Planting potatoes

I have never grown my own potatoes before, so when I was at my local nursery recently, the box of seed potatoes were calling me. I had to think whether I had a spot for them and I did, so I could not resist! I was really excited to plant my very first crop of potatoes.

I will update as to the progress of my potatoes but when planting them on Monday, the process seemed relatively straightforward. I know potatoes don't like too much water, as they can be susceptible to rot, so finally, after all this Sydney rain stopped, and the sun came out, I thought this the perfect time to get my planting underway.

As Peter Cundall states, seed potatoes are the best potatoes to plant in the garden because they are free of diseases and viruses that can affect tuber growth and production. You are more likely to achieve a bumper harvest by purchasing certified seed potatoes.

What do you need:

1. Potatoes...
(I chose sebago, as they are a good, all rounder potato, I have heard relatively hardy, I might splash out with some more interesting potato varieties if these go well)

2. A plot...

(I had originally used this bed for flowers, however, now the summer annuals are well and truly gone, I thought this would be perfect...lots of sun and holy moley...so many worms!)

3. Compost....beautiful, rich compost...full of worms. 

I could not believe how many worms were contained in this load of compost...it was crazy!

Potatoes can be grown in a number of ways, they can be grown in big gardens, small gardens and on patios and verandahs. However, as I have pretty good space in the city, I chose the simplest and probably old-fashioned way of growing them...In-ground production, where crops are grown in trenches and then hilled with soil. 

Once you he purchased your seed potatoes, encourage potatoes to sprout prior to planting by exposing them to some light (not direct sunlight). The potatoes will start to develop small shoots (as they do when you leave them in the cupboard for too long). Once they have established some shoots, cut the potatoes up, so each section contains a shoot. For every average sized potato I had, I cut into halves and threes, making sure, each had an 'eye' or shoot. If a potato only had one shoot, than I didn't both cutting it. 

I then prepared my plot. The soil I was planting into was already quite rich, I knew this because the soil was dark, moist and full of worms...some signs of pretty healthy soil. So I used some of the compost from my bin and forked it into the bed. You can also use some manure. I didn't have any, so stuck to the compost, raked up some leaves from around the garden and applied a little sprinkling of blood and bone. 

I then dug my trenches...and placed the potato seeds into them. I planted them approximately 20cm apart and around 10cm deep.

After this, simply cover the potatoes with around 10cm of soil and water.I sprinkled some blood and bone over the top and watered it in. Right now, it just looks like some soil but hopefully in a few times I will have some exciting shoots! 

* As the potato begins to emerge, cover them with soil, taken from either side of the trench. Repeat this process of 'hilling the crop' several times during the first four to six weeks of growth. 

* Peter Cundall says that hilling potatoes with loose soil and compost allows the tubers can swell freely.Covering developing tubers protects them from sunlight, which turns them green.Hilling also provides them with excellent drainage and creates a form of irrigation. 

* correct watering is vital during the first six to eight weeks of planting, as this is when the tuber develops. Don't over water but don't let them dry out, during winter, this means around every 2 to 3 days or so. 

Right now is the perfect time to plant some potatoes. They are very easy and can also be grown in pots and containers. 

Container potatoes:

*select a well draining pot, container, wheelbarrow, bathtub or hessian sack (make sure it is well draining, meaning the water can drain through the pot). 

*mix 50/50 compost and some good quality potting mix, add some mulch or grass clippings to the mix. 

*place about 10cm of the soil mix in the bottom of your container and lay potatoes, spaced, around 20cm apart (depending on the size of container). and cover with about 10cm of soil mix. 

*as the shoots appear, continue to progressively cover with the compost/soil mix, until the container is full and then mulch well. 

Harvesting:

I will know when to start harvesting my potatoes, by 'bandicooting', harvesting a few potatoes at a time while leaving the remainder to grow. I am told home-grown spuds can take up to 20 weeks to harvest, whilst commercial growers can usually harvest in around 12 weeks. So I am thinking if I planted them in mid-June, I will hopefully, start to get some crops by September/October. When foliage growth starts to die back, it means you are unlikely to get anymore tubers forming and they will be ready to harvest. 

I am super duper excited.  

A little trip to Temora...

Jerry (my partner) has been living in Temora for a couple of months now, working at the local hospital. I got some time last week to visit him at his new home and one place, one very special place he took me was to The Men's Shed where he is now a member. This place was AMAZING! Holy crap...I wish I could have dressed up as a bloke and used all their amazing equipment. This men's shed movement is great and there are more and more popping up around the place. Jerry is by far one of the youngest members at the Temora men's shed but all the guys there seem so kind and willing to help out and pass their amazing skills down to him.

Some of the guys have been working on a veggie garden out the side which gave me some great new ideas for my own garden...

strawberries

Growing strawberries in some old buckets...what a great idea.

A successful rhubarb crop growing some kind of old tub. I love gardens that re-use old stuff and turn them into something useful. This garden at the men's shed was full of recycled tubs, pipes, wood.

These old pipes have been cut out to put plants in. Some of the men said they had been growing strawberries in them but they were heating up too much in the summer and the strawberries were burning. These are a great idea for people in small spaces, balconies or patio areas. They can be used to grow leafy greens, such as lettuce, rocket, spinach, strawberries or great as herb planters. If you do use these, they can get quite hot in full sun during the summer but are perfect otherwise and a GREAT idea and are free! 

The men at the shed have used these old railway sleepers to create these raised beds. They look really good and seem very easy to assemble. If you have access to some railway sleepers, have got some space, these are another really great idea, especially for kids and older gardeners. 

Growing silverbeet in the sleeper raised bed

A beautiful, healthy crop of broccoli is important for any garden during the winter. The shed had a beautiful crop. A little earlier down there because of the cool but if you are in Sydney plant your seedlings now. I have done one lot and will put some more in in the next few weeks. 

Autumn

Autumn is such a magnificent time of year. I feel so incredibly lucky to enjoy it with so much freedom. The air is sweet and the colours vibrant...

Michael Ableman

I heard Michael Ableman speak on Radio National the other morning and he had some really interesting and insightful ideas into modern farming practices and the environment. He is a farmer himself and has been involved in some incredibly projects in America, including starting an 11 acre farm at the Midland school. Please, read more about him:

http://www.fieldsofplenty.com/michael.php

Seed saving and other permaculture principals

The beautiful Madagascar Bean

On the weekend, I attended a seed saving workshop organised and run by some amazingly fervent inner west Sydneysiders, passionate about seed saving, permaculture, composting, bees and growing their own food in their backyards. The workshop was held in Michele Margolis' award winning backyard in Enmore and her sidekick Jane Mowbray, chronic seed saver. I had been thinking about saving my own seed for a while but have always been worried about not doing it properly and that my seeds would never come to fruition. However, after watching so many of the plants in my own garden pop up from seed that had been dropped - I thought, well, really, surely it cannot be that hard. And it really is not at all and I am going to be doing a lot more of it from now on. 

Jane collecting seed from a brassica

Saving seeds varies slightly between plants, mostly with plants that will fruit and then flower (e.g. broccoli, kale, spinach, carrot etc) as opposed to plants that flower and then fruit (e.g. tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant). 


Saving seed from vegies such as spinach, kale, mustard, lettuce etc let a couple of plants go to seed, let them dry out for a couple of weeks in the ground, pull them out and store them in a dry position and then collect your seed. 

Collecting seed from pumpkin and zucchini

Saving seed is not only a way to save money but it is important to maintain our heritage seeds so that we don't lose varieties in the future; "So?" you may have asked? "Why does it matter if we lose a couple of varieties of tomatoes or eggplant...Why does it matter?" Genetic diversity is important for the continuation of a species, and it's what drives change and adaptation in the living world. In the case of growing food and gardening, diversity insures that we'll be able to continue eating the plants we now eat. Many of the large chain supermarkets only sell a few (if that) varieties of fruit and vegetables. These vegetables are often picked too early and stored for long periods of time, often leaving them bland, tasteless and less nutritious. 

The advantage of picking from your own garden is that you know exactly where your food comes from, you know there will be no chemicals or pesticides used in the process and how easy is it to just head out the back to grab some lettuce or spinach leaves! Now, unless I had more time than I could probably grow more than I am able to but even if you are able to only grow a few things - it is definitely worth it. 

Chickens free-ranging!

Michele uses styro foam boxes to sow seed. These boxes can be picked up for free from fruit shops and supermarkets - they are a great way to start growing your own food, especially salad greens and herbs. I have some in my garden which are painted...a great activity to do with kids.

 

Turmeric - I don't have any growing in my garden but I have been inspired to plant some. Michele made a delicious  pumpkin and turmeric soup. YUM.

A good way to test your seeds reliability  - place them in a damp paper towel for a few days and  open  it up to see what the germination rate is. I will definitely be trying this technique. I think it will save a lot of frustration and heartache!

There are more workshops coming up so feel free to contact me if you are interested and I can lend you the details. 

The world is a garden...especially for kids

After studying primary school teaching for only 6 weeks I have learnt so much I think my head might explode. It's a great course and there are some fantastic lecturers who are offering really inspiring and knowledgeable advice. One main theme which has been coming through our English course is the importance of imaginative play and its relation to building children's language skills, as well as a range of other important areas. There have been numerous studies which have verified the importance of imaginative play for children and how that supports their language skills, emotional wellbeing and growth, as well as their understanding of the world around them and how it works. Free play also allows children to develop problem-solving skills, cooperation and responsibility. 

Children use their own world experiences to make meaning from books, as well as use books to create games, expand their imagination and to discover new worlds. Research states that imaginative play engages many areas of the brain because it involves emotion, cognition, language and sensorimotor actions, and may promote the development of dense synaptic connections. Structured games, as well as electronic games and devices can and will not be a replacement for what is learnt through unstructured and free play. This is children's work and this is what helps them to develop their mind, their emotion, as well as their personalities. Young toddlers, right up to late stage primary school children need and should be allowed to develop their imagination by engaging in free and imaginative play and I find it so sad when I see children who are unable to engage in such an activity. Their mind has often been stifled and even corrupted by watching too much television or playing too many electronic games; it is as though their imagination ceases to exist. 

I felt so heartened on a recent observation day to Cabramatta Public School, a low SES school, with over 95% of the student population coming from ESL backgrounds, actively engaging in the school kitchen program. It was inspiring and uplifting to see this class of year 2 students, so eager to answer questions about compost, worms, and how to plant lettuces. This school had a fantastic program which allowed the students an hour of meditation and imaginative thinking, following by an hour of gardening and cooking. How could this not be unequivocally and obviously beneficial for the students; especially for many of those who had experienced trauma on their journey to Australia. 

http://www.cabramatta-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/additional-classes/garden

Children seem to have a natural affinity with gardening and it is a priceless lesson to teach children how to plant seeds and to watch the growth of those plants, into beautiful flowers, productive produce and/or homes for bees, butterflies and other tiny creatures. Gardens are a great catalyst for the creation of many stories and imaginative games. It is important to nurture these spaces, whether one has a garden or not. Remember, the world is a garden! 

Thrifty Gardening

I have been working in an Italian restaurant and I find it really difficult to just throw away these big cans that the parmesan cheese comes in, so I have been taking them home and storing them away until I could come up with a good use for them. Firstly, I thought of making lanterns but I decided to grow plants in them instead and save the lantern project until later. 

THIS IS SOO SUPER EASY AND ANYONE CAN DO IT. 


Weekend project: Turning old, unused tins into productive plant tins!
Time: approximately 15-30 mins
You will need:
- old tins
- hammer or screwdriver (to make drainage holes at the bottom)
- soil/potting mix
- plants 


So, what I did was to make some drainage holes in the bottom (this is important). Filled the tins with some soil and planted some cuttings from other plants in the garden. In this case, I just used the old trusty succulent because these will withstand anything, and if you have not got a green thumb or too lazy to water. these can look effective. I also took a cutting from a coleus plant I had in another pot. So super easy, all you do is cut a stem off, stick it in the soil, keep it moist and roots will grow and there you are...you have a whole new plant. Now who can't do that?  GET TO IT. 


p.s. Another great use for old olive oil tins is to turn them into planter pots and they look really good in the garden. The tins will start to rust up a little but this just adds  to their charm. 

To sow this month (temperate):

If you have not already I have got seeds of broccoli, leek, spinach, parsley, garlic, lettuce, beets, cornflowers growing for my winter staples. Not sure if I will have enough room for carrots this year. Will see how it goes. Check out my propogation station made from an old ironing board I found in a council clean-up...great use!

Propagation Station - where I like to propagate a variety of plants and grow a variety of seeds. 

Parsley is SUPER easy to grow from seed. Why would you not grow it yourself. It is such a great herb, there is really no excuse. 

I cannot believe for some time that I was buying punnets of spinach seedlings. It is SO SO easy to grow from seed. I will never go back. This is the silverbeet spinach and gets so much use in our kitchen. It is a definite staple in ANY garden and can be very easily grown in a pot.