Page 16 - Simply Vegetables Autumn 2021

Today: Do you remember the Potatoes in Your Plot?
Whilst looking back at this past summer, I hope that you are, for the most part, happy with any unforeseen successes that you have had. Either getting a show card, growing some vegetables that you are largely satisfied with, or appreciating any compliments received for turning out garden-fresh produce.
During the year we have had to withstand any weather that came along. Never when we wanted it, or in the amount required.
As this growing season staggers to an end, I start to look at next year’s prospects. Unless I make changes to my present system of growing, I will not improve as a gardener or exhibiter.
Yet again, the starting point of my hard work for improvement, will be to revise my opinions on last year’s notes. Some modifications to my plans will ensure that headway is made.
There will be no undue changes, but a series of small improvements that will, hopefully, make all next year’s labours stress-free, more pleasant and fruitful.
case will be resistance to scab and keeping skin colour.
Compost
No change! So, it is the same again for me. The one that I use is a quality product marketed by our President. I am finding that it contained sufficient food to last for the season.
Its fine quality contents made it easy keep the growing-bag moist. Not over wet or too dry.
Soil preparation
A success story to report.
Making bigger holes in the bottom
of my potato bags has assisted the drainage and improve growth into the soil below, picking-up more fertilizer and moisture. The bags stayed firm and manageable. So it is same again for me. Possible with even larger drainage holes?
earlier, possibly by planting-out some of the bags by the third week of April. Strong late frosts are an inevitable
painful experience. Earlier planting means to be better
The best changes usually come from my own actions, as well as learning what the top growers do and how they do it, knowing that these super producers don’t rely on luck.
The best changes usually come from my own actions
Sowing date 2022?
I will start some of the bags by the first week of April in my small greenhouse.
This year the NVS Southern Branch Virtual On-line Championships held in the third week of July, really caught me
No more grand ideas of a ‘treble-row-block’ to save space, or
even ‘double rows’ for me. Changing the layout of the bags
from three rows of six, to four rows of five, set out over a larger area will give more opportunity for inspection and maintenance.
Feeding
I am quite happy with the amount of the fertilizer applied.
The compost comes with a rich mixture of readily available food, with an adequate amount to last the summer. A handful of Growmore fertilizer is worked into the soil under each bag. Finally, a weekly spray of liquid fertilizer on and under the leaves, keeping the tops green and healthy, lengthening the growing season.
Watering
Attention to the water requirements of growing plants, is always a touchy conversation!
No more grand ideas of a ‘treble-row- block’ to save space
prepared with a handy fitting plastic sheet or better still some 35gm fleece.
Attending to the plants in their bags
I am going to space my bags out.
Examining all
ideas for improvements and inclusion into my 2022 programme
Varieties of potatoes
Once again, my varieties will be restricted to three. My two bankers, Winston and Kestrel with a new one to me, Malin, unless I can get a more dependable strain of Amour.
Show results point out that these are the varieties chosen by the successful exhibitors and the all-important panel of judges.
Now, I am looking for a new provider of seed-potatoes, laying emphasis on the qualities suitable for an exhibition sample, which in my
out. To compete with growers in the south of the country I need to grow a better-quality sample of potatoes
16 Simply Vegetables
BY RON NUTALL