Starting Early. . . Growing Fruit, Vegetables & Herbs (2017 season)

[Joecole]

As the title says, starting early
50 onion sets planted in one of the raised beds which is 50% compost 50 soil fortified with several handfuls of fish blood and bone. Covered the bed with very fine netting and have straw on hand if and when frost is forecast.
2 large pots planted up with 6 stutgarter giant onion sets in pure compost. These are being kept in a sheltered frost free environment.
4 potatoes bags planted. 2 x4 Arran Pilot and 2x4 zRed Duke Of York first earlier .Never tried this method before so I'll keep you updated on progress, like the onions they are sheltered
Updates as things progress.

 

[Simon Perks]

Potatoe bags?
Whats that?

 

[Joecole]

Potatoe bags?
Whats that?

Morning Simon, they are bags designed specifically for growing potatoes. Each bag takes 4 tubers and has a harvesting flap on the side so as the potatoes develop you just push hour hand through the flap and take what you need without disturbing the top growth. How to plant up. Put about 15 centimetres of compost in the bottom of the bag then put the 4 tubers in then top up with another 15 centimetres. As the growth grows through keep topping up but without covering the leaves.when the plants have been in flower for about a week its time to start harvesting. Using this method you can make first earlier into very earlies

 

[Joecole]

Morning Simon, they are bags designed specifically for growing potatoes. Each bag takes 4 tubers and has a harvesting flap on the side so as the potatoes develop you just push hour hand through the flap and take what you need without disturbing the top growth. How to plant up. Put about 15 centimetres of compost in the bottom of the bag then put the 4 tubers in then top up with another 15 centimetres. As the growth grows through keep topping up but without covering the leaves.when the plants have been in flower for about a week its time to start harvesting. Using this method you can make first earlier into very earlies

The first image shows the flap that covers the harvesting slot the second shows the depth of compost before the first growth appears

 

[Bopdude]

Never seen such a thing lol, great idea though, Dad is pestering me now to get the greenhouse ready for him, that's a job for the weekend

 

[Simon Perks]

Thanks J,
We are going to do that ...
Don't think we have such ready made bags here but there are similar bags without the flap ... so i'll cut them ..
Inspired
Nice one

 

[Joecole]

Never seen such a thing lol, great idea though, Dad is pestering me now to get the greenhouse ready for him, that's a job for the weekend

I've got two to sort out Bop, this time I'm going to dig about a foot of the old soil out of the beds and replace it plus set off a couple of fumigation cones

 

[Joecole]

Growing veg in bags part 2

Using growbags is fine for shallow rooted veg but in their laid flat position not really suitable for things like potatoes unless you do the following:

1. Stand the bag on its edge

2. Take something like a piece of 4x2 and bash the bag until the compost inside has formed a rough
ridge shape

3. With a sharp knife cut 4 circular holes large enough to get your hand into in top of the bag equally
Spaced but no closer than a foot from either end

4. Now scoop out the compost from each hole to about 3 inches from the bottom of the bag and put in
one seed potato. Each hole must be planted up before you start the next one


Harvest about a week after the flowers appear by cutting a horizontal slit about 6 inches long in the side of the bag and under the planting hole then reach in and take what you need

 

[lee]

We're out in the home camp this weekend to have a sort out joe and to think about starting early this year

 

[Joecole]

We're out in the home camp this weekend to have a sort out joe and to think about starting early this year

Good idea mate I have to admit that this is the earliest I've ever started plantiy but the bags and tubs are well sheltered

 

[Joecole]

Thanks J,
We are going to do that ...
Don't think we have such ready made bags here but there are similar bags without the flap ... so i'll cut them ..
Inspired
Nice one

Nothing like adaptation Simon

 

[lee]

Joe I have a huge amount of ash in my fire pit but there is also coal ash in there, shall I mix the ash in my pots with new compost and furtlizer when I'm ready?

 

[Joecole]

Joe I have a huge amount of ash in my fire pit but there is also coal ash in there, shall I mix the ash in my pots with new compost and furtlizer when I'm ready?

Coal is only carbon so once was peat Lee so perfectly safe to mix with the wood ash and compost. What fertilizer are you using? I use fish blood and bone and pelleted chicken manure

 

[1 shot willie]

Coal is only carbon so once was peat Lee so perfectly safe to mix with the wood ash and compost. What fertilizer are you using? I use fish blood and bone and pelleted chicken manure

Fish blood and bone with a sprinkle of chicken thrown in........your mash must taste lovely Joe......any more recipes for gravy perhaps ?

Looks like a neat system for growing your crop.......what would you expect a bag to produce in terms of weight?

 

[Joecole]

Fish blood and bone with a sprinkle of chicken thrown in........your mash must taste lovely Joe......any more recipes for gravy perhaps ?

Looks like a neat system for growing your crop.......what would you expect a bag to produce in terms of weight?

Morning Bill, I would expect each bag to produce between 4 to 5 kilos because the compost is the perfect growing medium

 

[lee]

I just buy a few bags of organic joe and then add organic sea weed liquid but will get everything I can for agood harvest this year

 

[lee]

Well I've made a start, only got the organic garlic in today, I did want to get the tomatoes, celery, French beans, peppers and onions seeded but that will have to be tomorrow now.

I put 5 cloves in this pot with a mix of earth 40% fire ash 10% and a good compost 50% the container is on a sunny window sill above the radiator and will go outside when all frosts have gone the garlic will stay in this pot until harvest.

You can harvest the tops of the plant for cooking throughout the growing period, and remove the flowers as this will keep the nutrients in the bulbs for better results.

These five plants won't be nearly enough so I will be planting more tomorrow

 

[Joecole]

Its a good start Lee I put in 90 onion sets this morning half in a raised bed and the rest directly into prepared soil. Acquired an old fashioned tin bath and next week will plant the for apple potatoes

 

[lee]

Im planting out a load more garlic direct outside in a tub tomorrow, taking a chance I know but I've limited window sills lol, I will keep the tub covered with a clear plastic lid if it frosts worst way I will still have the ones I done today

 

[Joecole]

Im planting out a load more garlic direct outside in a tub tomorrow, taking a chance I know but I've limited window sills lol, I will keep the tub covered with a clear plastic lid if it frosts worst way I will still have the ones I done today

Garden fleece should keep any frost off Lee and you don't need very much