New member - shame about the weather!

[fran]

Hi everyone! I've just joined up as I was searching on growing potatoes in containers and found your advice really useful. Pity I've got to wait 6 weeks for the spuds to chit! Should've started weeks ago. I bought 3 potato growing bags yesterday as I've only got a small garden, but have to mix up some compost and I'm a bit concerned about slugs and their eggs which are bound to be in it. Any ideas?

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi and welcome to the vine.

What spuds have you got? As you have 3 growing bags, I (personally) would plant up one now with unchitted spuds, plant another in 3 weeks and the final one 3 weeks after that. Keep notes on the differences in performance of each bag - how long till the shoots appeared, the flowers appeared, how big a crop etc, and next year you will know whether to chit or not.

Why are you concerned about slug eggs? has the compost bag been open a while?

[fran]

Hey it works! I've never done this before so was a bit unsure. How nice to have a reply so soon! Pixie and Belle de Fontenay. Haven't heard of either. I bought them from Homebase. I was going to use a mixture of homemade compost from my plastic dalek mixed with garden loam and some bought organic Horizon, plus organic potato fertilizer. There always seem to be a few slugs in the dalek. Perhaps I should just use sterile compost, but it starts getting a bit expensive then.

Thank you!
Fran

[shirlthegirl43]

I guess if you wait for a less windy day you could spread your compost out somewhere for a few hours and let the birdies have any eggs and slugs.

Haven't heard of those varieties either - make sure you label the bags so you know which you are eating and can keep notes of which you enjoyed for next time.

I grow my container spuds in multi-purpose compost but hope that next year I will have my own dalek-produced compost to use mixed with the bought stuff.

[Flummery]

I've grown Belle de Fontenay - it's an early maincrop and is a lovely salad spud. You don't really need to chit maincrops - shouldn't make much difference to your yield. Earlies are usually chitted becasue they are not in the ground for so long.

[fran]

Spud answers

Good advice. Thank you - specially as I can plant my Belles when weather improves, without chitting! Perhaps I'll do both types like that as they may both be early maincrop. I'll spread compost out as soon as wind dies down. Good idea as have pair of hungry nesting blackbirds on the hunt for anything. Will take notes and photos of spud trials. Hope to get salad leaves and toms going by next weekend. Will keep you posted.


Fran

[terrier]

Hi Fran, welcome to GYO forum. If you havn't got enough compost ready yet, you don't have to fill the containers right away. As long as the seed potatoes are covered they'll start growing and you can top up bit by bit. This early, though, make sure that they don't get frosted or else all your work will be in vain.

[fran]

Spuds

Hi Terrier! This isa very friendly site. Like your dog. We have a mad collie. In London! How do you get to put your picture on?

Am trying hard to stop myself running out and planting my spuds in snow, hail and the wildest of winds. Hope next w/e is better.

Fran

[terrier]

Go to top of page, User CP( on left hand side) then look down to 'edit avatar' and follow instructions

[gardenplot]

Hi fran Welcome to the vine
Hope you get your spuds sorted, i'm doing mine in old compost bags dd well last year.

[fran]

New member Fran

It is addictive isn't it! I've certainly had some laughs reading some of your postings. What a nice thing to do when the weather's so bad. Do you have a chat every Sunday eve? How do I join in?

I realised I didn't say much about myself or garden so here's a little.....
I have a very small urban garden which is crammed full of plants and shrubs and a summer house/work-shop at the end where I spend hours on my artworks. Cos I haven't got much room I am going to use containers for most of my veg, but plant climbing veg as well in the beds. I used to have grass but dug it up last year and replaced it with gravel and slabs. Too difficult to keep it looking good due to mad collie, too much shade in winter and too many leaves from neighbours' poplar.

I'm also learning the violin and making one. Love music, art, animals and growing things. I love watching them grow! Have loads of flower buds on my wisteria for the first time Wisteria was in flower when first given it as present, but after planting it out 3 years ago hardly anything up until now so very excited! I think somethings nibbling them tho.

Fran

[fran]

Thank you Terrier.

I think I'm doing something wrong. Not sure how to start new post without replying to myself or someone else! Also, if you look at new posts, my name doesn't have a green box beside it.

Help! Fran

[Novice Gardener]

Hi Fran, I have a tiny garden too. Last year I grew salad leaves, radish, beetroot, carrots, runners, toms & garlic in pots & they came out fine - just made the mistake of not staggering the planting. This year I've got some raised beds, so I'm going to try and plant so I get stuff all through the summer.

[Snadger]

Hi Fran and welcome to the vine! I'm growing Belle De Fontenay for the first time this year as a trial. They were an impulse buy from the Local garden centre.......just because I'd never heard of them!
Maybe we can compare notes later in the year! Good luck with your gardening!