Good if you want to keep them green. 
Workshop Vegetables
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My best truss, albeit in a greenhouse was four and a half pound one on a "Shirley". :shock:
The following year I don't think I had many over a pound. If you don't stop them you get more and more smaller trusses.
The following year I don't think I had many over a pound. If you don't stop them you get more and more smaller trusses.
John15
Established Member
A few of my tomato fruits have the unpleasant sounding problem called Bottom End Rot. I checked the RHS website and seemingly it's caused by a lack of calcium brought on by a poor watering regime. I've been watering just once a day but now I will increase it to two.
John
John
Lons
Established Member
Hey Custard, like you I'm no gardener but did grow a lot of veg for a few years. No help on the tommies as I hate the things so didn't bother but though too late this year there is a solution to the potatoes needing change of soil, just get a couple of large tubs, drill a few holes and cover them with slate gravel or weed control fabric, I used those soft plastic mixing tubs and plant in there, you'll be surprised how big a yield you can get and feeding, weed and pest control is easier then just change the soil next season, add fertiliser and seed tatties and away you go.
Beans etc just as easy using the same method btw.
Beans etc just as easy using the same method btw.
whiskywill
Established Member
custard":8s5m34oz said:
It depends on what variety you are growing. If you are growing an indeterminate/cordon variety you just need to pinch out the small shoots that grow in the axis between the main stem and the fruiting branch as Nabs suggests above. Sometimes the fruiting branch will carry on growing and then you can pinch off the end to keep the plant tidy.If you are growing a determinate/bush variety they don't need pinching out other that too keep them reasonably tidy.
Do you know what variety you are growing?
I do the same as Phil at this time in the season - any new trusses at this stage are unlikely to ripen so I nip off the top to slow further growth and gradually start removing the leaves from the bottom up to let more light in. By the end of August I have removed all the leaves.
custard
Established Member
Digging up the last of the main crop potatoes it looks like there were one or two missed spuds from last year, that have produced their own crop this year. I'm virtually certain this is the case as they look completely different from the version I planted this year, but they're identical to the ones I planted last year.
Anyhow, the question is, are these okay to eat or should they go straight onto the compost pile?
Anyhow, the question is, are these okay to eat or should they go straight onto the compost pile?
jimmy_s
Established Member
They are fine to eat - as long as not green. Last years potatoes will act as seed if left in the ground.
AJB Temple
Finely figured
OK to eat!
AJB Temple
Finely figured
My wife drives me bonkers with growing stuff. We have a sizeable veg garden, two glasshouses, those little min shed things with glass on top, a big tunnel and a continual glut of whatever stuff she obsessed with this year.
Sheffield Tony
Ghost of the disenchanted
jimmy_s":yqktu7b5 said:
Yes, ok to eat, but try to avoid making the same mistake again, volunteer potatoes can provide a host to overwinter blight.
But you can compost the tops, blight needs living potato matter to survive. Don't listen to anyone who says to burn them - they are 90% water, so don't burn !
Leave them Custard! Jeesus! What you have there is the fabled concoction for growing the legendary potato tree. Potato wood is one of the finest and rarest versatile timbers you can work. As a cabinet maker I'm surprised you'd own up to not having heard of it tbh from a professional point of view. Hardly the view I'd wish to project of my business. You can make anything out of potato wood.
However.
It is prone to chipping.
:|
As Tony says. Beware blight. A year or two should make no difference. Continual planting can be disastrous. As an easy lesson (although I don't profess to know) monoculture is disease prone. Diversity generally equals resistance.
However.
It is prone to chipping.
:|
As Tony says. Beware blight. A year or two should make no difference. Continual planting can be disastrous. As an easy lesson (although I don't profess to know) monoculture is disease prone. Diversity generally equals resistance.
on blight, I agree with Tony about avoiding burning them (they will burn if left to dry out a bit and mixed with other dry material but your neighbours will not be happy as they emit massive clouds of black smoke!).
The theory is that the blight can overwinter if you compost the foliage but I've composted mine for the past 20 or so years and the actual incidents of blight seem to be down simply to the weather (the spores can be transferred long distances when there are long periods of warm humid conditions).
Apparently the spores can over winter in infected tubers though and that is a good reason to rotate the position of your spuds if you have room. Mind you this does increase the need for careful elimination of volunteers as it is v. annoying when they sprout in the middle of your salad crops etc.
The theory is that the blight can overwinter if you compost the foliage but I've composted mine for the past 20 or so years and the actual incidents of blight seem to be down simply to the weather (the spores can be transferred long distances when there are long periods of warm humid conditions).
Apparently the spores can over winter in infected tubers though and that is a good reason to rotate the position of your spuds if you have room. Mind you this does increase the need for careful elimination of volunteers as it is v. annoying when they sprout in the middle of your salad crops etc.
John15
Established Member
My one remaining cucumber plant which I thought had finished has suddenly come back into production with half a dozen new fruits. Too many all at once as usual!
John
John
