Potatoes next season

[4Shoes]

I'm currently digging a new potato bed. It had been grass for many years and have found that if I plant main crop potatoes, I will get problems with slugs and wire worm. But if I plant early potatoes don't have the issues. And charlotte second early are somewhat resistant. It is a full sized bed (2.4m x 10m)

The drawback with early and 2nd earlies is that the plot will the start to revert back to grass unless I cultivate another crop and keep tilling the soil. Not quite got into this continual cropping / growing cycles yet. Been working on single crop rotations and keep missing the Late Summer / Autumn planting cycle.

What are the best crops to plant after a early potato harvest?

[Snadger]

......….Leeks!

[Mark_Riga]

Leeks and or oriental cabbage and greens. May be a quick maturing carrot though may get wire worm damage still.

[Snoop Puss]

You might be just in time for a crop of Mustard Caliente green manure to possibly deter wireworm:
https://www.greenmanure.co.uk/produc...ant=1182264152

Me, I'd put leeks in after the tatties seeing as the soil would be relatively loose.

[Penellype]

Leeks or winter brassicas - I often plant PSB or spring cabbage after potatoes. Florence fennel is another option.

[4Shoes]

All - Yes, I have some nice leeks in the plot. I did try to hold back on planting but made that rookie mistake of putting early potatoes is 3 weeks late. I wasn't aware we have a micro climate here - last frost 3 weeks earlier than Newton Stewart - some 10 miles down the road. So not only can I plant them 3 weeks earlier, can also look at warming up the bed - bringing on 1st crop of earlies to make this work.

Hadn't noticed that Mustard Caliente green manure is good for deterring wire worm. Should have got onto the case sooner. Think it is too late to do anything for this season. The green manure I've sown 3 weeks ago hasn't done anything - See it is also a Brassica but I can work with that.

PSB - Purple Sprouting Broccoli? So again going down Brassica route. Perhaps my Rotation is wrong and should be Potatoes, Brassica, Onions, Legumes.


Florence Fennel. Thought that was a bulb and takes a long time to grow? Not had much luck with it. Any tips to pass on?

[Penellype]

Yes, PSB is purple sprouting broccoli.

Florence fennel is notoriously tricky to grow, as it tends to bolt in hot weather. It is best planted after the longest day to prevent bolting (although some of mine still bolted this year). It likes sun and very damp conditions and being a member of the carrot family, it has a long tap root and dislikes being transplanted. I've sown mine in loo roll innards so I can plant them without disturbing the roots, as I find that direct sowings get eaten by slugs.

[Snoop Puss]

^Useful info for me too, Penellype. Thanks. Does Florence fennel like conditions as damp as or damper than celeriac?

[bikermike]

Interesting

I think I'll try PSB after spuds. (which is good, as I wanted to have two beds of brassicas this year).

I had no luck with Florence fennel this year (no bulb. wonder if it's worth trying again?)

[Thelma Sanders]

I plant leeks from deep seed trays and also module grown swede.

[4Shoes]

All - YHadn't noticed that Mustard Caliente green manure is good for deterring wire worm. Should have got onto the case sooner. Think it is too late to do anything for this season. The green manure I've sown 3 weeks ago hasn't done anything - See it is also a Brassica but I can work with that.

now that that cold snap has passed …. was out in the garden and see seedlings for my Winter Manure

[Penellype]

^Useful info for me too, Penellype. Thanks. Does Florence fennel like conditions as damp as or damper than celeriac?

My understanding is that it is a bog plant (but I can't find a reference to where I read that). If so, it shouldn't object to being really wet.

[Jay-ell]

For this year cover it with manure/compost/mulch and if you can weed suppressing landscape fabric/cardboard/newspaper and just let the worms finish it off for you.

Next year leeks are often a good follow on for the earlies but if you fancy chancing your luck you could try a second crop potato - if the pests haven't built up for the first lot.

[4Shoes]

For this year cover it with manure/compost/mulch and if you can weed suppressing landscape fabric/cardboard/newspaper and just let the worms finish it off for you.

Next year leeks are often a good follow on for the earlies but if you fancy chancing your luck you could try a second crop potato - if the pests haven't built up for the first lot.

I was sort of thinking that

Potatoes then a small bed of leeks. Cover remainder with mustard, then grow main crop potatoes following year because there has been no potatoes ever. (Dairy Farm - always been in grass)


By 2nd crop of potatoes, do you mean plant then again or have a spare bag to plant?


Thanks

[Jay-ell]

For second crop you could keep some early serf potatoes in the fridge till July or August then plant although I just bought Nicola and Charlotte as Second Cropping and planted in July without chitting.

Just dug them up and today replanted a few for next year.