Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Denise Scanlan on September 25, 2011 at 3:47pm

For potatoes, make sure you have a chunk of potato with the eye, and just plant it, eye up. Never fails for me. Don't go too deep either.

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Permalink Reply by Barbara lee on September 25, 2011 at 4:46pm

Thanks for that Denise, but have done it with chunks,  but maybe have been planting too deep. do you have luck in doing the tyre tier way?.  And you never have to put ash on the bottom of potato at all.

And the type of potato you use, not from a supermarket or do you use one thats come from a farm type.

Maybe we just get crap potatoes down in Melbourne probably overseas junk.   but will have another go just planting nearer to the top and making sure its come from a local farm not supermarket maybe.

I might need to plant on a full moon. might make all the difference. Haha.

Thanks for your reply Denise, your a good sport.

 

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Permalink Reply by Jan Courtney on September 25, 2011 at 5:12pm

I am not a gardener Barb,  but I do enjoy reading your posts: 

 

Have a look here:  http://www.your-lifestyleonline.com/how-to-grow-potatoes-the-no-dig...

 

You may get a clue to solve your tattie problem.   Cheers Jan.

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Permalink Reply by Barbara lee on September 25, 2011 at 5:31pm

Hi Jan that is so good, will do this how they said, thanks for giving me this address,  sounds so simple. great one Jan

Thank you so much,

cheerio

Barb

Jan Courtney said:

I am not a gardener Barb,  but I do enjoy reading your posts: 

 

Have a look here:  http://www.your-lifestyleonline.com/how-to-grow-potatoes-the-no-dig...

 

You may get a clue to solve your tattie problem.   Cheers Jan.

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Permalink Reply by Barbara lee on September 29, 2011 at 9:03am

 The rain in Melbourne as been really great for the veggie patch, the tomatoes are standing up beautifully, while in a different patch, getting it ready,  turning the soil digging through some more composite and a tiny bit more manure, and just leaving it for now as I might burn the young plants, another one holds cabbages and parsley. Looking so healthy but have spotted white butterfly, time to get the white powder out, to put on them, disappointing as was trying to not use any poisons, but don’t want my cabbages eaten either.  Have my water in drum ready with manure just soaking ready for liquid for veggies.  Plenty of lemons on tree, have to pick and make ice cubes, to store them, if needed for unexpected lemon pie, fish, you name it, always hand them out to neighbors around me, don’t like anything going to waste. It’s a great time of year, just seeing starting out everything growing beautiful; even to seeing the grape leaves coming on the vine. And the flowers beds all around the place looking gorgeous.  Love this time of year. Recently had to buy a mini chain saw, just to hack into small stuff, really cuts the work load down quickly, well worth the money. Have been put onto a new way of doing the potatos, am getting that patch ready now, by laying down news paper first or cardboard, and then putting some compost down, and then burring the potato heads, and coving with pea straw I think haven’t got that far yet, just thinking whether to use newspaper of cardboard will let you know step by step how it went,       Well happy gardening to you all.

Barb Lee

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Permalink Reply by Denise Scanlan on September 29, 2011 at 9:43am

Such an ordeal for potatoes when all I have ever done is put them in and wait for them to grow. It does take a long time before you have spuds though. Just put into the normal veggie garden maybe next to beans or whatever. Never had a problem. Love digging them up though.  

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Permalink Reply by Barbara lee on September 29, 2011 at 11:27am

 Hi Denise

Will take on board what you have said, have a place for climbing beans, so will plant your way of doing of potatoes there.

but out of curisoity, might just try that ordeal of a way, just to see which comes first, the old way potato or the ordeal way.

Thankyou for you helpful reply Denise won't plant to deep and leave in for a long time.

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Permalink Reply by Barbara lee on October 1, 2011 at 2:31pm

Go Cats

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Permalink Reply by Laurel V on October 2, 2011 at 1:27am

I cut a spud from a batch (that  ate well) into four let it dry off surafce wise and simply throw  a shovel of dirt over. the hoo ha over only cert plantable is nuts.

Diggers sell some old and some novel ones like sapphire (purple all through) and a pink all through, etc

heirlooms that are meant to continue for ever, breed true.

tomatos may be a fungal risk this year with so much moisture, spray MILK on downy mildew on them curcubits melons and grapevines.

Derris dust is acceptable for cabbage moth.

or use Diatomaceous earth even safer.(pool supply or garden shops)

Neem oil also.

 

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Permalink Reply by Barbara lee on October 2, 2011 at 2:28am

What great information you have given me, will take all of that on board, I like the spud from batch that ate well, it actual makes sence, and then cut into 4 and it must have a lot to do with drying out as well. thats where my friend had said to use ashes from fire, and yet you don't have too. just dry them out. am going to try that out. many thanks for you response.

Would never had thought to use milk on melons and grapevines, or even use diatomaceous earth or even neem oil.  some one new I needed you to reply and to help.

Many thanks Laurel

cheerrio Barb Lee

Laurel V said:

I cut a spud from a batch (that  ate well) into four let it dry off surafce wise and simply throw  a shovel of dirt over. the hoo ha over only cert plantable is nuts.

Diggers sell some old and some novel ones like sapphire (purple all through) and a pink all through, etc

heirlooms that are meant to continue for ever, breed true.

tomatos may be a fungal risk this year with so much moisture, spray MILK on downy mildew on them curcubits melons and grapevines.

Derris dust is acceptable for cabbage moth.

or use Diatomaceous earth even safer.(pool supply or garden shops)

Neem oil also.

 

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Permalink Reply by Jan Courtney on October 2, 2011 at 3:41pm

A little bit of whimsy from me the non-gardner to the gardner:  Enjoy Barb.

How to Plant Your Garden

First, you come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses

For the garden of your daily living,
Plant three rows of peas:

   1. Peace of mind
   2. Peace of heart
   3. Peace of soul

Plant four rows of squash:

   1. Squash gossip
   2. Squash indifference
   3. Squash grumbling
   4. Squash selfishness

Plant four rows of lettuce:

   1. Let us be faithful
   2. Let us be kind
   3. Let us be patient
   4. Let us love one another

No garden is without turnips:

   1. Turn up for meetings
   2. Turn up for service
   3. Turn up to help one another

To conclude our garden we must have thyme:

   1. Time for each other
   2. Time for family
   3. Time for friends

Water freely with patience and cultivate with love.
There is much fruit in your garden because you reap what you sow.

-- Author Unknown

 

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Martin Essenberg on October 2, 2011 at 7:17pm

In Kilkivan we have serpentinite soils which have a pH of about 8 and also high Magnesium.  Lots of things won't grow at that Ph and magnesium. Soils are porous so everything dries out fast. We had 10 years of drought and last January floods were the best we have had. Creek now running for 9 months now- wow. Water is costly though- first pump it from the creek 400m to 20,000litre tank with 6HP petrol pump. Then electric household pump used to water plants. In town you get water by the megalitre for next to nothing. In the country it costs dollars for kilolitres

 

We also have a lot of "monsters" The sulphur crested cockatoos ate the nectarines, the bats eat the mangos, the  King parrots love the pigeon pea, the lorikeets like the leucena and chew the stems of the choko vines. The Possums eat stuff, the bandicoots dig it up. Hmm- have I missed any. Oh yes- the foxes eat the chooks, the fruit piercing moth sucks the citrus fruit and other plants- fruit then rots and fall off.

 

This year I have collected fridges from the tip. I strip them and seal holes. I put in soil and drill a hole about 150mm from the bottom (formerly the back) for drainage. Its my version of a "wicking bed"  I have planted purple fleshed potatoes- congo potatoes and another type. Seem to be OK so far.

 

I have planted Koubo cactus- trichocereus peruvianus. Also Dragon fruit. Both growing OK but no fruit yet. Chokos were quite successful last year. Passionfruit grow lots of leaf but don't set fruit so far. Citrus grows but oh so slowly.

 

Parsely and corriander doing OK. Bell peppers doing OK. Capsicum all died. Yakon is new and seems to be doing OK. Tomatos always get "end rot". Plants weak and yellowish and tomatos also go yellow and bottom end rots while still on vine. Shallots are so thin- no bulbs on bottom

 

Get our meat from killing Cows and chickens but really doing pathetically with vegies.

 

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