Growing
Growing Potatoes In Pots - Here's This Permaculture Gardener's 5 Expert Tips
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Choose A Container Variety 2) Start By Chitting Potatoes 3) Choosing A Container 4) Filling Your Container & Planting Your Potatoes 5) Caring For Potato Plants In Pots References If you grow potatoes in a pot, you can grow your own even in the smallest of spaces. Potatoes are one of the common crops that can take up rather a lot of space in a vegetable garden. Thankfully, it is possible to grow potatoes in much less space. In this article, we’ll talk about how to grow potatoes in a pot or other container – something anyone can do cheaply and easily here in the UK. 1) Choose A Container Variety ‘Charlotte’ potatoes – one variety we find grows well in containers. The first thing to think about if you want to grow potatoes in a pot is what variety or varieties of potatoes you would like to grow. Potatoes are usually divided into first early, second early, and maincrop – distinctions based on how long the potatoes are left in the ground and when they are harvested. First early and second early varieties are generally the best options for growing in containers, because they are harvested when they are smaller, after a shorter time period. Though it is also possible to grow maincrop potatoes in containers if you choose containers that are large enough. First earlies are usually harvested from around ten weeks from planting, second earlies from around 14 weeks, and maincrop after 20 weeks or longer. In addition to thinking about which type of potato to choose, you also need to think about the variety. You should consider the potatoes you like to eat, and how you like to cook them. Some varieties are better for mash, some for boiling, some for baking or for frying etc… Some potatoes are floury, while some are smoother and more waxy in texture. Personally I like the first early potatoes ‘Swift’ and have obtained good yields when growing them in containers. I have also found second earlies ‘Maris Peer’ and ‘Charlotte’ to grow well in containers where I live. It is best to purchase certified seed potatoes that are disease-free.1 However, you can also plant potatoes you have purchased, or even scraps from those potatoes if they are sections that have the little dimples called ‘eyes’. 2) Start By Chitting Potatoes Regardless of whether you are growing first earlies, second earlies or maincrop potatoes, seed potatoes are usually planted between March and May. (Where I live, I plant first earlies in containers in my polytunnel in March, but wait a month or more before planting up containers that will be outside.) But for best results, it can be a good idea to ‘chit’ your potatoes before you plant them. This just means that you place your potatoes in a cool but light place indoors to develop green shoots before you plant them. This is not absolutely essential, but doing so can give your potato plants a bit of a head start and mean a slightly earlier harvest.2 3) Choosing A Container Once you have chosen your potatoes (and started to chit them if you choose to do so) you should turn your attention to your choice of container. You can grow potatoes in many different types of container – from plastic pots, to grow bags, to buckets, to wire cylinders or reclaimed wood frames filled to make structures called ‘potato towers’. It has to be said that the best yields are obtained from mulched raised beds, so if you can grow them in this way – do. However, if you don’t have much space, container growing can still give worthwhile yields. Generally speaking, you can plant one seed potato and grow one potato plant in a 20-litre pot, or a container of comparable size. For first earlies and second earlies you can get away with using a 10-litre pot per plant, but a 20-litre container is better. If using a larger container, make sure that you allow around 10 litres of capacity per seed potato. So in a typical 40-litre bin, for example, you could plant 4 seed potatoes. This is a rough rule of thumb, but can help you avoid overcrowding your plants in whatever container you choose. Another important thing to think about is that there should be adequate drainage at the base of the container you choose so excess water can drain out of it. And remember, potatoes are a cool-season crop that needs plenty of moisture. It is best not to use black or dark containers as these can retain more heat and tend to dry out more quickly. 4) Filling Your Container & Planting Your Potatoes Planting potatoes is a little different than potting up other plants. Rather than filling your containers and then planting in the top, you will actually only fill the bottom 10cm or so with your growing medium. You will then plant your seed potatoes (with green shoots pointing upwards) and cover them with some more of the growing medium. At this point, your container will be less than half full – this is to allow space for ‘earthing up’. As the plants grow, you will slowly add more growing medium around the plants until your container is full and the plants are growing strong. This is to allow more roots and tubers to form from the stem that is covered up. I have used the term ‘growing medium’ rather than saying soil or compost because you have a few options when it comes to what you plant your potatoes in, and what you use when ‘earthing up’. To save on bought potting mix or compost, it is always a good idea in an organic garden to make your own. I make my own compost, and combine this with 1/3 loamy soil and 1/3 leaf mould. I find that this makes an excellent potting mix for potatoes and a number of other edible crops. I also add one other ingredient when I am planting my potatoes – after adding the first layer of compost mix, I layer in some comfrey leaves. Comfrey is a great plant to have in your garden. It makes great mulch, and you can use it to make a liquid feed too. These leaves break down pretty quickly and give the potatoes a great start. If you live near a coast, I also find that layering seaweed into the container when planting also works well. You can also make a mini ‘lasagna garden’ in a container to grow potatoes. Rather than using ready-made compost, you can layer carbon-rich brown materials (straw, autumn leaves, shredded untreated cardboard) and green materials (nitrogen-rich grass clippings, vegetable scraps etc.). These layers will break down and compost in place as the potato plants grow and the tubers form. You are pretty much growing potatoes in a compost bin. As long as you keep layering a good variety of materials, potato plants should grow well. Potatoes are not too fussy about what they grow in, so you can use pretty much whatever you have to hand, from your own garden soil, to homemade compost, to organic, compostable materials and they should grow pretty well. 5) Caring For Potato Plants In Pots As with many plants grown in containers, watering is important. Potatoes will need plenty of moisture, and those grown in pots will typically need more than those growing in the ground – don’t let the pots or containers dry out. “I’ve found that keeping potatoes in pots sufficiently watered is the biggest challenge,” shares Colin Skelly, a Horticultural Consultant. “For the tubers to swell and produce a crop of good-sized potatoes you need to ensure that the growing medium is moist from top to bottom. “Otherwise, the result can be seemingly abundant and healthy foliage but few and/or tiny potatoes.” It is also a good idea, for best results, to feed your potatoes once or twice with a good quality organic plant feed. A compost tea, or seaweed feed are both excellent options (and you can even make them at home). It can be difficult to tell from your potato plants when the tubers are ready to harvest. While often, the first tubers will be ready when the first flowers appear, some plants won’t flower at all. So it is best to simply gently feel in the soil around your plants to see how big the tubers are. If they are large enough to be worthwhile, you can harvest a few at a time by feeling around, or you can simply upend the whole container and see what it contains. You might not get the hugest of harvests when you grow potatoes in pots, but they’ll taste so much better when you grow them yourself! References 1. Springborn, F., & Jean, M. (2017, March 22). Planting disease-free potato seed is important for all potato growers. MSU Extension. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/planting_disease_free_potato_seeds 2. Chitting potatoes – Thrive. (n.d.). Thrive. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.thrive.org.uk/get-gardening/chitting-potatoes
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How To Plant And Grow Garlic - One Of The Best Plants In A Vegetable Garden
IN THIS GUIDE Overview Garlic Types How To Grow & Plant Garlic Garlic Plant Care Harvesting Common Problems References A native of the onion family, garlic is a popular plant for amateur gardeners to grow, due to the fact it doesn’t need a lot of nurturing. It’s pretty hardy against pests and it provides a great ingredient for any number of recipes. In fact, it is used for cooking pretty much the world over – and has been for centuries now – especially in the warmer Mediterranean countries, such as Southern Spain, France and Italy.1 Overview Botanical Name Allium sativum Common Name(s) Garlic Plant Type Bulb Native Area Central Asia Hardiness Rating Varies, typically H4 Foliage Aromatic, thin leaves Flowers Edible, allium flowers When To Sow January, February, March, October, November, December Flowering Months May, June, July Harvesting Months August, September, October “One of the best plants I grow in my vegetable garden is garlic,” shares Kate Cotterill, Garden Designer. “I don’t have a massive vegetable garden, but I grow enough garlic to sustain us for an entire year, which is great because I use a lot of it.” Garlic cloves are best bought from a gardening centre or nursery, rather than a supermarket, because: The supermarket variety may have been grown abroad and therefore unsuitable for a UK climate. Also, you don’t know if the soil in which it grew was infected with diseases such as onion white rot or leek rust, which affect garlic. Thirdly, the supermarket variety will likely have been subjected to chemical sprays, such as growth inhibitors. Note that garlic shouldn’t be grown in the same place a garlic crop, onions or leeks have previously been grown – at least, not for another two years. Also, the spot in which you do choose to grow it should be covered with netting to deter birds from getting at the early bulbs. Garlic Types Elephant Garlic “I grow a variety of elephant garlic that is massive and has huge cloves that we absolutely love in my family,” shares Kate. As its name implies, this type of garlic needs spacing out in the soil for its roots to flourish. Wild Garlic Bulbs shouldn’t be lifted in the first year in order to allow the plant to spread its seed heads wider and multiply the crop. “Wild garlic is a woodland plant that requires shade to grow well and it’s grown for its leaves as well as the bulb,” shares Master Horticulturist Roy Nicol. “Care should be taken with allowing the seed to spread as this plant can be invasive.” Rocamboles A form of hardneck garlic which is terrific for cooking with. Pull off the floral spikes as soon as they appear (softneck varieties of garlic don’t produce a spike and you’ll get more cloves per bulb as a result). How To Grow & Plant Garlic Choose a spot in your garden that is guaranteed to receive the most sunshine then mix the soil there with a good compost (do this several weeks before you start the actual planting to give it time to blend well). The day before you intend to plant your garlic bulbs, break them up. Next day plant them up to 4cm deep in the soil, 15cm apart, with the flat root plate facing downwards (and therefore the pointed end upwards). When To Plant The best time to plant your garlic bulbs is in the autumn (around the third week in November). You can also try growing your garlic indoors in pots around this time. That’s because the cloves will benefit from the initial cold weather; helping them split and form properly by the beginning of the year. Garlic Plant Care As the garlic grows it will need water if the soil appears too dry. Otherwise, thanks to the rainy UK climate, it should do well on its own. Do remove weeds though and, at the beginning of the year, add some nutrients in the form of sulphate of potash. Luckily, even if you don’t have a garden, it’s still possible to grow this delicious vegetable. Take 6 bulbs, for instance, and plant them in a deep, 8-inch garden pot or container. As long as the plants are regularly watered they will do just fine sitting outside on a window ledge. Harvesting It’s important to get the time of harvesting right. Having said that, it’s not too difficult to get wrong since the garlic plant itself will tell you when it’s ready to be attended to. Certainly, do it too late and you’ll be confronted with a rotten bulb when you start digging up; too early and you’ll have missed the best bit. It’s not only the bulbs you can eat from garlic plants; the leaves can also work in a salad, or use them as a garnish. Hardneck garlic indicates it is ready to be lifted when the bottom leaves become a yellow or brownish colour. This is usually from May to July. Softneck varieties of garlic should be lifted when the leaves turn yellow and begin to fall off (here you’re looking at from May to August). Once you’ve decided it is time to go ahead and dig out the bulbs, always tread carefully, and with a gardening fork. “I love growing garlic because it’s a crop that is usually ready in May or June, so I can harvest them then pop something else in its place very quickly, making the most out of the space,” shares Kate After harvesting, dry them out in an airy shed by laying them on a tray or sheet. Then store them in a dry place with a temperature of between 5-10°C. Common Problems Onion White Rot This is a fungus which, if introduced to the soil, attacks the roots and bulb beneath the ground. It is indicated on the surface by the leaves wilting and turning yellow on the surface. Later you’ll spot a white cotton wool-like fungus on the bulb’s base and the small round black dots. The only way to avoid this is to plant in soil where there is no existing onion rot. Be careful though – the disease can be carried on tools, boots and other equipment and spreads very easily. “Once the onion white rot fungus is present in the soil, crops in the allium family such as onions, leeks and garlic cannot be grown in the same soil for a period of at least seven years as there is no treatment available to domestic gardeners,” shares Roy. “This fungus can be introduced by onion sets or garlic bulbs not bought from trusted sources, so it’s, therefore, best to grow onion and leek from seed and avoid planting supermarket garlic bulbs.” Leek Rust Another fungus which, this time, shows up on the leaves in the form of bright yellow spots. It’s not as serious as onion rot and if you root out the affected plant the other bulbs should survive fine (provided you keep an eye on them). Over-crowding can make leek rust worse because as well as making the disease easier to spread, it also causes humidity – making it more likely in the first place. “Excess nitrogen fertiliser can encourage leek rust, so feeding applications should be balanced,” adds Roy. “Certain varieties may have resistance and can be chosen to avoid this disease.” References 1. Mahr, S. (n.d.-a). Garlic, Allium sativum. Wisconsin Horticulture. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/garlic-allium-sativum/
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How To Grow Kale: 'It Just Keeps Growing And [Needs] Minimal Maintenance'
IN THIS GUIDE Overview Why Grow Kale? How To Grow Kale Growing Outdoors Growing Indoors Planting Out Kale Plant Care Common Pests References Kale is a tasty and increasingly trendy type of cabbage. It has big, dense curly leaves, and for most varieties, these will be a rich dark green. It’s a great plant for growing in your garden – after reading this guide you’ll have all the info you need to grow it at home. Overview Botanical Name Brassica oleracea Common Name(s) Kale Plant Type Vegetable Native Area None (Cultivated) Hardiness Rating H4 Foliage Large, edible leaves Flowers Small, not desired Kale is a versatile ingredient that you can use in salads, in dishes, or as a garnish. “Unusually for me, I have 3-4 varieties of kale growing in my garden in May already this year,” shares Kathy Slack, Garden Blogger. “I usually save it until later in the year, but I couldn’t resist growing it as soon as possible this year – I love it.” It features in recipes including everything from roasted sesame seeds, to fried chorizo and poached egg, to the humble British potato. Why Grow Kale? If you fancy growing this wonder vegetable in your garden, you’re in luck. There are a few things you need to do to take care of it – which we’ll cover later – but it’s nowhere near as strenuous as some other plants. If you’re not convinced of its benefits already, here are some reasons why kale is a great plant to grow: Firstly, it’s hardy – kale tolerates cold and light shade well, and is not prone to as many pests and diseases as some other plants. Also, it will produce a good harvest in almost any condition. As long as you avoid heavy shade or particularly soggy ground, you’ll reap the bounty of your efforts each time it comes to harvesting. “I love growing kale,” shares Garden Writer Janice Shipp. “You will never starve if you grow kale as you can be picking it almost all year round.” How To Grow Kale “I grow a lot of perennial vegetables, especially kale,” shares Sara Venn, the Founder of Edible Bristol. “Kale just keeps growing and is minimal in terms of maintenance. All you have to do is keep weeding around them and they will get on with it and give you a great crop.” You have a few options for where to grow kale. It can either be grown in your garden as from seed, or indoors in window boxes, conservatories, or similar. Once seeds have sprouted indoors they can be moved outdoors for optimal results. The next sections of this guide will teach you how to grow kale in each of these places. Growing Outdoors The Old Farmer’s Almanac says that “you can plant kale at any time, from early spring to early summer”. We recommend sowing in early May. To prepare your kale bed, mix about a cup of general fertiliser and pour into your compost. Then you’re ready to plant your seeds. Planting about a centimetre deep into well-drained, light soil will give the seeds the best chance to thrive. After about 2 weeks, thin the seedlings so that they are spaced 20 to 30cm apart. We also recommend netting the plants to protect them from hungry birds, as kale is one of their favourites! “Covering the rows is a must in my garden,” says Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “Kale and cabbage are favourites for pigeons in particular and they will quickly devour any offerings I plant for them. “Covering with mesh also helps to prevent other leaf-munching fans of kale.” The best conditions for kale are full sun, moderately heavy and well-draining soil, and a pH level of around 6.5. It’s recommended to grow kale as part of a crop rotation, in order to maximise its access to nutrients in the soil, and to reduce the risk of pests. Growing Indoors Growing indoors is good because it protects the seedlings during the most vulnerable phase of their life. To do this, fill your pot nearly to the top with compost, then place two seeds in a hole 1cm deep. Cover them, water gently, and leave on a windowsill with lots of sunlight. The seeds will germinate anywhere from 5-30°C, although the optimal temperature is around 15°C. Planting Out You’ll want to transplant your kale outside around mid-June. Again, because kale is quite hardy, there is some flexibility with dates. You want to look for plants are about 15 centimetres tall, as these are most likely strong enough to be successfully moved. Plants sown indoors need to be ‘hardened off’ before being planted out. This means you give them a chance to get used to outdoor conditions before being transplanted, because there are fluctuations in temperature outside that plants aren’t used to, as well as more wind. To do this, leave them outdoors for a couple of hours on the first day, then incrementally longer over a week or so. When it’s time to plant them out, plant them a couple of centimetres deeper than they were before, and keep about fifty centimetres between the plants. Water the ground if it is dry, and take care not to disturb the roots. Kale Plant Care It’s a hardy plant, but you still need to a few things to give your kale the best chance to grow strong. Here are our top kale care tips: Remove yellow or yellowing leaves from the plant. Water the soil when conditions are dry. Keep a careful eye out for weeds shortly after planting, and remove them quickly. Add a nitrogen-rich feed in mid-February to encourage new shoots. Consider putting a cloche over your kale plant in winter to keep the plant warmer and encourage more tender leaves. You’ll need to keep an eye out for pests, too. The next section introduces the most common kale pests, and how to deal with them. Common Pests It’s not just humans that enjoy eating kale – many bugs and pests are attracted to the rich, green leaves. Aphids Remove and compost the leaves if aphids have infected your plant These insects can affect kale, just like most other plants. They make their home on a leaf, eat the nutrients inside, and are very hard to dislodge. The best option is to remove and compost infected leaves before the aphids have a chance to spread. Cabbage White Butterfly Cabbage white butterfly – also known as cabbageworm caterpillars – will eat holes in leaves, and impact the health of your plant. Cabbage Whitefly Cabbage whitefly occurs when larvae make their homes on kale leaves. You will see a cloud of white ‘dust’ when you move the leaves. This pest weakens the plant, and can make it vulnerable to other diseases. Cabbage Root Fly Larvae These eat the root of the kale, which prevents the plant from getting enough water. If left untreated this can seriously hinder the plant’s ability to grow. Flea Beetles A pesky flea beetle looking right at home These are another pest you may find, and prevention is easier than removal. Consider row covers to keep your kale protected, and a layer of mulch on surrounding soils to prevent beetle larvae developing into adult beetles. Club Root Keep an eye out for club root, too, even though this will not ‘eat’ the leaves of your kale. It is an affliction of the kale root, so you have to look out for signs above the ground. Wilted leaves with a blue tint can signify this problem.
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