes powdery when rubbed .
Severe in heavy wet soils ,  practice a five crop rotation system .

Add compost to the proposed site the previous winter . Plant without liming  , try growing Estima or Pentland Crown which have a bit of resistance to it .

 If you do have a soil test done it may indicate that the soil needs liming ,grow brassica  on the limed ground in the next season .

Spuds & Animal dung based manures that have been three or more years of undergoing composting .
 Use it once every five to seven years in late autumn , at the rate of one big barrow load per square yard , double dug in , 

Put your spuds on it in the spring ,  practice a five year crop rotation plan .
 The spuds umbrella of leaves will choke off most weeds that grow through , pull out the really tall ones  .   The ridging  also helps keep weeds down , run your rows North to South so they get even sunlight on each row side .
« Last Edit: March 28, 2018, 11:11:44 pm by cloddopper »
Strong belief , triggers the mind to find the way ... Dyslexia just makes it that bit more amusing & interesting

 

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