I've got flowers on my tomatoes!
I've got flowers on my tomatoes!
Nor me(Or on my strawbs! )
However, I think my potatoes might be triffids - they appear to be growing an awful lot overnight. I'm worried..........
Anything capable of photosynthesising - apart from the spuds themselvesMy questions is - do I just cover everything that appears above the surface or do I leave the top couple of leaves poking out the top?
ETA: I like the look of those Zenie - let us know how you get on
Those look interesting, zenie.
I'm not sure I could get away with it on our roof terrace, mind. I've already been instructed by my housemate that the catering-size mayonnaise tubs I'm using to grow butternut squashes and courgettes are too hideous to be allowed, unless they're painted
Good point. I meant that they're something I'd like to try making'interesting' such a vague word You do need somewhere to hang them, so I'm hoping my balcony ceiling is strong enough.
LOL shove them in a big trough, no-one'll see them then, and the trough will hold the water in.
erm, you're supposed to be earthing it up to ensure any potatoes growing are covered, not the leaves aren't you? the leaves need to see the sun to do their job, and anyway will grow a couple of feet tall or more, which would need a lot of earthing upThat's reminded me of a question I had.
I'm growing potatoes in one of those potato bag thingys and I know I have to keep topping it up with compost as they grow.
My questions is - do I just cover everything that appears above the surface or do I leave the top couple of leaves poking out the top?
ETA: I like the look of those Zenie - let us know how you get on
Good point. I meant that they're something I'd like to try making
Happily, I was already planning on putting them on next-door's roof terrace. Out of sight, out of mind. It's an argument I'm happy to let her win
ok, so my table top sale of excess plants didn't quite go according to plan this weekend, so I've ended up planting loads of extra stuff in the garden, then potting up about 20 tomato plants in decent sized pots to go in the porch and along the drive... found some huge pots, and figured I'd try a 3 sisters type approach with them, and add in a mix of beans, tomato and sweetcorn seeing as I had way more than I could plant out.
It's interesting how many tomato plants I've actually managed to disperse around the edges of the garden without too much effort (eg behind the rhubarb / strawbs / lettuces etc), and corgette / pumpkins kinda starting underneath some bushes to grow outwards towards the sun, with some extra manure to make up for the nutrients the bush will have drawn from the ground.
if it all works, I may need to open a temporary greengrocers, if not, well I'm sure 30 or so tomato plants will provide enough for the house for a while. I may have to move on to the flower beds for the next batch of tomato plants I planted supposedly to sell at the next sale thing next month though, which may be more problematic
my thinking is that if I actually manage to entirely fill every bit of available space, then I'm going to go off doing some guerilla gardening on the local fields... unless I can offload them on the neighbours or somethingI'm already well into the flower beds! Sprouts, beetroot and dwarf beans all in there!
I reckon you can pretty much never have too many tomatoes anyway (oh for your problem! )! What you can't eat fresh/give away can always be dried and made into chutneys and stuff!
only thing is, that I counted nie on 50 tomato plants in the second tray, which added to those I've just planted out / potted up would give me something like 70 tomato plants.Excellent plans, fs!
Alys now has an allotment :-
video of her earthing up potatoes among other things ..
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/video/2010/may/18/alys-fowler-allotment
erm, you're supposed to be earthing it up to ensure any potatoes growing are covered, not the leaves aren't you? the leaves need to see the sun to do their job, and anyway will grow a couple of feet tall or more, which would need a lot of earthing up
Not if you're growing them in tubs or potato bags - its a bit different to growing them in the ground, when you'rs absolutely right about the earthing up. In containers, you start them in about 3" of soil/compost and cover them up each time they show their little green leafy heads, until the container is full. Then you just let them be.
That's great felix - just what I needed to know!
and just in time too as I noticed some green shoots poking through this morning.
Ah, its not that urgent!
oh, ok, I shall mark that down as my thing that I have learnt for the day then... taNot if you're growing them in tubs or potato bags - its a bit different to growing them in the ground, when you'rs absolutely right about the earthing up. In containers, you start them in about 3" of soil/compost and cover them up each time they show their little green leafy heads, until the container is full. Then you just let them be.