Landscaping & Gardening Information | home | site map | contact us |
Growing Great Potatoes
Potatoes are so easy to grow in the no dig, organic way. They are one of the top three in vegetable growing due to their popularity and versatility. Boil 'em, mash 'em, fry 'em, bake 'em. It's hard to go wrong with this staple in the diet. They're also a great source of vitamins, minerals and iron. Most of the goodness lies just beneath the surface of the skin though, so try to keep at least some of the skin intact when preparing for cooking. To the growing! Purchase some seed potatoes from a nursery. You can use potatoes from the supermarket, but seed potatoes will bring better yields. You can 'chit' them first (allowing them to start to grow) before planting, simply by placing them in a sunny spot. There are many different types of potatoes you can grow and it's important that you grow one you like! So start at the end...how do you like to eat them? See the description of potato types below to choose. Once you decide what type to grow, place your seed potatoes directly on the ground about 30cm (12-14 inches) apart. Cover them with a 50/50 blend of straw with old manure, blood and bone and compost. Water generously. In a couple of weeks, the tops will emerge through the straw. As they grow, keep topping them up with the enriched straw blend, making sure the tubers don't get exposed to sunlight. This can turn them green and make them toxic. Potatoes take 14-16 weeks to mature. When they flower, they are getting close to maturity. When the plants begin to die back and yellow, the crop is ready for harvest. The beauty with growing them under a straw mat is that you take the guess work out of the growing. You can actually lift the corner of the straw and see your potatoes developing. When you are close to harvest, you simply pull out some of the bigger ones for early eating, without killing off the plant. On the ground, in your no dig garden bed or inside an old tire (for containment) these things will grow anywhere given the right conditions. Whack some in. Very satisfying gardening! Potato Types There are dozens of types of potatoes you can grow. Some are small with waxy flesh, others are large with floury white flesh, and there is everything in between. What you grow will depend largely on how you like to eat them. Not all potatoes are created equal. Some are better for boiling and some for baking. Baking Potatoes Baking potatoes are those higher in starch than others. They generally have a course skin and a firm flesh. These are best for baking, mashing and frying. They are light and fluffy inside once cooked and are just brilliant. It's impossible to name all of the types, but some examples of good baking varieties are Russet, Goldrush, Idaho, Bintje and Norgold. Boiling Potatoes Boiling potatoes typically have less starch and higher sugar content. This means they will hold together when boiled or used in soups, casseroles and salads. Some good examples of boiling varieties include Red Potato, La Soda, Bismark, King Edward, Sequoia, Bronwell and Pontiac. Those that fall in the middle, the all-rounders, include Kennebec, Yukon Gold and Sebago. Judy Williams (http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com) aspires to become a fulltime earth mother goddess. This site acts as a primer for all vegetable gardening aspects covering topics like how to build a garden, nurture seedlings, container gardening and composting.
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
Learn All About Feng Shui Money Trees A feng shui money tree is an indoor plant used in order to attract prosperity and wealth into any space. The feng shui money tree's botanical name is Pachira, and its care requires the average sun light and watering that any other indoor plant would need. Mulch Your Spring Bulbs In The Fall For A Beautiful Spring Display Flower bulbs need a good, long, winters sleep. Like some people we know, if they wake up before they are fully rested, they get kind of cranky, and then they don't bloom well at all. Using Push Reel Mowers If you're not familiar with push reel mowers or if you haven't used one since "back in the day", there are a few points you should be aware of before using a push reel mower:Don't expect to cut tall weeds or dandelions. You notice how your gas-powered mowers get a little "overwhelmed" when cutting weeds or very tall grass? Those issues are a bit worse with reel mowers because they become harder to push and they are limited in the height of what they can cut. A Couple of Good Places to Buy Lawnmowers After much searching and deliberation, I finally bought a lawnmower of the Internet. This is not the sort of item that I would normally buy on the web, but am happy that I did so. Park Benches One of the best ways to create a warm and inviting outdoor space is to incorporate the use of park benches into your outdoor decor. Whether they are simple or grand, park benches send a subtle message to your neighbors and guests that you want your outdoor space to be appreciated and enjoyed by all. Backyard Landscaping When most people think of landscaping, they think of a beautifully decorated front yard. But what about the back? There are many reasons why you should consider backyard landscaping, if you have not already. Garden Hot Tubs Imagine starting your morning with a saunter out the back door to enjoy a cup of coffee in your garden hot tub, or relaxing just before bed with a lazy soak in your backyard hot tub under the stars. More and more homeowners are taking the plunge (pardon the pun!) and installing a hot tub in their backyard or garden. Popular Adirondack Chairs - Everything You Need To Know Adirondack chairs were invented during the early 1900's by a vacationer who was looking for ways to furnish his summer home. By utilizing materials found around his Westport, NY, vacation home, Thomas Lee crafted a unique chair that caught the attention of a local carpenter and would eventually gain widespread popularity. A Beautiful Rose Is Natures Gift Roses are one of natures most beautiful and splendid gifts. Roses come in a variety of colors and scents, from deep, deep red to the brightest yellow. Science Cant Explain Everything! You will know that if you have spent at least some time reflecting on the world around you, some things cannot be explained in purely scientific terms. Armies of scientists and researchers swarm in labs around the world trying to take the mystery out of every bit of wonder we witness. Thyme: The Herb of Courage Garden thyme, fresh or dried, alone or combined with parsley and bay leaves to make a bouquet garni, adds a distinctive aromatic flavouring to meats, poultry, stews, sauces, and stuffing. Thymus vulgaris, commonly known as cooking thyme, English thyme, French thyme, or winter thyme is just one of the 350 species of the genus Thymus. Understanding Weeds - But mostly How to Kill em When I was a child, I loved to pick Dandelions. The pretty yellow flowers were small, colorful, and looked nice tucked behind my ear! However, if one had popped up in the front yard, my hair accessory would have been considered an atrocity!I often feel sorry for weeds. Turn Your Patio Into A Voluminous Vegetable Garden My first apartment was a second-story condo in an urban complex, far displaced from the groomed suburban landscapes and sprawling gardens I had grown up with. My only connection to the outdoors was a small porch, surrounded by brown siding and a fading carpet of artificial turf. Colorado Blue Spruce And Lush Red Roses Set in a broad expanse of lush green lawn a length of split rail fence forms a corner. Carpeted with a thick layer of soil preserving and plant protecting cedar mulch, three tall Colorado blue spruce offset the right angles of the fence. A Bit About Bare Root Roses... Scents from the rose garden filling the air as you walk by.. Indoor Gardening Tips for Jerry Seinfeld "I have no plants in my house. They won't live for me. Dog Days of Summer Here are a few tips to keep your garden and a few specific problems from getting away from you during the month of August gardening. Your lawn, again usually three things or any combination of them may be the culprit(s) for making your lawn or patches of your lawn turn brown. Tillandsia Airplants - Dont Plant These Plants! Watch out, it's a tillandsia! Have no fear, I said "Tillandsia," not Tarantula. Although several species of this plant genus have taken on the appearance of the ominous eight-legged spider, you can rest-assured that these plants do not bite. Cultivating Plants In Your Garden...What To Watch Out For There are so many plants available for you to choose from that it's hard to know where to start. Are you looking for house plants, tropical plants or some beautiful garden plants? Green plants are not only beautiful to look at they also provide a much needed source of fresh oxygen for our breathing. High Intensity Discharge Grow Light (Generic) HID lamps are categorized in three groups :Mercury Vapor , Metal Halide, and Pressurized Sodium. For plant cultivation, Metal Halide (MH) or Pressurized Sodium (HPS and LPS) are the ones commonly used in grow rooms. |
home | site map | contact us |